Catoosa's 'Blue Whale' gets a facelift

The Blue Whale in Catoosa has a brighter smile thanks to a national effort to restore landmarks along Route 66. <br><br>Hampton Inns adopted Route 66 as a national cause as part of its "Explore the Highway,

Thursday, August 15th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The Blue Whale in Catoosa has a brighter smile thanks to a national effort to restore landmarks along Route 66.

Hampton Inns adopted Route 66 as a national cause as part of its "Explore the Highway, Save-A-Landmark" program. They're targeting road site attractions in eight states; one of them is the Blue Whale.

Thursday, volunteers with Hampton Inn and the Catoosa Chamber picked up mops, scrub brushes, hoses, and paintbrushes to give the whale a makeover. The spent time clearing shrubs, painting and cleaning not only the whale, but also the restroom and picnic areas.

The Blue Whale was built in the 1970s as a wedding gift.