Williams History

In 1878, Charles T. Rodgers homesteaded the area that is now called Williams. Rodgers was a cattleman, who had the III brand. Then in 1881, he was appointed postmaster. The town continued to grow with the arrival of lumber industry and the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad.

The town and the mountain rising above are both named after Old Bill Williams. Bill Williams was a famous trapper and guide. He was known as one of the most skillful guides in the West. Stories go that Bill could enter an area that was to be impassable, due to Indians and come out with a pack of fur. Bill Williams died in 1849 by a war party of Utes. Dr. Ben Kern also perished in the battle. Two years later, Richard Kern, a brother of Dr. Kern, was on an expedition in the area around Williams.

He decided to name the mountain range after Bill. There are several places in Arizonanamed after this famous mountain man. The river near Alamo Lake after it joins the Santa Maria River, on its way to the
Colorado is called the Bill Williams River. The town beneath the Bill Williams Mountain Range was also named in his honor, Williams. Today visitors will see an 8 and a half foot tall and 1,000 pound bronze sculpture of Old Bill. The sculpture was unveiled in 1980 and was created by Bill Pettit, a local Williams artist. The massive sculpture sits in Monument Park at the west end of town.

In 1901, the Santa Fe Railroad created a line from Williams to the Grand Canyon. This piece of track began hauling tourists up to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It also gave Williams the claim to be the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon.” You can still ride the same tracks today up to the Rim.

Route 66 opened in the 1920’s and gave Williams another boost. Williams became a tourist town. After the closure of Route 66 Williams has slowed down, but its small town charm continues to grow.