When I-40 Bypassed This Arizona Town in 1978, One Man Turned It Into a Route 66 Shrine

The Hackberry General Store, Arizona

Back when Route 66 was king, Hackberry General Store was just another Arizona trading post. Now it’s a living snapshot of road trip Americana, complete with sun-baked vintage cars, original Coca-Cola signs, and enough Mother Road history to fill a museum.

Jim Music’s Silver Discovery in 1875 Put Hackberry on the Map

When prospector Jim Music found silver in 1875, Hackberry quickly grew to 400 residents by 1877. The Hackberry Mine produced over $3 million in silver (worth about $82 million today) before closing in 1919.

In 1883, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad built a station here, and the town became an important stop on the National Old Trails Highway, which turned into Route 66 in 1926. Inside the store, you can look at old photos showing the mining operations, including pictures of miners and the equipment they used.

You’ll Find Over 10,000 Items of Route 66 Memorabilia Here

The Hackberry General Store holds more than 10,000 pieces of Route 66 memorabilia from the 1920s through the 1970s. You’ll see vintage metal signs, old gas pumps, license plates from every state, and all sorts of promotional items from the Mother Road’s glory days.

Every inch of wall, ceiling, and shelf space shows off bits of American road trip history. Take your time exploring the collection – most visitors spend over an hour discovering hidden treasures throughout the store.

Bob Waldmire Brought the Abandoned Store Back to Life in 1992

In 1992, Bob Waldmire reopened the store after it sat empty for 14 years. Born in 1945, Bob’s dad invented the corn dog (called the “Cozy Dog”) at his Route 66 restaurant in Springfield, Illinois back in 1946.

Bob drove around in his orange 1972 Volkswagen Microbus, which later inspired the Fillmore character in the 2006 Pixar movie “Cars.” Near the entrance, you’ll spot photos of Waldmire and his famous VW bus that carried him along his Route 66 adventures.

Seventeen Vintage Cars Are Slowly Returning to Desert Dust Here

Around the property, you’ll find 17 old vehicles slowly being reclaimed by nature, showing America’s car history timeline. You can walk among 1930s Model A Fords, check out a 1948 Buick Eight, and see rusted trucks from the 1950s.

These cars sit exactly where they were parked decades ago as the desert slowly takes them back. They make perfect backgrounds for photos if you’re looking to capture that authentic Route 66 feeling during your visit.

Charlie the Cat Has Been Photographed by Visitors From 68 Countries

Since 2018, the friendly orange tabby named Charlie has become a worldwide celebrity with visitors from 68 different countries taking his picture. You’ll likely find him lounging on the front porch or napping on the hood of an old car.

Inside the store, Charlie has his own photo album showing him with travelers from around the globe. If you’d like your own picture with him, just sit quietly nearby or give him a gentle scratch behind the ears.

John Pritchard’s 1957 Corvette Creates Perfect Photo Opportunities

Former owner John Pritchard’s shiny red 1957 Corvette is one of the store’s most popular photo spots. It’s a rare C1 model with a 283 cubic inch V8 engine and the special “fuelie” fuel injection system – only 713 were ever made.

After Pritchard retired in 2016, the new owner Amy Franklin added a 1990 Corvette to keep the tradition going. You can pose with either car for photos, though it’s best not to touch them while taking your pictures.

Money From 192 Countries Covers the Walls and Ceiling

Look up and around to see signed bills from 192 different countries making a colorful international patchwork on the walls and ceiling. This tradition started in 1978 when a German tourist pinned a signed Deutsche Mark to the wall.

Now the collection has over 4,700 individual bills, including rare ones like Italian Lira and French Francs that aren’t made anymore. For just $2, you can add your own signed bill to the collection – they’ll give you the pin and help you find space among the crowded walls.

Original Burma-Shave Signs Tell Rhyming Road Safety Messages

Behind the main building, you’ll find five original Burma-Shave road signs that were saved from Route 66 before they disappeared in the 1960s. These red and white signs were placed 100 feet apart so drivers could read them at 35 mph.

The set at Hackberry comes from 1945 and tells a rhyming message: “Don’t lose your head / To gain a minute / You need your head / Your brains are in it / Burma-Shave.” They’re arranged just like they would have been along the highway back in the day.

Elvis and James Dean Live On in 57 Original Collectibles

In one corner of the store, you’ll discover 57 original items connected to Elvis Presley and James Dean. The collection includes a rare poster from Dean’s 1955 movie “Rebel Without a Cause” and an Elvis promotional record sleeve from his 1956 Tucson, Arizona show.

In a special glass case, you can check out three original ticket stubs from Elvis’s 1970s Las Vegas concerts at the International Hotel. These pieces of American pop culture sit alongside other 1950s treasures for you to enjoy.

You Can Make Calls on the Last Working Payphone for 27 Miles

Outside the store stands a working payphone that takes coins – the last public phone within 27 miles in any direction. This Western Electric model from 1962 still uses its original rotary dial and works because there’s no cell service in Hackberry.

Local calls cost 50 cents, while long-distance calls are $1. Many younger visitors have never used a rotary phone before, so it’s your chance to try this disappearing piece of American technology by making an actual call.

Twelve Different Route 66 Sodas Await at the Root Beer Bar

Inside at the root beer bar, you can choose from 12 different Route 66-themed sodas made by small breweries along the historic highway. Try the signature “Route Beer,” a sarsaparilla root beer from Flagstaff, Arizona, or pick from cream sodas and fruit flavors.

Your drink comes in a frosted mug kept cold in a vintage 1958 General Electric refrigerator – perfect for the Arizona heat. Sit on one of six original soda fountain stools that were rescued from an old Kingman diner while you enjoy your drink.

Max the Shelter Dog Starred in Seven National TV Commercials

Max, a mixed-breed dog adopted by former owners John and Kerry Pritchard, became a TV star with appearances in seven national commercials before retiring in 2016. This friendly pup was in two Harley-Davidson motorcycle ads, three United Airlines commercials, and TV shows in Holland and Germany.

Near the entrance, you’ll see photos of Max’s commercial appearances and his custom Harley-Davidson bandana in a frame. His water bowl is still kept on the front porch in his memory.

Desert Hackberry Plants Feed Wildlife with Protein-Rich Berries

The Desert Hackberry plant (Celtis pallida) that gave the town its name grows up to 20 feet tall and is part of the Elm family. These thorny bushes make yellow-orange berries containing 15% protein that local Native Americans once relied on for food.

The original Hackberry tree stood near a spring by the silver mine found in 1875. Around the property, especially toward the back in an environmental preservation area, you can spot several of these hardy desert plants still growing today.

Visiting Hackberry General Store

You’ll find the Hackberry General Store at 11255 East Highway 66 in Hackberry, Arizona, 27 miles northeast of Kingman. From Interstate 40, take exit 53 and drive 24 miles northeast on old Route 66 until you reach milepost 80.

It’s open every day from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, staying open later until 7:00 PM during summer months (June through August).