God Bless Americana

Gracefully spanning the Will Rodgers Turnpike in Vinita, Oklahoma, this is the world’s fastest drive-thru, the Glass House Restaurant. The fine folks at Conoco Oil brought us this miracle of modernity in 1957. It was the first restaurant constructed over a United States public highway and the simple solution to cater to motorists passing in both directions. The term “roadside architecture” doesn’t apply here. It’s not on the side of the road. It’s over the road. And why did they call it a house? It’s much more like a bridge.

The Glass House Restaurant, Vinita, Oklahoma

What a beauty, eh?


It's now a McDonald's.