000 Eerie Afton, Oklahoma

The Route 66 anchor that drew us to Afton, Oklahoma was what used to be the Avon Motel. Originally comprised of seven separate cabins, only the shells of three still stand. If not for the ghost sign in front of the property, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the cabins for the remains of concrete bunkers. It was an interesting relic, fun to photograph. Another box checked.

With the motel taking mere minutes to photograph, we moved on to downtown Afton.

It was a pattern that served us well: The GPS machine would lead us to the Route 66 relic, we’d photograph it, then explore the adjacent area. The little nooks and crannies of the towns we passed through revealed some incredible photo opportunities, and Afton was no exception.

According to the 2020 US census, the town has a population of 734 — about half the size it was at its peak in 1920. According to wikipedia, “…the town had two schools, a waterworks, two hotels, two banks, a brick and tile plant, a creamery, a newspaper, mills and grain elevators. Today there is a bank, a gas station, buffalo ranch, a pecan factory, a motel, a repair shop, and a dollar general.”

Afton was an eerie shell of a town. The main street lined with faded signs and crumbling storefronts. The sign marking Bassett’s Grocery (established in 1922) looked new, but the store likely closed its doors over a decade ago. Tri-County TV (probably a television repair shop) featured a facade that dropped you into the 1950s, and offered a service that became obsolete in the 1980s.

What really struck me was the lack of people.

Afton reminded me of the very first episode of the legendary anthology television series, The Twilight Zone. It centered around a man who finds himself alone in an apparently abandoned town. But by all appearances, the town appeared to be very much alive. A juke box was playing in the diner. The stove still hot. A cigarette still smoldering in an ashtray. But there were no people to be seen. The title of the episode: “Where is Everybody?”

That’s not to say there were no people in Afton. There were the sounds of active renovation at the old Rest Haven Motel and some apparent activity in the tractor trailer repair facility (which seemed to be the only operational business on the stretch). And, yes, there was the occasional passing car. But we met nobody.

Most haunting was the flea market we stumbled upon. In an open field, behind the barber shop, in front of the Afton Mini Storage, stood a series of tables set up with items apparently for sale. There were no proprietors and no customers. It was like the entire town up and vanished.

Where is everybody?

000 About This Series

From April 12 through April 20, 2025, I was on a Route 66 Photography Adventure (The Trip) with three good friends and like minded photographers. This series is recap of The Trip in stories and images.

All of the images were shot on that historic road or within a couple of miles of it. Neither the images nor stories are necessarily presented in chronological order.

Enjoying the series? Drop a comment.

Where is Everybody?

000 Eerie Afton, Oklahoma

000 About This Series

Abandoned Church