The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona created a fifty-thousand-dollar endowment at Northern Arizona University (NAU) for the preservation and promotion of Arizona Route 66 history.  The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona’s mission is to preserve, promote, and protect Route 66 in Arizona, so it was a natural fit for the Association to create an endowment at NAU’s Cline Library to help preserve Route 66 history.

​It should not take long for drivers in Arizona to spot the black and white Route 66 license plate as the eye catching specialty plate has achieved great success adorning a recorded 13,833 vehicles. Available since late 2016, the design and approval process for the specialty plate was lengthy and expensive. Requirements for an Arizona specialty plate include a $32,000 contribution, an organizational history of at least 30 years, and allocated monies to a charitable organization with 501 (c)(3) status.

Eight dollars from the sale of the $25 plate is used for administrative purposes, leaving the remaining $17 for the Association. Revenue from last year’s plate sales totaled $231,161.

The Association is proud of their progress and perseverance. They were honored for their hard work when the plate was recognized by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA) as the Best Plate of the Year for 2016.
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The Association is excited about the new opportunities available for the road thanks to the license plate program’s success with revenue being used for preservation and grant opportunities. The Association has hired an attorney to assist in the creation of long term programs to ensure license plate revenue is responsibly allocated. Much thought and consideration is required to ensure that sustainable, impactful projects and causes are supported. Several projects are currently under consideration and the Association will announce some projects and new programs in the near future as they become available.

The Association is moving away from a membership based organization in order to focus on becoming a resource to Arizona Route 66 businesses and communities. Key community members and business owners will gather this week for their annual Arizona Route 66 meeting. The group will be celebrating Route 66 in Arizona, share successes, as well as identify projects and preservation opportunities that would benefit the Arizona Route 66 community.

In the early years, the budget was tight, so an all volunteer force supported the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona’s mission to preserve, promote, and protect Route 66 in Arizona. The Association now has a full time Director of Operations and operates a Gift Shop inside the Powerhouse Visitor Center in Kingman, Arizona. The Association is governed by a Board of Directors who represent Route 66 across Arizona.

Angel Delgadillo, President Emeritus and founding member of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, has always stressed the importance of individuals contributions and enthusiasm that continue to make Route 66 special and an experience like no other destination. That is exactly what the license plate program does, allows individuals to support the Association in their mission as well as advertise one of Arizona’s greatest economic assets, Route 66. 

The 32nd Annual Route 66 Fun Run is May 3rd through May 5th

The Route 66 Fun Run® is the largest and longest standing Route 66 rally in the world. The 2019 Run will take place May 3 to May 5 and this year marks the 32nd annual celebration. The Fun Run is not a timed race but a 140 mile pleasure cruise of classic and custom vehicles that traverse the Mother Road from Seligman, AZ to Topock/Golden Shores, AZ. The rally takes place over three days. Last year, 788 vehicles participated in the cruise from Seligman to Topock.

The Fun Run means many things to many people. To the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, it is their annual celebration of how much they’ve accomplished. To many participants it’s a chance to catch up with old friends who meet at the run every year. For Route 66 business owners between Seligman and Topock it’s a very busy time.
The Fun Run Committee has been busy working to make this run the best yet. A new drive thru shield will debut this year, an expanded car show area, and a fun scavenger hunt have all been added to this years run.

When you show someone a photo of a car driving under the iconic white and black arch, their first question is, where can I get a photo? The beloved drive-thru took a spill the last time it was put up, necessitating a new arch and a different approach. The Committee decided to go with an inflatable arch, similar to the finish line at 5k runs. The new drive thru arch will be able to withstand more wind than the previous arch, up to 25mph. It will also be more portable which enables the Association to set it up in more than one location during the weekend.

Last year, as cars continued to arrive from Seligman into Kingman, parking spots became scarce. The committee has expanded the road closure on Beale Street to include 2nd Street to 5th Street to make room for more cars.

As they story goes, some of the first Fun Runs included a scavenger hunt where you would find landmarks or people along the way. The committee thought it would be fun to bring back the idea and have participants identify unique Route 66 shields along the way. Winners who turn in their completed cards have a chance to win a prize in Topock at the awards ceremony.
Things get underway on Friday, May 3, in Seligman with registration, live music and an impromptu car parade through town. Kingman will be hosting the seventh annual Route 66 Drive-in event, featuring American Graffiti at Best Western King’s Inn Friday evening starting at 8pm.

The first leg of the journey officially begins at 10am on Saturday, May 4, with a cruise from Seligman to Downtown Kingman led by the Grand Marshal Bob Boze Bell, author of The 66 Kid. Mr. Bell will have a meet and greet at the Powerhouse Visitor Center where he will be signing books from 2pm – 4pm. The route takes drivers through the attractions and communities of Grand Canyon Caverns, Peach Springs, Truxton, Valentine, Keepers of the Wild, Hackberry, Antares, and Valle Vista.
Upon arrival in Downtown Kingman, participants line up their cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, buses and vans on Route 66 (Andy Devine Ave) and Beale Street for a show & shine viewing and judging.  Thousands of spectators enjoy vendors, food, music, and the museums in Kingman’s historic district all afternoon until 5pm.  After the car show enjoy a special cocktail hour hosted by Rickety Cricket Brewing on Beale Street.

The second leg of the journey begins Sunday morning, May 5. Departing from Kingman, participants head to Topock/Golden Shores for the final gathering and awards ceremony at 1pm. This scenic back-road winds past Cool Springs, Gold Road, Sitegreave’s Pass and Oatman before heading down the backside of the Black Mountains for the shores of the Colorado River.

Two years ago, the Association started a patch program. All participants who complete the entire route from Seligman to Topock receive a limited edition patch. If you collect all ten patches in the series, they fit together to form a large shield. Each patch features an Arizona Route 66 landmark.

Registration for the event is $60 per vehicle. The fee includes a shirt, dash plaque, commemorative license plate, custom tote bag, entrance to the Kingman Show-n-Shine and Topock/Golden Shores award ceremony. For more information or to register visit www.historic66az.com or call 928-753-5001.