After decades of work by thousands of individuals, Route 66 has become a corridor connecting people from all over the world. Visitors to this beloved road not only get a window into the past but also interact with people who not only love their communities but also take pride in telling their story—people like Angel Delgadillo, a retired barber from Seligman, Arizona.

In 1978, Delgadillo saw what happened to his town the day that Interstate 40 opened and traffic bypassed his community. He wanted to let the world know that his town still mattered. Their story still mattered, a story anchored by his original barbershop, built by Delgadillo’s father in 1923.

Much like the road itself, Delgadillo’s original barber shop had been worn down by years of desert climate and the changing economic environment. The National Trust for Historic Preservation was proud to help with funds to restore the building and ensured that it would continue to tell the family’s story for many years to come.

On April 30th, 2026, the restoration of this building was formally completed. Explore the building through this photo essay, which is accompanied by a short interview with Delgadillo’s son-in-law, Mauricio ‘Mo’ Perez, who described the project and its meaning to the entire family

This was an incredible undertaking. Can you tell us a little more about the work that was done?

It was a lot of hard work, and when you’re in the thick of things, when you're in the project, [it’s hard to see the full picture]. There was the stucco on the outside, the new windows that would work again, the wrought iron, and then the interior.

Then there was the mud and adobe. A lot of people know how to do stucco, to put stucco on mud, but adobe is a different type of technique altogether. It took a while to find the company that could do it, but we found a company out of Prescott [whose] family has been doing adobe stucco and the preservation of that [craft] for a very long time. We [had] a good track record with them, and they did a fantastic job.

What are some other details of the restoration that stuck out to you?

All the paint color choices, the wrought iron, the specialty doors. It used to have wooden doors in front, and the new metal doors were stained to look like wood to try to keep that authenticity to his father's original Barbershop.

What does it mean to have the original Barbershop that Angel’s father built restored for the Centennial?

It inspired my father-in-law; he wanted to go and take a look at the progress, but we told him, “Why don't you wait till we're done?” And, oh man, I know, it just blew his socks off, you know; his heart was just so filled with gratitude and for us too. It was a huge effort on the family to get it done, [and to find a] to get a company that was willing to do.

So, you're seeing it progress, but when you don't see it for a while and then you see it, that's when. It Hits! Wow! All the work that was done! Wow!

Do you know what the plans are for the building going forward?

We don't want to rent or lease it, as it is an extension of our family home. And when we are all gone? We are going to donate it to a trust, and then we'll probably put more of our museum stuff in it.

[While] A lot of our museum stuff goes to Northern Arizona University, so eventually we'll put more museum stuff at the site and have a docent or somebody who curates the land and the building.