Delgadillo's Dream
Angel Delgadillo, a tireless activist, brought Route 66 back to life in a small Arizona town
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Tim O'Donnell
Family history
Angel Delgadillo was born in Seligman, Arizona, in 1927, the seventh of nine children. The Delgadillos were a tight-knit clan, drawn even closer by the The Great Depression. They weathered the economic hardships through music.
Two of Angel's brothers, including Juan—who owned the legendary Route 66 restaurant, Delgadillo's Sno Cap—joined a band, where they earned enough to allow the family to stay in Seligman. The other siblings later formed a family orchestra and traveled to play throughout the state.
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A changing community
Over the years, Angel watched Seligman change. Expanding Route 66 from two to four lanes forced many people to lose frontage property, including the Delgadillo's, who lost their porch. Businesses were also affected.
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But it was the introduction of Interstate 40 that really altered Seligman. Delgadillo remembers exactly when traffic stopped after 1-40 bypassed Seligman in 1978.
The power of nostalgia
Over time, Delgadillo noted that his barbershop customers spoke fondly about Route 66. He realized they were yearning for a return to a slower, quieter way of life. The "America of yesterday." So he set out to do something about it.
A man on a mission
He advocated for designating an 83-mile stretch of old Route 66 between Seligman and Kingman. While community members supported Delgadillo's idea, they thought success was unlikely. But, against the odds, he corraled the public support he sought.
Now, not only does Arizona have stretches of the Mother Road designated as Historic Route 66, but so do the eight other states that host parts of the highway. "If you want something badly enough, don't go begging for it," Delgadillo says. "Don't go wishing for it. Go make it happen."
Silver Screen fame
Later, the Pixar movie Cars was heavily inspired by Seligman and further helped drive tourism.
The future is now
Now, "awesome traffic" has returned to Seligman, where Delgadillo and his wife own a souvenir shop. People from all over the world pass through, many bringing their children. "Who is going to carry on?," Delgadillo asks before answering his own question. "It's already happening."
In 2023, the National Trust for Historic Preservation gave Delgadillo The President’s Award for National Leadership in Historic Preservation, noting that his "tenacious advocacy and community engagement played a vital role" in the preservation of historic Route 66.
Learn more about the National Trust for Historic Preservation's campaign to preserve Route 66, sign our petition to advocate for the Mother Road, and then share your Route 66 story with us.
Explore other stories on the Mother Road
Generations Flock to La Paloma
Along Route 66, the Hi-Way Cafe Sign Shines Again
Tim O'Donnell is a former editor at Preservation magazine and freelance journalist who covers architecture and urban design.
This story is made possible by the generosity of David and Julia Uihlein.
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