Hackberry's origins date back to iron ore and silver discoveries in 1874. A hackberry at the entrance to the mine on the east side of the Peacock Mountains gave the settlement its name. In 1882 the railway came here and the settlement was moved closer to the tracks. A large transshipment point for mining and agricultural products emerged. In 1919 the silver mine closed and the town experienced a renaissance with the opening of Route 66 until Interstate I-40 was built. It connects Kingman and Seligman on a straighter route that passes Hackberry some 16 miles away. The Hackberry Rd leading out of town to the freeway didn't even get an exit. In 1978 the last supermarket with an attached Conoco gas station closed. Hackberry became a ghost town. In 1992, Bob Waldmire's General Store reopened as a gift shop and visitor center and was sold to John & Kerry Pritchard in 1998.
The first weekend in May is the Route 66 Fun Run, where hundreds of vehicles, ranging from vintage to modern, race Route 66. Hackberry is one of the official break spots.