Route 66 - Chandler, Oklahoma

Welcome to Chandler, Oklahoma, the county seat of Lincoln and home to many Route 66 attractions. However, it didn't have the smoothest of starts. Due to be 'opened' on 22nd September 1891 as part of a land run - literally a first-come, first-served rush to previously restricted territory, usually Native American settlements - Chandler was already 'settled' insofar as there was already a post office and several other official buildings. However, the site survey wasn't in place, so Chandler had its own exclusive run six days later.

The Chandler courthouse seems to have had a run of bad luck, too - torn down by a tornado in 1897 (17 town residents died), a stone courthouse eventually replaced it, but this was burned down in December 1967 and rebuilt again. Third time lucky for the courthouse, it's still standing today.

Despite oil discoveries in the surrounding area, Chandler has surprisingly never become a boom town. The population has also been relatively small, at less than 3000 inhabitants.

The Lincoln County Historical Society and Museum of Pioneer History contains thought-provoking information about the area, not to mention photographs and mementos of families dating back to before the land rush of 1891. Records of business, people and the general history of the whole county are on display, dating as far back as the Spanish-American War in 1898.