Angel Delgadillo, known as the “Guardian Angel of Route 66,” announced he had completed his memoirs and is selling copies of the book from his gift shop in Seligman, Arizona.
Delgadillo, who is just a few months from his 99th birthday, announced the new book in a social media post and video on New Year’s Day.
The title of the book is “The Road to Happiness: My Life on and for Route 66.”
“From 95 to 98 years young, a healthy and happy Angel Delgadillo wrote this book reflecting on his hard work and beautiful life. Now you can enjoy Angel’s life experiences, thoughts, and advice in his own words,” the post stated.
Unsigned, signed or personalized versions are available online and on-site at Angel & Vilma Delgadillo’s Original Route 66 Gift Shop, housed in the former barbershop where he worked for decades. Prices range from $24.99 to $34.99, plus shipping.
Delgadillo shepherded the creation of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona in 1987 and the designation of that state’s Route 66 as a historic highway. He became a crusader for the old road after his town was bypassed by Interstate 40 in 1978.
He’s arguably the most impactful figure in the renaissance of Route 66; the only one who matches up is “Route 66: The Mother Road” author Michael Wallis.
In recent years, Delgadillo was inducted into the Arizona Tourism Hall of Fame and received the President’s Award for National Leadership in Historic Preservation from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
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Angel graciously signed a shirt for me on one of my trips down the road. It hangs in a frame. I look forward to reading my copy of this book. I would like to thank Angel for writing this for us. Janet