The Guardian Angel of Route 66
The story of how a barber from Seligman, Arizona resurrected an American icon.
Angel Delgadillo
is a Mexican-American barber and businessman who is affectionately known as the Guardian Angel of Route 66.
He was born in 1927 in Seligman, Arizona, a small town along Route 66.
Angel Delgadillo played a crucial role in preserving and promoting Route 66
Route 66 in Seligman was bypassed by Interstate 40 on September 22, 1978.
In an instant, it appeared as if the world forgot about Route 66 and the communities along the road.
By 1985, Route 66 was officially removed from the American Highway System.
Angel Delgadillo was disillusioned with his community being forgotten. Businesses closed down, and communities along Route 66 deeply suffered with the bypass of Interstate 40.
In February 1987,
Angel Delgadillo pulled representatives from different towns along Route 66 in Arizona between Seligman and Topock with the intention of lobbying the State to establish Route 66 as a "historic" highway, hoping that would bring back tourism and traffic to their communities.
As a result, Angel Delgadillo formed the Route 66 Association of Arizona and the seeds of the revival of the Mother Road were thus planted.
The Route 66 Association of Arizona can be credited with supporting, encouraging, and inspiring the creation of Route 66 Associations in other Roue 66 states and subsequently the renaissance of the Mother Road.
Angel Delgadillo & Jerry Richard (1988)The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona
Angel Delgadillo and Jerry Richard hold a cake in Westside Lilo's Cafe celebrating the 1st anniversary of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona.
The first Historic Marker on Route 66 (1988-04-20)The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona
The First Historic Marker on Route 66 - 1988
Over the years, the Association's efforts have resulted in Arizona's segment of Route 66 being designated as an Arizona Historic Road, a National Scenic Byway, and attaining All-American Road status, the highest national designation possible.
In short, Angel Delgadillo and the efforts of the Route 66 Association of Arizona quite literally put Route 66 back on the map, and brought Route 66 to the forefront of the nation's mind.
Copper Cart in Seligman, Arizona (2024) by An PhamThe Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona
Now, tens of thousands of people from all over the world make the pilgrimage every year to visit the Birthplace of Historic Route 66: Seligman, Arizona.
Snow Cap Drive-In (2024) by An PhamThe Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona
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