You Are Here is a 23-foot-tall sculptural landmark located along historic Route 66 in Wellston, marking the geographic midpoint of Oklahoma’s nearly 400-mile stretch of the highway. Route 66 has long represented movement, migration, and the promise of possibility. This work focuses instead on the importance of stopping. It invites visitors to consider a place that might otherwise be passed by, reframing Wellston as a destination with its own identity within a broader cultural landscape.

 

You Are Here begins with a simple idea: location is not just where you are, but how you understand your place within a larger journey. The work transforms a familiar symbol into a physical experience, inviting visitors to pause, orient themselves, and recognize the significance of the present moment. From a distance, the sculpture reads as a bold, instantly recognizable form. Up close, it reveals a layered and detailed surface, encouraging exploration and discovery. It operates at multiple scales, functioning as both a landmark and an intimate encounter with place.

 

Made from carbon steel pipe and square tubing, the structure incorporates translucent polycarbonate panels embedded with glowing vignettes depicting scenes from Route 66. These include roadside attractions, landscapes, performers, and historic automobiles, capturing the spirit of the “Mother Road” as both a pathway and a shared cultural experience. A map on the underside situates visitors along the route, reinforcing the sculpture’s role as both marker and storyteller. The panels shift throughout the day as they interact with sunlight, creating depth and variation. At night, internal illumination transforms the sculpture into a beacon, extending its presence across the site and making it visible from afar. The bright red outline reinforces its clarity and iconic form within the landscape.

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Date: 

2026

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Location: 

Historic Route 66 at the Wellston Underpass, Wellston, OK​​

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Dimensions:

23’1”H x 11’9 5/16” W x 11’8 5/16” D​

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Medium: 

Painted carbon steel, UV-resistant polycarbonate, LED lighting

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Artists:

Joseph O’Connell + Creative Machines