International travelers roll into the Route 66 Museum in Clinton

Now, with nearly 400 miles of Route 66 protected in Oklahoma for its legendary and historical role in America's development, visitors come from every continent except Antarctica to get their "kicks" on Route 66. That is clear from a report by the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton.

Of the record number of 33,000 museum visitors in 2009, 35 percent came from 23 other countries, said Pat Smith, museum director for the Oklahoma Historical Society.

These include Canada, Mexico and Australia, plus 10 countries in Europe, four in South America, four in Asia, and two in Africa.

"This is a tremendous tribute to the Clinton community," said Bob Blackburn, director of the Historical Society. "The Friends of the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, a population of about 10,000, raised more than $200,000 to help establish the museum in 1995. They have remained a strong financial partner, operating a gift shop and collecting admission fees."