Williams ( yuf-x-hav, Wii Gvʼul) is a city in
Coconino County
Coconino County is a county in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. Its population was 145,101 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Flagstaff. The county takes its name from ''Cohonino'', a name applied to the Havasupai p ...
,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, United States, located west of
Flagstaff. Its population was 3,023 at the 2010 census. It lies on the routes of
Historic Route 66
U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The h ...
and
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
. It is also the southern terminus of the
Grand Canyon Railway
The Grand Canyon Railway is a heritage railroad which carries passengers between Williams, Arizona, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
The railroad, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was completed on September 1 ...
, which takes visitors to
Grand Canyon Village. There are numerous inns, motels, restaurants and gas stations catering to the large influx of tourists rather than local residents, especially during the summer and holiday seasons.
Also known as the "Gateway to the Grand Canyon", Williams was the last city on Historic Route 66 to be bypassed by Interstate 40. The community, bypassed on October 13, 1984, continues to thrive on tourism. Boasting seven fishing lakes in the area, hiking trails up Bill Williams Mountain and into Sycamore Canyon, an alpine ski area and cross country ski trails, four-seasons weather and an abundance of wildlife, Williams offers unlimited recreational opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast.
The Historic Downtown District covers six square blocks. Williams boasts a rich heritage that features the Old West and Route 66, coupled with tourism trends today and the city's heyday years of the '50s and '60s.
History
Founded in 1881, Williams was named for
William Sherley "Old Bill" Williams (1787–1849), a famous trapper, trader, scout and mountain man, who often trapped in the area. A statue of "Old Bill" stands in Monument Park, located on the west side of the city. The large mountain directly to the south is named Bill Williams Mountain. The city was incorporated on July 9, 1901.
Williams was the last city whose section of
Route 66 was bypassed, due to lawsuits that kept the last section of
Interstate 40 in Arizona
Interstate 40 (I-40) is an east–west Interstate Highway that has a section in the US state of Arizona, connecting sections in California and New Mexico. The Interstate is also referred to as the Purple Heart Trail to honor those wounded ...
from being built around the city. After settlements called for the state to build three Williams exits, the suits were dropped and I-40 was completed. On October 13, 1984, Interstate 40 was opened around the town and newspapers the next day reported the essential end of US 66. The following year, Route 66 was decommissioned.
The
Williams Historic Business District and
Urban Route 66, Williams were added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1984 and 1989, respectively.
Demographics
As of the census
of 2000, there were 2,842 people, 1,057 households, and 733 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,204 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 77.1%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 2.9%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.7%
Native American, 1.3%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, <0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 14.2% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 2.7% from two or more races. 32.3% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 1,057 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 29.8% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,455, and the median income for a family was $39,063. Males had a median income of $27,237 versus $25,162 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $16,223. About 9.9% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
Williams is located at (35.249369, −112.189872)
at in elevation. Bill Williams Mountain rises to an elevation of just south of Williams. According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.66%, is water.
Climate
On average in Williams, December is the coldest month, July is the warmest month, and August is the wettest month. The hottest temperature recorded in Williams was in 1909; the coldest temperature recorded was in 1937.
[
]
Government
The City of Williams has adopted the Council-Manager form of government. The Williams City Council is the city's legislative body. The seven-member council oversee the operations of the city government and sets policy by approving programs, appropriating funds, enacting laws and appointing the City Manager and other officers such as the City Attorney, City Clerk and City Magistrate. Williams' Mayor and City Council are elected at large. The Mayor serves a two-year term and Council members serve overlapping four-year terms. John Moore is the current Mayor of Williams, having first been elected in 2008. Before being elected as Mayor, Moore was a former Williams police chief and had been on Williams City Council for four years before being elected Mayor.
The City Manager is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of, the City Council and is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the city. The role of the City Manager is to execute the policies and programs established by the City Council and to provide administrative leadership and management of municipal operations.
Federally, Williams is part of Arizona's 2nd congressional district. Most recently it was represented by Republican Rick Renzi
Richard George Renzi (born June 11, 1958) is an American politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing from 2003 until 2009.
