Welcome to Seligman. The real-life Radiator Springs and the birthplace of Route 66.
Seligman could have very well become another ghost town when the I-40 bypassed it in 1978. The townsfolk were determined not to let that happen, and Main Street has kept its character and charm.
I almost felt like I had stepped onto a Disney set as we walked along, mesmerized by the architecture, the oddities and the eccentricity the place has to offer. No wonder it was the inspiration for the town, Radiator Springs, in Disney’s Pixar film, “Cars”.
The History of Radiator Springs! Pixar Cars
Roadkill Café
Getting back to the Route 66 theme, the Roadkill Café in Seligman is another of those unforgettable attractions. Well, let’s face it, with a name like that how could you ever forget it!
Originally a small bar known as the OK Saloon, with an added extension in 1997 The Road Kill Café was born. Their slogan is “You Kill It; We Grill It”. The story goes that up until the 1980s customers could bring their own meat, and they would cook it. This included carrion! Of course, that isn’t the case. But with items such as “Rack of Raccoon”, “Thumper Hit The Bumper”, and “Bird That Smacked The Curb”, their menu does live up to its name.
If you are into burgers, steaks etc., this place is definitely for you and seems to be extremely popular. Having not long eaten, we didn’t go in but decided to stroll around the area. A treat for our next visit!
In the parking lot, next door is a small mock-up Wild West town (Seligman Depot) and the original town jail (albeit a mock-up).
The sign on the jail reads:
1860 Arizona Territorial Jail
At one time held such notorious outlaws as Seligman Slim, Three Finger Jack, Jim Younger, and many, many more.
In 1866, four Navajo Indians made a successful escape by tunnelling from this small cell to the basement of the OK Saloon. Four days later they were recaptured after a blazing gun “battle” with Marshall Carl “Curly” Bane.
We had fun walking along the shop fronts and investigating the jail. On further research, we discovered that the owners of the Roadkill Café built the Depot and jail for the tourists.
We spent about 10 minutes taking some photos before strolling up the Main Street of this quirky town, going wild with the camera.
The Roadrunner
Other iconic sites from the Route 66 era include The Roadrunner. It was once a Chevy dealership and garage, built 1936 but has become yet another gift shop and café. Then there’s Angel & Vilma’s Barber Shop which became the world’s first Route 66 themed shop in 1987.
Angel & Vilma’s
Mr Delgadillo, the town barber, had a mission, and that was to make Route 66 a historic highway. It is thanks to this mans persistence that the town of Seligman (pronounced See-lig-man) was put on the map, and Route 66 is the famed road known the world over.
Below is a lovely video about Seligman and Angel. Showing how the town grew, it’s rise, fall and rise again.
The Aztec Motel
I have read a lot of good reviews about the Aztec Motel and gift shop. A quaint inn which has murals on the outside of each room. Marie and her husband, Dwight, ran this establishment for 21 years. It was sold recently. I do hope that the new owners take care of the place and love it as much as Marie did.
The original part of the building was constructed in 1915, and the remaining portion was completed in the 1950s.
“Time for bed,” says Zebedee…. Saying “goodnight” to Seligman we continued onto the town of Ash Fork where we had planned to spend the night.
UPDATE: The Aztec Motel is currently being refurbished by the new owners, and will be open for business in Spring 2022. Email inquiries INFO@THEAZTECMOTEL.COM. www.THEAZTECMOTEL.COM
Our Takeaway on Seligman
This little town is very quirky and fun to spend some time mooching around. We have passed through here on many occasions, and each time we stop in, we see something new.
Seligman is a place we intend to stay the night on one of our future Route 66 expeditions. To put so much time and dedication, making sure this town won’t disappear off the map like so many, is a testament to the townsfolk.
Drive through and see it for yourself.
Seligman in a nutshell
- On Route 66 between Ashfork and Kingman, Arizona
- The birthplace of Historic Route 66
- And the inspiration for the town of Radiator Springs in Disney’s “Cars”
- Iconic Route 66 town filled with many shops, cafés, restaurants, and hotels
- Neon signs, classic cars, roadside attractions
location map
- Return to your road trip on Route 66 – Kingman to Flagstaff – by clicking the link below.
- You may also like our blog about Kingman.
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