Road Construction Project Could Force The Winganon Space Capsule To Be Moved

An iconic piece of Oklahoma history could soon be forced to move. The Winganon Space Capsule could be moved due to a major road construction project. The roadwork will involve repaving and improving Winganon Road from Highway 169 across Oologah Lake.

The "Space Capsule" is located just east of Highway 169, a few miles north of Talala in Rogers County. It's become a tourist stop thanks to the people who gave it a new coat of paint and added some props several years ago.

No decision has been made on whether the space capsule will be moved or where, but the people who turned an ordinary cement mixer that's sat on the side of the road for decades into a space capsule hope that it sticks around in some way.

"Change happens. If it has to go, it has to go, but it would be nice if they could either bring it back or find a different spot for it because there’s a lot of people that have a lot of memories with it now that I think will miss it if it’s gone," Heather Wells, one of the painters for the space capsule, said.

The mixer was left in the ditch on the side of the road after a wreck. It was initially given a patriotic theme, but Wells saw the need to give it a touch-up and turned the cement mixer into a space capsule. Wells said that it surprised her how many people have bonded with the now iconic cement mixer on the side of the road because she didn't expect anyone to notice it or care about the changes she and her husband had made.

"It’s been surprising how many people have bonded with this thing. The pictures that were sent of kids climbing on it, kids in NASA costumes and outfits, and it's in several publications. People from all over the world have reached out, and it was just a funny little thing we did to amuse ourselves," Wells said.

Wells hopes that if it needs to be moved, whoever moves it can relocate it and find a way to keep the feel of its current location simply because of how many people have memories associated with it.