February 7, 2026
Dedicated descendants have restored Route 66’s only Black-owned gas station to its former glory and are planning to expand it further.
The Threatt Filling Station in Oklahoma, the only Black-owned station on historic Route 66, has been revived by dedicated descendants determined to honor their ancestors’ legacy.
Founded in 1915 and housed in its current building since 1933, the Threatt Filling Station was the first and only Black-owned service station on Route 66 before closing in the 1970s, News On 6 reports. Now, after renovations by descendants of the original owner, Allen Threatt Sr., much of the station’s original charm has been restored and is ready for the Route 66 centennial.
“I know that they would be proud,” said Edward Threatt. “I firmly believe they’re looking down on us. They know what we’re doing. They know why we’re doing what we’re doing, because that’s the way we were raised.”
The station’s location and service made it a crucial stop for Black travelers during the era of Jim Crow, including sundown towns. In 2023, the founder’s cousins and grandsons led preservation efforts, and they are now planning an expansion that will include an interpretive center to share the station’s history, set to open by May.
“I never thought about that one day, I would be 75 years old,” Edward said. “I never thought about one day I would be an elder of the family. When I was a kid enjoying life, I didn’t think about death. But now, I never come on this property without thinking about Grandma and Grandpa.”
Threatt fostered a close-knit, family atmosphere at the station, with the cousins helping out as they grew up. Even after the station closed, family members continued to live in or visit the building well into the early 2000s.
“He was just proud of himself, of his whole, complete family,” said Rev. Allen Threat III, about his grandfather.
In addition to the interpretive center, the Threatts hope to expand the property across more than 100 acres, potentially rebuilding a baseball diamond that once hosted Negro League games, reopening a restaurant next door, and adding an RV park.
“I’m trying to make sure that people know that they can come here,” Edward said. “They can enjoy, relax, and know that if you don’t look like me, I’m not going to discriminate against you.”
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