For decades, the over 400 mile drive on Route 66 in Arizona provides travelers with a classic experience of neon towns, roadside attractions, retro diners, and quirky motels. Of the eight Route 66 states, Arizona boasts the most original highway alignments that tell the story of nearly 100 years of small business development, tourism, and creative expression.

The significant preservation achievements on Arizona’s stretch of Route 66 and beyond trace their origins to Seligman where in the 1980’s, businessman and barber Angel Delgadillo played a leading role in organizing Route 66 preservation efforts. In Arizona, Route 66 travelers passing through Seligman may recognize sites that heavily inspired the Pixar movie Cars and can enjoy stops at iconic businesses like the 1953 Delgadillo’s Snow Cap. Elsewhere on Arizona’s Route 66, sites like the Osterman Filling Station and Jack Rabbit Trading Post continue to tell the diverse Route 66 story.

Explore the stories of Route 66 in Arizona and learn how you can celebrate and advocate for the route in 2026.

Route 66 Centennial Events in Arizona

Millions of Route 66 supporters and dozens of communities along the Route 66 corridor will celebrate the Mother Road’s 100th birthday in 2026 with events, commemorations, and advocacy. This year, join the National Trust and our partners in Arizona and be a part of the multi-state centennial celebration:

National Trust on Route 66 in Arizona

For over 35 years, the National Trust has worked alongside our partners to preserve Route 66 as part of our ongoing Preserve Route 66 campaign that includes over $2.3 million in grantmaking across the eight Route 66 states, advocacy for federal legislation, traveling the route to document its rich history, and supporting Route 66 sites as part of other initiatives like the list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places and Backing Historic Small Restaurants.

In Arizona, twelve Route 66 sites to-date have received over $340,000 in grants to support critical preservation work that helps enable small businesses and prized community landmarks to thrive and continue to tell their piece of the Route 66 story. Grantees in Arizona include Delgadillo’s Snow Cap in Seligman to restore a patio, murals, and signage, along with Scoops on 66 in Kingman for critical roof repairs essential for sustaining operations. The National Trust has worked closely with the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona on several initiatives, such as the Preservation Youth Summits in 2025 and 2026 to continue to grow support for preserving Route 66.

Stay tuned for the next round of Preserving Route 66 grant opportunities for Route 66 Legacy Businesses and Route 66 Sites in Fall 2026.

Stories of Arizona’s Route 66 on Google Arts and Culture

In 2026, the National Trust for Historic Preservation partnered with Google Arts & Culture to launch a new theme page as part of its work to preserve the Mother Road. This project—an Official Route 66 Centennial Project recommended by the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission—was developed in collaboration with over 20 additional partner organizations resulting in over 130 stories that take you across all eight states on the Mother Road, including Arizona.

Advocate for Route 66

What better 100th birthday present for Route 66 than a National Historic Trail designation? We need your help to make that happen!

Your elected officials in the House and Senate need to hear from you about why Route 66 matters to you and the importance of preserving its rich history. This Centennial year is a pivotal moment to designate Route 66 as a national historic trail and help preserve Route 66 for the next 100 years and beyond.

Ask your Member of Congress to cosponsor and support the legislation during 2026 by sending them a letter and sharing this link widely with your community, meeting with congressional staff in their Illinois offices, and inviting elected officials to join you for a Route 66 site visit or event.

Here are some additional resources to help with your advocacy:

• Printable one-pager on Route 66
• Letter template to House and Senate offices
• Preservation advocacy tips