Page 29 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021 - Online Magazine

TRAVEL

dedicated to
preserving and
promoting the
historic “Mother
Road”. Angel is
now known as
The Godfather of
Route 66, or The
Guardian Angel
of Route 66. His
barbershop has
become a famous
gift shop, but he will still give you a up to Santa Fe, then southwest to
In October 1984, the last remnant of haircut or a shave. Albuquerque. At that time, the
Route 66 was bypassed by Interstate heavy equipment didn’t exist to dig
40 at Williams, Arizona. Bobby Today, many thousands of travelers through the Sandia Mountains, so
Troup was invited to the ribbon from many countries travel 66 from they detoured around. The story
cutting ceremony. After the ribbon one end to the other. (Unfortunately, goes that, in 1937, the Governor of
was cut, Bobby exclaimed, “Do you there were no foreign visitors last New Mexico got irritated at the Santa
people know you have just killed year or maybe not this year, but you Fe Mayor. Equipment was available
your town?” Route 66 died a painful can bet they will be back as soon as by then to cut through the mountain
death and was decommissioned in they are able.) It is now the road straight to Albuquerque, and the
1985 when the last signs were taken of adventure, history and romance. deed was done, cutting Santa Fe out
down. Foreign visitors love it because it is of the loop.
pure Americana – like America was
Angel Delgadillo owned a in the forties, fifties, and sixties. Now the “Route 66 Corridor
barbershop on Route 66 in Seligman, Preservation Program” is working
Arizona; his brother Juan owned Cheryl and I got involved when with the federal government to make
the Snow Cap Drive-In Restaurant the Harley Owners Group (HOG) all of Route 66 a National Historic
just down the street. When I-40 decided on a Route 66 Tour in Trail.
was finished, suddenly, they 1996. (Wow! Has that really been In 2026, The Main Street of America
had no traffic and no customers. 25 years ago?). That old historic will be one hundred years old. Many
Angel, Juan, and others went to highway grabbed us and has never festivals are being planned. Do not
the Arizona Legislature, and after let us go. Every “roadie” loves the miss being a part of this historically
several attempts, the state declared nostalgia, the personalities, and the significant event. As Mark Twain
Route 66 a historical highway. They iconic motels, curio shops, and other said, “Travel Is fatal to prejudice,
then formed The Historic Route 66 historic places that excite the senses. bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
Association of Arizona. The other And Route 66 is sure to do its part to
seven states soon followed suit, and From 1926 to 1937, Route 66 turned prove those words true.
now there is a 501(c)(3) association in northwest just west of Santa Rosa,
Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico
Texas, New Mexico, and California and went

Amarillo Senior Link 29