| Summary: | The Blue Whale has become one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66 in Oklahoma. Hugh Davis built it in the early 1970s as an anniversary gift to his wife Zelta. The Blue Whale and its pond became a favorite stop and swimming hole for both locals and travelers alike. Hugh was an entrepreneur in the grand old tradition of those roadside attraction proprietors of old. Over the years his park became a destination in itself. His property not only included this fanciful blue whale, but picnic tables, concessions, a couple of boats and a wonderful zoo housed in a wooden ark. The zoo was once a favorite field trip for the local school kids. Blaine Davis, Hugh's son, recalls giving tours of the zoo when he was only six years old! The Blue Whale, pond and zoo were closed in the late 1980s and soon fell into disrepair. A decade after the Blue Whale was closed citizens of Catoosa along with Hampton Inn employees cleaned up the grounds and gave the whale a fresh coat of paint. Today the Blue Whale lives again as an attraction worth seeing. The remains of the ark (below right picture) and zoo can be seen returning to nature nearby. There are no plans to restore them at this time and soon may be just a memory.
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