In 2013, he was convicted on federal criminal charges against him fo ...
from 2003 to 2009, Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick
Ann Leila Kirkpatrick (born March 24, 1950) is an American politician and retired attorney serving as the United States representative from since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she represented from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2013 to ...
following the 2008 election, Republican Paul Gosar
Paul Anthony Gosar ( ; born November 27, 1958) is an American far-rightMultiple sources:
*
*
* politician and former dentist who has been the U.S. representative for since 2013. A Republican, he was elected in 2010 to represent the neighbor ...
following the 2010 election, again by Ann Kirkpatrick following the 2012 and 2014 elections, and since 2017 by Democrat Tom O'Halleran
Thomas Charles O'Halleran (; born January 24, 1946) is an American politician serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for since 2017. Beginning his political career as a Republican Party (United States), Repu ...
.
Education
Williams is served by the Williams Unified School District
Williams Unified School District 2 is a unified school district located in Williams, Arizona, a town located in Coconino County. It is composed of two schools; Williams Elementary-Middle School, . Two schools, Williams Elementary Middle School, and Williams High School, serve the city. A charter school, Heritage Elementary Charter School, also provides services.
Parks and recreation
The city of Williams Parks and Recreation Department operates several parks and public facilities throughout the city. Recreation Center & Skate Park is centered around youth activities and entertainment and features an indoor skate park called the "Shed". The city hosts a public swimming pool located at the Williams Aquatic Center, an indoor facility offering seasonal and recreational swimming activities. The pool is open the Saturday before Memorial Day and closes the Saturday before Labor Day every year. Cureton Park offers softball, baseball and basketball courts, picnic area and public restrooms. Buckskinner Park has a basketball and volleyball court and a lake that is stocked regularly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is a state agency of Arizona, headquartered in Phoenix. The agency is tasked with conserving, enhancing, and restoring Arizona's diverse wildlife resources and habitats through protection and management progra ...
and features a trail head to several trails maintained by the United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...
. Cataract Lake County Park is a joint venture between Coconino County
Coconino County is a county in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. Its population was 145,101 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Flagstaff. The county takes its name from ''Cohonino'', a name applied to the Havasupai p ...
and the City of Williams and includes several barbecue pits, a playground and public restroom facilities including a lake stocked regularly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is a state agency of Arizona, headquartered in Phoenix. The agency is tasked with conserving, enhancing, and restoring Arizona's diverse wildlife resources and habitats through protection and management progra ...
.[http://www.williamsaz.gov/parks_and_rec.html ; accessed July 20, 2017] Dogtown Reservoir and its recreational facilities are nearby. The city also maintains a rodeo facility that hosts the annual Williams Reunion Rodeo.
Transportation
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
‘s ''Southwest Chief
The ''Southwest Chief'' (formerly the ''Southwest Limited'' and ''Super Chief'') is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on a route between Chicago and Los Angeles through the Midwest and Southwest via Kansas City, Albuquerque, and Flagsta ...
'' train served Williams between 1999 and 2017, calling at Williams Junction
Williams Junction was an Amtrak train station on the ''Southwest Chief'' route, located southeast of Williams, Arizona in the Kaibab National Forest. The station primarily served passengers travelling to the Grand Canyon via the Grand Canyon R ...
, east of town. Passengers were shuttled from the station to downtown Williams by Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach. Following the closure of Williams Junction in 2018, Amtrak introduced a new Thruway bus service between Williams and Flagstaff.
The surviving downtown station serves as the southern terminus for the Grand Canyon Railway
The Grand Canyon Railway is a heritage railroad which carries passengers between Williams, Arizona, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
The railroad, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was completed on September 1 ...
.
Williams has a small general aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
airport, H.A. Clark Memorial Field, serving small aircraft.
Arts and culture
Williams has a vibrant arts and cultural events schedule that runs year round. Starting in December and running through January, The Polar Express operated by the Grand Canyon Railway
The Grand Canyon Railway is a heritage railroad which carries passengers between Williams, Arizona, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
The railroad, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was completed on September 1 ...
is a train ride based on the popular children's book The Polar Express
''The Polar Express'' is a children's book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg and published by Houghton Mifflin in 1985. The book is now widely considered to be a classic Christmas story for young children. It was praised for its detai ...
written by Chris Van Allsburg
Chris Van Allsburg (born June 18, 1949) is an American illustrator and writer of children's books. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, for ''Jumanji'' (1981) and ''The Polar Express'' (1985), both of which he a ...
