Dawn Welch has spent decades keeping Route 66’s heartbeat alive, one plate at a time. In 1993, she took over the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma, determined to breathe new life into the historic stop.

Over half of all sales tax collected in Oklahoma is off the Route 66 road.” More ... Depew, Chandler, Stroud and I can go on," said Joe Echelle, director of the turnpike authority.