Rock Café facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rock Café
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 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Location | 114 W. Main Street Stroud, Oklahoma |
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| Built | 1938 |
| Built by | Roy Rieves |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman |
| MPS | Route 66 in Oklahoma MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000661 |
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 2001 |
The Rock Café in Stroud, Oklahoma, is a famous restaurant. It's located right on U.S. Route 66, a historic highway. The café gets its name because it's built from local sandstone. It looks really cool and unique!
The Rock Café first opened in 1939. It had to close for a while in 2008 because of a fire. But it reopened on May 29, 2009, after lots of repairs. A special book about the restaurant was published in November 2009.
Dawn Welch owns the Rock Café. She loves promoting U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma. She was even named Oklahoma's 2009 Woman of the Year! Dawn was also the inspiration for Sally Carrera. Sally is a car character in the Pixar movie Cars.
Contents
The Rock Café's Story
Roy Rieves started building the Rock Café in 1936. This was during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. These were very hard times for many people. Roy used local stone to build the café. He did much of the work himself. Sometimes he hired students to help.
The land for the café cost only $100. The stone came from nearby Kellyville, Oklahoma. It was leftover from building the U.S. Route 66 road. Route 66 came to Stroud, Oklahoma in 1926.
Opening and Early Years
The café opened in August 1939. Miss Thelma Holloway was the first manager. The Rock Café was a busy stop for Greyhound buses. This was especially true during World War II. The café got its bright neon sign in the late 1940s.
Mamie Mayfield ran the Rock Café for many years. In 1959, she kept it open twenty-four hours a day! She retired on July 14, 1983, when she was 70 years old. Mamie's name lives on at the café. There's a souvenir shop called Mamie's General Store.
Changes on Route 66
Over time, things changed for the café. A new toll road called Interstate 44 in Oklahoma was built. This meant fewer cross-country truckers stopped at the Rock Café. But Highway 66 is still a free way to travel.
In 1985, U.S. Route 66 was no longer an official highway. It became Oklahoma State Highway 66. Dawn Welch, the current owner, bought the café in 1993.
Surviving Tough Times
In 1999, a strong tornado hit Stroud. It damaged many parts of the town. The Rock Café survived, but its neon sign was hurt. Business slowed down a lot after the tornado.
In 2001, the Rock Café was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This helped it get money to fix up the building. When the first people from Pixar visited in 2001, the café was still being repaired. Its neon sign would flicker but not fully light up.
With help from a special grant and a loan, the Rock Café was fully restored. It got new heating and air conditioning. The old wiring was replaced. The neon sign was fixed, and the building looked like new again.
Featured and Famous
The Rock Café has become quite famous! In 2007, artist Bob Waldmire drew the café in one of his artworks. The Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives also featured the Rock Café.
On January 21, 2010, Dawn Welch appeared on NBC-TV's Today show. She cooked and talked about her cookbook. The Rock Café was also named "Best Oklahoma Diner" by "Oklahoma Living" magazine in January 2010. Dawn was even on the magazine's cover!