. The city also hosts the Historic Route 66 Car Show featuring automobiles from Route 66's heyday. During the summer months The Cataract Creek Gang acts out a gun fight every night in the streets of Williams. This cast of Old West characters also tend to "rob" the Grand Canyon Railway
The Grand Canyon Railway is a heritage railroad which carries passengers between Williams, Arizona, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
The railroad, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was completed on September 1 ...
train upon its return from the canyon.
Films
A few Hollywood films with A-list actors and actresses have been shot in and around the town of Williams and the surrounding area.
* '' Guns of the Timberland'' (1960), starring Alan Ladd, Frankie Avalon
Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol. He had 31 charting U.S. ''Billboard'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including number one hits, "Venus" an ...
and Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Elizabeth Crain (May 25, 1925 – December 14, 2003) was an American actress. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her title role in '' Pinky'' (1949). She also starred in the films '' In the Meantime, Darling'' (194 ...
* ''Midnight Run
''Midnight Run'' is a 1988 American road action comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and Philip Baker Hall play supporting roles.
At the 4 ...
'' (1988), starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin
Charles Sidney Grodin (April 21, 1935 – May 18, 2021) was an American actor, comedian, author, and television talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in TV serials including '' The Virginian''. After a small part ...
* '' Speechless'' (1994), starring Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles, including Jack Butler in ''Mr. Mom'' (1983), Betelgeuse in '' Beetlejuice'' ...
, Geena Davis
Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis (born January 21, 1956) is an American actor and Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, best known for playing the title character in the film '' Superman'' (1978) and three sequels.
Born in New York City and raised in Princeton, New Jersey ...
Tourism
The majority of economic activity for Williams is derived from tourism. Williams is approximately a one-hour, sixty mile car drive from the South Entrance of the Grand Canyon, and forty-two miles west of the City of Flagstaff via the Interstate 40. Other notable Williams attractions include Bearizona Wildlife Park, the Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel, Grand Canyon Deer Farm, Pete's Route 66 Gas Station Museum, and the Planes of Fame Air Museum.
Notable people
* Billy Hatcher
William Augustus Hatcher (born October 4, 1960) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first base coach. He played for the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phill ...
, baseball player and coach
* Ross Hagen
Ross Hagen (born Leland Lando Lilly; May 21, 1938 – May 7, 2011) was an American voice actor, actor, director, screenwriter and producer whose television acting credits included ''Daktari''. His film credits included ''The Hellcats'' in 1967 a ...
, voice actor, director, screenwriter and producer
* Diana Gabaldon
Diana J. Gabaldon (; born January 11, 1952) is an American author, known for the ''Outlander'' series of novels. Her books merge multiple genres, featuring elements of historical fiction, romance, mystery, adventure and science fiction/fantas ...
, writer and actress known for the Outlander Series
''Outlander'' is a series of historical fantasy novels by American author Diana Gabaldon. Gabaldon began the first volume of the series, '' Outlander'', in the late 1980s, and it was published in 1991. She has published nine out of a planned ten ...
novels and Outlander TV series
* Tom Ray
Thomas Archer Ray (August 2, 1919 – April 6, 2010) was an American animator.
Career
Ray was born in Williams, Arizona. He began work at Warner Bros. Cartoons in 1937, working under Tex Avery for six months. He applied for a job at MGM and w ...
, animator for Warner Brothers cartoons
* Old Bill Williams, namesake of the town
* John W. Moore, Mayor of Williams, Arizona- 2008–2022, Arizona Congressional District 2 Republican candidate, 2022 United States House of Representatives elections
See also
* Keyhole Sink
Keyhole Sink is a canyon in the shape of a keyhole near Williams, Arizona. The canyon is best known for its petroglyphs, which were created about 1,000 years ago by the ancient Cohonina people, and the seasonal waterfalls that flow into the ca ...
* Kaibab Lake
* Dogtown Lake
References
External links
City of Williams
Williams Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control
Cities in Coconino County, Arizona
Cities in Arizona