Threatt Filling Station
- Retro roadside
- In Luther, Oklahoma
- On Route 66
- National Register of Historic Places
The Threatt Filling Station is a small Craftsman-style gas station on former Route 66 east of Luther, OK, built around 1915. It belonged to the Threatt family, Black entrepreneurs, and during the Jim Crow era it was one of the few places where Black motorists could stop, shop and rest safely. Listed on the National Register, it tells a side of Mother Road history that is too often left out.
What is Threatt Filling Station?
The station is a 'house' type filling station, built to look like a small home, and its design follows the Bungalow/Craftsman style. It stands at the southwest corner of the old highway and Pottawatomi Road, about 3 miles east of Luther and roughly 20 miles east of Oklahoma City.
The earliest pumps wore glass globes, which let customers see how much fuel was being measured out. Those were later swapped for a pair of pumps from around 1940.
History of Threatt Filling Station
The Threatt family owned the land and ran several businesses from it. In an age when laws limited where Black travelers could eat, sleep or even buy gas, the station offered them a place to shop, park overnight or simply take a break from the road.
The family estate also sheltered Black residents driven from their homes by the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. The station stayed in business until the 1970s. The National Register added it in 1995, recognizing it both for its design and for its role in Black history along Route 66.
Visiting Threatt Filling Station: tips
The station sits on a former stretch of Route 66, less than a mile from the main route line, so it is a short detour for most drivers heading between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Give it a quiet 15 to 20 minutes to look at the building and take in the setting.
Nearby, Seaba's Filling Station is about 8 miles away, and the Flynt Building is about 15 miles away, so the three make a neat run of early roadside history.
Practical info
- Address
- 21940 OK-66, Luther, OK 73054
- Phone
- +1 405-443-6655
- Hours
- Open 24 h
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat near Threatt Filling Station
All diners on Route 66 →
On the map
Full mapThreatt Filling Station with the 6 closest stops and a place to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
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Stops near Threatt Filling Station
All of Oklahoma
8.1 mi from Threatt Filling Station
10.4 mi from Threatt Filling Station
14.9 mi from Threatt Filling Station
15.1 mi from Threatt Filling Station
15.1 mi from Threatt Filling Station
15.1 mi from Threatt Filling Station
Questions about Threatt Filling Station
Why is the Threatt Filling Station important?
It belonged to a Black family and gave Black travelers a safe place to stop, shop and rest on Route 66 during the Jim Crow era.
How old is the Threatt Filling Station?
It dates from around 1915, stayed in business into the 1970s, and joined the National Register in 1995.
Where is the Threatt Filling Station?
On former Route 66 at Pottawatomi Road, about 3 miles east of Luther, Oklahoma.
Own or run Threatt Filling Station? Send us a photo or a correction.