Afton Station Packard Museum facts for kids
Afton Station Packard Museum
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| Established | 1999 |
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| Location | 12 SE First Street, U.S. Route 66, Afton, Oklahoma |
| Type | Packard automotive museum |
| Collection size | 18 Packard and other vintage automobiles |
| Visitors | 6000/yr (2012) |
| Owner | Laurel and David Kane |
The Afton Station Packard Museum was a special place for car lovers. It was a private museum in Afton, Oklahoma, right on the famous U.S. Route 66. This museum was set up inside an old gas station from the 1930s.
Inside, you could see a showroom filled with amazing cars. There were 18 Packard cars and other cool old automobiles. The museum also had lots of items related to Route 66. These included things from the old Buffalo Ranch Trading Post. Outside, you could see old-fashioned D-X gas pumps. A sign proudly showed the "Approved Packard Service" logo.
Afton Station was also a helpful stop for travelers. People came from all over the world, like Europe and Australia. They could get maps, guidebooks, and learn about "The Mother Road" (Route 66).
Contents
Afton Station's History
The town of Afton was started in 1886. It was named after a river in Scotland. Afton used to be a busy place for trains. It had a facility to fix locomotives. This train repair shop closed in the 1930s. This happened soon after U.S. Route 66 was created in 1926.
The Eagle D-X gas station opened in 1933. Over the years, it sold different types of fuel. In the 1940s, it was one of three gas stations on Route 66. A photo from 1981 shows it as a building with a tin roof.
How Route 66 Changed Afton
Afton depended on Route 66 for its economy. But in 1957, Interstate 44 in Oklahoma was built. This new highway bypassed Afton. Many motels and cafés in town closed down. The Buffalo Ranch Trading Post also closed in 1997. It was later torn down in 2002.
Creating the Packard Museum
In 1999, Laurel and David Kane bought the old D-X station. They wanted to restore it. Their plan was to use it to display their collection of Packard items. Afton had become a quiet town. Only about 800 people lived there.
Laurel Kane explained why they chose that spot:
"I knew I wanted a property on Route 66 — that was one of the reasons for living here. We kept driving through Afton to get here and there. There were about three vintage stations still standing... We really liked (this one) because it was in (better) condition than the others, and it had room for the cars."
—Laurel Kane
In 2009, Afton Station received an award. It was named "Route 66 Business of the Year." This happened at the International Route 66 Festival in Flagstaff, Arizona.
The Museum's Closing
Sadly, Laurel Kane passed away in 2016. David Kane passed away in 2018. After their deaths, the museum's collection was sold. This included all the Packard cars and other items. The property itself was planned to be sold in 2019.
See also
- America's Packard Museum in Dayton, Ohio
