Glass House Restaurant, Vinita, Oklahoma, 1962
Gracefully spanning the Will Rodgers Turnpike in Vinita, Oklahoma, this is the world’s fastest drive-thru, the Glass House Restaurant. The fine folks at Conoco Oil brought us this miracle of modernity in 1957. It was the first restaurant constructed over a United States public highway and the simple solution to cater to motorists passing in both directions. The term “roadside architecture” doesn’t apply here. It’s not on the side of the road. It’s over the road. And why did they call it a house? It’s much more like a bridge.
Not only did the place offer gas, gifts and good food, there was a great show too. Imagine the thrill of dining on a Yankee Pot Roast or Virginia Ham dinner while being entertained and amused by a constant parade of sparkling cars speeding to and fro below.
The ultra unique attraction was a big hit with tourists. Soon locals started hanging out. Local high schools even held proms there. As the years passed and America’s appetite for fast food increased the wonderful Glass House closed, only to reopen as “the world’s largest McDonald’s. Yes, the arches are now “golden arches” they are painted that warm and familiar shade “golden” yellow. So the next time you have a Big Mac attack this is where you’ll want to satisfy your craving. And, oh-yeah� don’t forget to have them super-size it!
Here’s to you �and the Glass House Restaurant!
Charles:
I really enjoy your website! Great memories! This building still stands across I-44 east of Tulsa and now houses a McDonalds. Route 66 is just a mile or 2 north and still looks about the same as it did 50 years ago, but with most businesses long shuttered.
Best wishes, Alex Manz, Ohio
We stop here every time we go to visit relatives in Tulsa. I didn’t know it was that old!
love your site, Charles!
Wow. Another one unearthed from my childhood memories. I thought, like Arthur C. Clarke’s story, “Childhood’s End”: all MY MEMORIES WERE GONE.
I remember a 1960′s trip from Las Vegas back to Ohio on Route 66. I have the most vivid memory of stopping at this “futuristic glass house” Howard Johnson’s. I can still remember to peculiar aqeous aroma of the plastic green bottled, creamy white Phisohex soap my father traveled with for some odd reason or another.
I think Phisohex was pulled off the market due to cancer concerns in the 70′s.
Phisohex might be off the market but my memories of this unique place come back to me in dreams frequently.
I am pretty certain I stopped at the Glass House in 1961 and again in 1967 although I thought it spanned Route 66. A couple of months ago I decided to see if I could find it so I branched off from I-44 and took the old 66 for a while. No luck. Then last month I passed through on I-44 and low and behold there it was right in front of me. What a pleasure to turn back some history pages.