At the east end of the long loop of old Route 66, the sleepy little town of Seligman (pop. 510; SLIG-man) is a perfect place to take a break before or after rejoining the Interstate hordes. The town retains a lot of its historic character—old sidewalk awnings and even a few hitching rails—and offers lots of reasons to stop, including Angel Delgadillo, the town barber, whose shop at 217 E. Route 66 is a pilgrimage point for old-roads fans. His brother Juan Delgadillo created and ran the wacky Snow Cap Drive-In (928/422-3291) a half-block to the east, where the sign says “Sorry, We’re Open,” and the menu advertises “Hamburgers without Ham.” Behind the restaurant, in snow, rain, or shine, sits a roofless old Chevy decorated with fake flowers and an artificial Christmas tree. Juan died in 2004 (at the ripe old age of 88), but his family carries on the Snow Cap traditions, and the burgers, fries, and milk shakes are worth driving miles for.
Seligman, 1940s location of Andreas Feininger’s classic Route 66 photograph, also has a very good café, the Copper Cart (928/422-3241), at 103 W. Chino Avenue in the center of town; a neat old mock-Tudor railroad station that once doubled as a Harvey House hotel and restaurant; and a half-dozen motels including “Unique Motel” (which is now a sign only) and the Historic Route 66 Motel (928/422-3204) at 500 W. Route 66. After dark, head to the Black Cat saloon, where actor Nicholas Cage has been known to stop in for a drink or two.
