Seligman, Arizona
Seligman, Arizona should have dried up when I-40 replaced Route 66. Instead, this small town saved the entire historic highway.
Local barber Angel Delgadillo – now known as the Guardian Angel of Route 66 – turned his fight to save his hometown into a movement that preserved America’s most famous road. Here’s the story.
Meet the Angel of Route 66
To find Angel Delgadillo, you just had to follow the sound of his scissors. For over 70 years, he cut hair in his tiny barbershop on Seligman’s main street, watching Route 66’s golden age roll past his window.
When I-40 opened in 1978, bypassing Seligman completely, he watched his hometown start to wither. But while others closed shop, Angel kept cutting hair and telling stories… and then he got fed up.
Angel Delgadillo Led the Fight for Route 66
By 1987, at age 60, Angel had enough of watching Route 66 towns die. He called together business owners and supporters from across Arizona, founding the Historic Route 66 Association.
The movement spread state by state along the old highway. Through sheer stubbornness and charm, this barber from a tiny Arizona town helped turn “abandoned” into “historic.
Pixar talked to the Delgadillo family when making Cars
The town of Radiator Springs in Pixar’s ‘Cars’ was based on Seligman.
Pixar’s John Lasseter himself interviewed Angel Delgadillo and his family while researching, using Angel’s story about traffic vanishing overnight when I-40 opened.
You’ll spot movie nods around town—a Mater-style tow truck outside Seligman Sundries, Fillmore’s VW bus near The Motoporium, and old cars set up for photos.
The 2006 movie still brings tourists from around the world looking for the real version of the cartoon town.
Juan Delgadillo built Snow Cap Drive-In from leftover wood
Angel’s brother Juan built the Snow Cap Drive-In with scrap lumber in 1953, making one of Route 66’s favorite roadside stops.
Known for its jokes, servers offer ‘cheeseburgers with cheese’ and ask if you want mustard before squirting yellow string toys. The restaurant has been on the covers of National Geographic and Arizona Highways.
After Juan died in 2004, his kids John and Cecilia kept up his tradition of humor. In 2023, the Snow Cap got a preservation grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The Roadkill Café has an awesome menu
The Roadkill Café sits across from the Seligman Route 66 Motel with its catchy slogan ‘you kill it, we grill it.’
Back in the day, customers could bring their own meat for cooking, but that’s not allowed anymore. The menu has items with creative names like ‘No Luck Buck,’ ‘Splatter Platter,’ and ‘Fender Tenders.’
Opened in the 1990s, this place doubles as the O.K. Saloon and has stuffed animals all through its 4,000-square-foot space. Their burgers are still the most popular items despite all the wild-sounding options.
A gas station turned into the 1950s Museum
An old 1940s gas station now houses the Return to the 50s Museum with 22 vintage motorcycles, 15 classic cars, and hundreds of Route 66 items.
You’ll find it at 22325 West Historic Route 66, where you can see working jukeboxes, gas pumps from the 1920s, and take photos with a life-sized Tow Mater.
The museum started in the 1990s and gives free Route 66 pins to kids. Their gift shop sells real vintage license plates from all 50 states.
Mannequins watch you from the Rusty Bolt’s roof
You can’t miss the Rusty Bolt with its 24 life-sized mannequins sitting on its roof and porch. Inside, you’ll find an Elvis mannequin perfect for selfies among thousands of Route 66 souvenirs.
Started in 1991, this 2,500-square-foot shop sells leather goods, biker stuff, and old-style tin signs.
During Halloween, they dress up the mannequins in costumes, and at Christmas, they become Santa and elves. The bright red building has over 150 old license plates stuck to its walls.
Pilots can walk into town from Seligman Airport
Seligman Airport, built in 1928 and owned by Yavapai County since 1985, has a gravel path that lets pilots walk straight into town. Just northwest of downtown, the single 4,800-foot runway sits 5,240 feet above sea level.
About 2,000 planes use it each year, mostly private aircraft. Though no commercial flights land here, pilots love the easy access to Route 66 attractions and often stop for gas, food, and photos during their cross-country trips.
You can raft the Colorado River starting near Seligman
Just 35 minutes from Seligman at the Hualapai Lodge in Peach Springs, you can join a one-day Colorado River rafting trip through the Grand Canyon.
They’ll drive you to Diamond Creek to start your river adventure, with stops at waterfalls and a lunch break. The 35-mile journey includes 10 rapids from Class 2-7.
At the end, a helicopter takes you up to Grand Canyon West where you can visit the Skywalk. This is the only one-day whitewater trip in the Grand Canyon and runs from March to October.
Have a drink or two at the Black Cat Bar
Since 1978, the Black Cat Bar on West Chino Avenue has been the place where locals, tourists, bikers, and truckers all hang out together.
This down-to-earth bar has a 30-foot antique wooden bar saved from a 1920s Flagstaff saloon, pool tables, and walls covered with over 200 license plates and Route 66 items.
Open daily from morning till late, they serve eight local beers on tap, reasonably priced mixed drinks, and have live music every Friday night during summer.
The bar’s mascot, a black cat named ‘Six,’ has been greeting customers since 2018.
You can go 21 stories underground at Grand Canyon Caverns
Just 22 miles from Seligman, an elevator takes you 210 feet down into Grand Canyon Caverns, the largest dry caves in America.
Formed over 65 million years ago and as big as 3 football fields, the caverns stay 56 degrees all year. Tours show you 3-million-year-old marine fossils, a mummified bobcat found in 1976, and Cold War fallout shelter supplies.
You can even sleep underground in ‘The Cavern Suite,’ the world’s deepest hotel room. The Ghost Tour lets you explore with just headlamps.
Visiting Seligman
Drop by the Seligman Visitor Center on Route 66 for maps and info. Most attractions line a 1-mile stretch of the historic highway.
- Places to eat: Snow Cap Drive-In, Roadkill Café, and Westside Lilo’s all open daily
- Places to stay: Historic Route 66 Motel, Supai Motel
- Shopping: Seven gift shops including Angel & Vilma’s Route 66 Gift Shop
- Best time to visit: April-October when everything’s open with longer summer hours
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