After talking about his time at barber college, his apprenticeship in Williams and returning to Seligman to open his own barbershop in the same adobe building where his dad once cut hair, he paused and gazed out over the heads of the audience, looking off into the distance. There was a moment during Angel’s speech that I remember. The Delgadillo family organized a little retirement party to mark the occasion. On July 7, 1947, Angel entered the American Pacific Barber College in Pasadena, California, which happened to be located on Route 66. Motorist alert: This I-17 rest area north of Phoenix is closing for repairs: Where to stop instead That’s how the Mother Road exists today, on a state-by-state basis as Historic Route 66. That provided a blueprint for other states to follow. In November 1987, Arizona designated a stretch of the old highway from east of Seligman to the California state line as Historic Route 66. But through their tireless efforts, appearances and a massive letter-writing campaign, lo and behold, they succeeded. Now if you’ve ever lobbied the state to do anything you know what a Herculean task it can be. The association lobbied the state to designate part of Route 66 as a historic highway. Their headquarters were in Angel’s barbershop, where customers often got a Route 66 history lesson with their haircuts. They formed the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, the first of its kind. On Feb. 18, 1987, Angel organized a meeting at the Copper Cart Restaurant in Seligman. So he took to the road, traveling along the western section of Route 66 through Arizona, visiting businesses in Peach Springs, Kingman, Oatman and Topock, talking to anyone who would listen, winning them over with his vision and enthusiasm.
He promoted his plan for years but couldn’t generate much interest.
He knew that travelers longed for the more leisurely road trips of their youth. Businesses shuttered, residents fled.Īngel had an idea to save his community by bringing back Route 66 as a historic highway. Like many small towns circumvented by interstates, Seligman struggled to survive.
Road trip: Here are 3 of the most scenic drives in Arizona and how to do them Angel Delgadillo: the 'guardian angel of Route 66' The highway immortalized by novel, song, film and television ceased to exist. All signs were taken down and it was removed from maps. With the expansion of the interstate system, there seemed to be no more need for the old road. That was the day I met Angel Delgadillo, the small-town barber who changed the world. Historic Route 66: Here are the best things to do along the Mother Road in Arizona Meet Angel Delgadillo, who saved Route 66 “Just how good is this barber? Is Edward Scissorhands working?” Crowds that couldn’t squeeze inside stood on the sidewalk snapping photos. Everyone streamed into the small barbershop.
As I stood there, a group of motorcycle riders from Belgium roared up. Tour groups from France, Germany and Japan were unloading. What I remember is pulling into this speck of a town, in the middle of nowhere with no obvious scenery or attractions, yet four large tour buses were parked on the main drag. While traveling I pulled off Interstate 40 in Seligman to grab a burger.Ī sign declared Seligman to be the “Birthplace of Historic Route 66” but I didn’t know what that meant. I originally stumbled across that story because I got hungry. My first book was about Route 66 and the role Arizona played in saving it. This is a little embarrassing to admit but my stomach has dictated much of my writing career.