Travel writers from newspapers and magazines across the United States and Canada visited Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore and the Dog Iron birthplace ranch near Oologah on the eve of the 128th anniversary of Will’s birth.
Sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Tourism, journalists spent several days in Oklahoma visiting travel destinations across the state.
With total circulation of more 33 million in the United States and almost one million in Canada, they spread out for personal visits and guided tours of the tourism highlights of the state.
“We were excited to host such an outstanding group of national travel writers at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum and Birthplace Ranch,” said Steve Gragert, Museums director. “The increased attention on Will Rogers and our museums from the media this year has contributed significantly to our strong growth in attendance. They’re always welcome to visit and experience the story of Will Rogers.”
Writers represented travel publications and national magazines including National Geographic, Ladies Home Journal, Family Circle, airline travel magazines found in airplanes, group travel tour publications, motor home and travel trailer magazines and AAA travel clubs across the nation. Newspapers were from as close as Edmond Sun and as far away as Houston, in Texas, Ohio, New York Times, Oregonian, Boston Sunday Globe, Tampa Bay, Fla., and Iowa.
The Canadian writer covers Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal in Alberta, National Post in Ontario, Montreal Gazette in Quebec, Regina Leader Post and Saskatoon Star Phoenix in Saskatchewan, Vancouver Sun in British Columbia and others.
The group, focusing on Route 66, stopped at the Blue Whale in Catoosa and went from the birthplace ranch east to the Totem Pole near Foyil.
Later in the week, a visiting journalist from Australia — interested in Native American culture and history — made stops in Claremore. Earlier this year a Japanese radio broadcaster and writer visited Oklahoma tourist attractions.