Stories from the Road
(more being added)
Hello Harley!
Harley Russell—Oklahoma’s iconic roadside “redneck”—is every bit as vibrant and welcoming as the museum he calls home a.k.a. The Sandhill Curiosity Shop. His collection of vintage signs, matchbooks, tins, and assorted Americana doesn’t just fill his house; it spills across his porch and into his backyard. Wearing nothing but denim overalls, Harley spoke candidly about his life, especially his years with his late wife, Annabelle, who helped bring attention to their roadside attraction.
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As he showed me and another family ( also traveling the “Mother Road”) the posters Annabelle designed and photos of the two of them with Pixar artists, Disney Imagineers, and local TV crews, you could feel the pride beneath the repetition—stories told countless times, yet still meaningful. His humor and bluntness came through clearly in his colorful language. Pointing to memorabilia from their invitation to Pixar’s Cars premiere, he insisted their fame predated the film, adding that Pixar would get from him “dipshit for nothing.” Phrases like “I’ll tell you for sure, man…” and “I’m the most talented of all the Route 66 photographers” captured Harley’s bold confidence and straight-shooter personality.
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And just when you think you’ve summed him up as another Route 66 character, he picks up an acoustic guitar and shows off some carny flair: see video clip . Just another day at the Sandhill Curiosity Shop.
Tim Jones, owner of the Totem Pole Trading Post in Rolla, MO.
To have had the pleasure of meeting this man is an understatement. When I arrived, he was just opening his doors for the day. Since nobody else was there he shared with me his incredible story of the origin of the store from his Dad’s ownership in 1933 to the location we see now. Not only did he show me notebooks of all the visitors who have come through from ALL OVER THE WORLD, but he shared photos of the construction of the Trading Post , as well as stories of his right hand man, and carpenter, Clarence.
He walked (gingerly) me around the entire building explaining how they created each part. He further shared with me stories of tragedy about the death of his son and his ailing wife. He once had a full staff, but had to let them go over the years. Then COVID struck. He stayed afloat, but the fate of this treasured Route 66 stop is unknown as he must consider leaving that life to care for his wife (and his own health) full- time. I was talking with Tim for 2 hours, and even though it set my day back quite a bit, I felt I was supposed to be there at that time. He even signed a map he drew explaining how to navigate Devils Elbow. Just another amazing story about a humble & passionate business owner on Route 66.
