A Very OK Podcast

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has fostered the construction of public roads since 1911. In 1924, it was chairman Cyrus Avery who played a significant role in the creation of the national highway network. In 1976, the legislature expanded ODOT’s responsibility to managing highways, waterways, and railways in Oklahoma. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Matthew Pearce explore the growing role of ODOT through the years. Their guest is secretary of transportation and executive director of ODOT, Tim Gatz.

An unlikely baseball superstar, Mickey Mantle was raised in a mining family in northeastern Oklahoma. His father started training him to be an elite baseball player from a young age, and he eventually joined the prestigious New York Yankees. Despite injuries and personal demons, he became one of baseball’s all-time best players, amassing 536 home runs and seven World Series wins. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss Mantle’s life and legacy. Their guest is Alex Freedman, director of communications and broadcasting for the Oklahoma City Comets.

As traffic increased on the Mother Road, restaurants were opened to give people the sustenance they needed to get to their destinations. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss a few of the historic restaurants, both closed and still-thriving, located on Route 66 in Oklahoma. Their guest is Kathy Anderson, president of the Billboard Museum Association. She talks about her article in The Chronicles of Oklahoma about the famous Chicken in the Rough meal that was invented by Beverly and Rubye Osborne in the 1930s.

Two of Oklahoma’s most influential entertainers came from Erick, a small town located near the Texas border on Route 66. Sheb Wooley recorded a famous novelty song in 1958 and was the star of the TV series “Rawhide,” in addition to appearing in over 80 movies. Roger Miller became known as one of country music’s most influential songwriters, winning 11 Grammys in 1964 and 1965. He also wrote the Tony award-winning score to the Broadway musical, “Big River.” In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the lives and legacies of these important entertainers. Their guest is Tracy Pitcox, president of the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum in Brady, Texas.

Both the book and the movie The Grapes of Wrath are classics that portray a difficult period in American history. The story of the Joad family from Sallisaw, Oklahoma, caused some people to sympathize with the plight of migrant farmers while others saw it as a mischaracterization of reality. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss the history surrounding the circumstances depicted in the book and movie, their connection to Route 66, and the image they presented of Oklahomans. Their guest is film historian Elizabeth Anthony.

Almost every town along Route 66 in Oklahoma has a unique building or structure that tells the story of each community and the people who made Route 66 a special highway. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn discuss a few of the theaters, gas stations, restaurants, bridges, and jails that have shaped our experience of The Mother Road through the decades. Their guests are Lynda Ozan, deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, and Michael Mayes, National Register of Historic Places coordinator.

Recorded live at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, this episode covers Will Rogers’ life and career from growing up on his family’s ranch in the Cherokee Nation to dining with kings and presidents. A born showman, he took his uncanny talent with a rope to greatest stages in the world and then translated that success to the silver screen in Hollywood. His homespun humor and political commentary captured the world’s attention and made him a beloved figure to all. Our guests on this episode are Tad Jones, director of the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, and Jennifer Rogers, Will’s great-granddaughter.

Paved roads were the exception instead of the norm in the early 20th century. As the Good Roads movement gained traction in the U.S., Tulsa resident Cyrus Avery advocated for a network of highways connecting major cities. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn explore Cyrus Avery’s work building roads in Oklahoma and his influence on the creation of the Main Street of America, Route 66. Their guests are author and co-founder of the Route 66 Alliance, Michael Wallis, and Ken Busby, founding chairman of the Tulsa Route 66 Commission and co-founder of the Route 66 Alliance.

After the US declared war on Spain in 1898, Secretary of War Russell Alger organized three volunteer cavalry regiments “to be composed exclusively of frontiersmen possessing special qualifications of horsemen and marksmen...” The First US Volunteer Cavalry regiment came to be known as the Rough Riders. Led by Colonel Leonard Wood and Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders played an important role in the American victories against the Spanish in Cuba. Residents of Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory volunteered in droves and, through their actions in battle, earned the respect of a future US president. In this latest episode of A Very OK Podcast, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn delve into the stories of the Spanish-American War and the men who fought in it. Their guest is Dr. Denise Neil, executive director of the Oklahoma National Guard Museum. 

November 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma History Center. In this episode, Trait Thompson and Dr. Bob Blackburn explore the political twists and turns in the eight-year journey to complete the Oklahoma Historical Society’s flagship building across from the State Capitol. They also discuss the people along the way who helped the dream become a reality. Their guest is Don Beck, award-winning designer of the Oklahoma History Center.