Whether you’ve travelled the entire Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, or only travelled bits and pieces, there is plenty of roadside history to soak up. I will provide three examples I have recently visited.
But first, a quick refresher course on how it all began. Originally, parts of current Route 66 were wagon roads and local trails in different states. With the popular rise of the automobile in the beginning of the 1900’s more roads were needed. The country became a hodgepodge of local roads, often linked together. A 1925 act established The National Highway System, which was designed to make these roads a single road though the country. The road was designated Route 66. In those first years most of it was dirt or gravel with plenty of mud, washouts and hairpin turns. It would not be until the late 1930’s when it was paved in its entirety.
In the late 30’s more than 200,000 people took to the road, headed for California to escape the dust bowl. Likewise, many more headed that way for work during World War II. Route 66 brought business. America experienced an explosion in roadside café’s, service stations, auto courts and motels. The apex of roadside Americana arrived.
By the 50’s Route 66 had become the way for leisure and vacation. The route was in its heyday, but within a decade the new interstate freeway system slowly began to replace parts of Route 66. Towns were bypassed and many of the once booming businesses were abandoned. By the late 70’s, with the interstate system complete, Route 66 was a broken up and deserted road.
But the story does not end there. There is a happier ending to Route 66, or you can even say no ending at all. In more recent times Route 66 has become, once again, a popular route. Its comeback is not out of necessity, however, but rather a growing interest in American history. In certain towns, along remnants of the famous route, old roadside attractions have been renovated and reinstated as the great beacons to roadside America, as they were before. Some of them are museums, some giftshops or simply original businesses again. But the important part is that they are still there. The three places that are the topic of this post are in the southern portion of Route 66, and consist of Seligman, AZ, Winslow, AZ and Shamrock, TX.

Seligman
This appealing little town has long roots grounded in the railroad, outlaws and, of course, Route 66. Beginning as a railroad switching and transfer center, Seligman became the main terminus between Winslow and Needles. In 1926 it became a major stop on the newly formed Route 66. Businesses thrived along Main Street which was a part of the route. But after World War II, it thrived even more when the southwest became a more popular tourist destination.

Some of the businesses that helped to shape the small town still exist today. Juan Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In, open since 1953, is still a hot spot to quench your thirst. The Historic Seligman Sundries building is still open with vintage cars and motorcycles out front. Whatever you do in Seligman, don’t miss Angel Delgadillo’s barber shop, which opened in 1950. The barbershop is now a souvenir store, but Angel himself, who has earned the title of “Angel of Route 66” still roams around and talks with visitors.
In recent times Seligman has become the topic of the Pixar movie “Cars.” The town in the movie, Radiator Springs, is based loosely on Seligman. In certain places around town there are vehicles that are conspicuously similar to those in the movie, including eyeballs in the windshield etc. I’m not a huge movie person, so it is not so important to me, but its important to Trish, and if it’s important to Trish, Dab Gummit, it should be important to you too!

Winslow
Trish and I spent a night in Winslow at the Delta Motel, a Route 66 original. If you want down home Americana lodging, then this is your place.
Winslow, much like Seligman, was born, and still is, a railroad town. Founded in 1882 it was not a fixture on any roadmap until Route 66 came through town. That fixture became immortalized in the 1970’s when the song “Take It Easy” written by Glen Fry of The Eagles and Jackson Brown, hit the charts. The town was bypassed by I-40 in the late 70’s but became a popular tourist town anyway.
Trish and I left our comfy motel and headed into town in the morning for the obvious task of “standing on the corner.” Where else in America can you stand on a corner with Glen Fry and Jackson Brown, even if they are made of Bronze?

 

 

 

 

Another good find in Winslow is The La Posada Hotel, often called “The last great trackside hotel in the country.” Although not associated with Route 66, it is certainly noteworthy. Built in 1929, it was the most luxurious and expensive hotel ever built for the Santa Fe Railroad. What’s more, it was designed by Mary Jane Colter, one of the country’s most renowned female architects. Closed in 1958 due to declining train travel, it is now under new ownership, and has been refurbished to its former glory.

Shamrock
We were cruising across the Texas Panhandle with our sights set on Oklahoma. Trish started talking crazy. It was indeed a long day of driving, but not THAT long. She started talking about some green spire in the sky. Now, I do understand how a woman’s fantasies and semi hallucinogenic ramblings, at times, come forth on idle moments during everlasting road-trips, but I didn’t get it. I could understand a knight in shining armor or a 10 story Macy’s outlet, but not a green spire.
To make matters worse she wasn’t even sure what state it was in. We may have passed it in New Mexico, or it might be another couple hundred miles up the road in Oklahoma. All she knew is it was on this road. She knew it. She had seen it at night, glowing green and reaching far into the vesper skies. Unfortunately, it was now the middle of the day.
Thank Goodness for an obscure billboard. I missed it, but she said she saw a picture of her spire on it, and it was in Shamrock, Texas, only another half hour up the road. Well, I was getting low on gas anyway, so what the heck.
There it was, maybe a quarter mile off the freeway at the intersections of Route 66 and 83. The heavenward cosmic spire, it was there! It was the art deco tower atop an old filling station; about 50 feet high, topped with a green metal tulip. No ordinary Gas station, this is the preserved 1936 world famous U Drop Inn and Conoco Gas station, which served Route 66 for 40 plus years. At the time of its opening, not only was it the sole café for 100 miles, but The U Drop Inn was also labeled, “The Swankiest of the Swank Eating Places”. Who wouldn’t want to eat there? There is a somewhat smaller spire over the cafe portion of the building.

When Route 66 was bypassed, the place was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Fortunately, the City of Shamrock was able to obtain ownership and restore what has been called, “One of the most impressive examples of architecture on Route 66.” Today it serves as the Chamber of Commerce, a museum and visitor center. Within the restored café part of the museum you can even get free coffee and sit where Elvis sat.
Guess what? This building was also used in the before mentioned “Cars.” Guess what else? There are even more old vehicles resembling those in the movie lurking around. Also, in Shamrock is the old Magnolia filling station and the Pioneer West Museum.

I would like to make it very clear these are merely three examples out of dozens upon dozens of Route 66 attractions for the public to enjoy. Route 66 supplied us with the prime of roadside America. With so many hollowed out ruins along this route, it is reassuring that enough people care to preserve some of it. Enjoy it, respect it and be thankful.