This Arizona town refused to let Route 66 die

Angel Delgadillo’s Campaign to Resurrect Route 66

When Interstate 40 opened in 1978, it killed Seligman, Arizona almost overnight. Cars zoomed past the small town two miles away, and shops closed one by one.

But local barber Angel Delgadillo had a plan. In 1987, he got 15 neighbors together at the Copper Cart restaurant and formed the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. At first, state officials ignored them.

Yet by November, they won – the 83-mile stretch from Seligman to Kingman became "Historic Route 66," the first such designation in America. Soon after, all eight Route 66 states followed their lead.

The story of how a small-town barber saved America’s most famous highway unfolds in Seligman, where visitors can still meet the people who refused to let Route 66 die.

Interstate 40 Killed Seligman’s Economy Overnight

The new Interstate 40 opened on September 22, 1978, skipping right past little Seligman, Arizona. Cars and trucks now zoomed by two miles south of town, taking all the business with them.

Gas stations sat empty. Motel vacancy signs glowed night after night.

Restaurant owners watched chairs gather dust instead of customers. Within months, shops started closing for good.

Families who ran businesses for generations suddenly had no customers. The once busy town fell quiet.

A Barber Watched His Hometown Wither Away

Angel Delgadillo cut hair in the same Seligman barbershop since 1950, seeing firsthand how the town fell apart. He trimmed fewer heads each month as neighbors moved away looking for work.

By 1987, Seligman lost nearly 80% of its businesses.

Angel talked with the few folks left about their shared worries while sweeping fewer hair clippings from his floor. For almost ten years, he saw his beloved town die slowly, with stores boarded up one by one.

Angel refused to accept this end.

Fifteen Locals Gathered at a Restaurant to Save Their Town

On February 18, 1987, Angel called fifteen worried citizens to meet at the Copper Cart restaurant in Seligman. Over coffee, they shared stories about the highway’s better days.

Angel stood up and suggested forming a group to promote the road’s history. Everyone quickly agreed.

They picked Angel as president, John Layman of Seligman as vice president, Jerry Richard of Kingman as treasurer, and Dave Wesson of Kingman as secretary.

The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona began, the first such group in America.

Their Plan Targeted Official Recognition for the Mother Road

The new group moved fast with their action plan. Members wrote many letters to state lawmakers and road officials.

They got hundreds of signatures from folks across Arizona who loved the old highway. Local shop owners gave what little money they could spare to print brochures showing the road’s history.

The group focused on getting the state to officially call the old highway historic, which would allow for special signs directing tourists to their forgotten towns.

Government Officials Laughed Off Their Early Efforts

State road bosses ignored the group’s first letters and calls.

Angel later talked about being brushed off by "those big boys in Phoenix" who saw the old road as just outdated. Officials told them nobody would take the slow road when a faster highway existed.

The group members faced many rejections but kept pushing.

They found friends in a few caring state lawmakers who helped set up meetings with transportation board members. Slowly, their stubborn campaign started getting attention.

Arizona Finally Recognized Route 66’s Historic Value

Victory came in November 1987, just nine months after the group started.

The Arizona State Transportation Board voted to name the 83-mile stretch from Seligman to Kingman as "Historic Route 66. " This marked the first official recognition of any Route 66 section in the country.

The state agreed to put up special brown historic signs along the route, helping travelers follow the famous highway. Road officials who once dismissed the idea now saw the tourism value of America’s most famous road.

Hundreds Celebrated with a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

The town threw a big party on April 23, 1988, marking the official naming with a ribbon-cutting. Arizona Governor Rose Mofford showed up, giving government support to their win.

Will Rogers Jr. came to honor his father’s link to the famous highway.

Bobby Troup, who wrote the famous "Get Your Kicks on Route 66" song, played for the crowd. Hundreds of old cars rumbled into tiny Seligman for the event.

People lined the streets, many wearing 1950s clothes. Local news cameras filmed the fun.

Tourists Started Returning to the Forgotten Town

Angel opened a small gift shop in the corner of his barbershop, selling Route 66 keepsakes to curious travelers who began trickling back to Seligman.

Other locals followed his lead, opening shops for road fans. A small stream of visitors grew steadily as word spread about the historic road.

Travel writers featured the town in magazines. Foreign tourists, mostly from Europe and Japan, fell in love with the real Americana of the old highway and its small towns.

Closed motels opened their doors again as visitor numbers grew.

The Movement Jumped from State to State

History buffs from California, Oklahoma, Illinois and other states along Route 66 called Angel asking how they got the historic status. He freely shared how they set up their group and talked to officials.

By 1990, similar Route 66 groups formed in all eight states along the original highway. These groups talked often, sharing what worked.

The scattered efforts joined into one big movement. Yearly festivals celebrating Route 66 started in towns that had nearly died a decade earlier.

A network grew from what started in Seligman.

Federal Protection Secured Route 66’s Future

The growing national movement caught Washington’s eye. In 1999, Congress passed a law recognizing Route 66 under the National Historic Preservation Act.

The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program created federal support for saving places along the entire highway. Grant money became available to fix up historic motels, diners, and gas stations.

Building owners got help with keeping original structures.

The grassroots effort that started with fifteen people in a small-town restaurant had lifted Route 66 to national historic status with federal protection.

A Barbershop Became an International Tourist Destination

Seligman transformed into the acknowledged "Birthplace of Historic Route 66" thanks to the preservation movement.

The 83-mile stretch from Seligman to Kingman remains the longest continuous original portion of Route 66 still drivable today.

Angel’s barbershop and gift shop became a mandatory stop for Route 66 travelers from around the world. Tour buses from Japan regularly pull up outside his door.

Angel, well into his 90s, still greets visitors most days, telling stories about saving the Mother Road.

The town that almost disappeared now thrives with gift shops, restaurants, and motels serving thousands of heritage tourists annually.

Visiting Seligman, Route 66

You can visit Angel Delgadillo’s barbershop at 22265 W. Historic Route 66 in Seligman, where the movement to save Route 66 began in 1987.

The gift shop opens daily from 8am to 6pm. This town starts the longest surviving stretch of Route 66 at 159 miles.

Check out the annual Fun Run in May with 800+ classic cars, grab food at Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In from 1953, and see the real-life inspiration for Disney’s Radiator Springs.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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