THE RAILROAD STATIONS OF WILLIAMS, ARIZONA: THREE STATIONS AND A MYSTERY-THE 1892 Station Complex

 THE RAILROAD STATIONS OF WILLIAMS, ARIZONA

According to Richard Meltzer's book "Fred Harvey Houses of the Southwest"(Images of America series, Arcadia Publishing,) in 1894, Fred Harvey "took over the operation of a restaurant" that had serviced passengers since 1884 (more on that later.) In the early years of railroad passenger travel, dining services were less than desirable. 

The Santa Fe entered an agreement with Fred Harvey to operate their restaurants, which he did with exceptional and legendary skill. According to this fine book, the Fray Marcos Hotel and restaurant was opened in Williams on March 10, 1908. The name honored Father Fray Marcos de Niza. The interior was decorated with Native American style art and western styled furniture.  

Two views of the then new station complex. The station and restaurant can be seen in the first image; the expanded hotel complex in the second (Postcards; Author's Collection.)

(Following are Sanborn Insurance Maps, Library of Congress Collection)

December 1902 shows the brick station to the North of 2nd Street, across the tracks. In order for 2nd to be extended, the station had to be moved 

This 1910 map shows the brick station moved to the current location, making way for the extension of 2nd, becoming Grand Canyon Avenue.

Maps 2 and 4, both dated October 1910, shows the location of the new station, Harvey House restaurant, and the relocated brick station. At one time, railroad housing extended east from the station towards the 2nd street crossing. All of this area is now paved and concreted-over.

Early photograph of a train arriving at the Williams Station complex (Arizona Memory Project; Williams Arizona collection.)

A photographer (based upon the camera and associated gear in the picture) trying to cavort with two Harvey Girls, near Williams. The women do not appear to be totally comfortable with the situation, as the man might be just a bit inebriated. The women were expected to be of good moral character, and any violations could cause immediate dismissal. 

(Arizona Memory Project; Williams Arizona collection.)

A contemporary view of the station and hotel complex, owned and operated by the Grand Canyon Railway. The new hotel is located behind the station.

Image: postcard, author's collection. 

View of the relocated station, circa 1960-70s. The stoplight no longer exists; it is now a three way stop-sign intersection.  The location is at the intersection of Grand Canyon and Railroad Avenues, diagonally across from the original "Red Light District" (maybe the streetlight had a different meaning?)

 This building was the original passenger station, built in 1901, on the Atlantic and Pacific, later the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. It became a freight depot after the move. The City of Williams had petitioned the Santa Fe to place a vehicle crossing over the tracks at Third Street. They countered with the offer of placing it on Second Street, to which the city agreed. This meant that the station had to be moved to its current location sometime prior to 1904. This resulted in the main north entry to the downtown area passed the red-light district. This may not have been what the city fathers intended; then again times were different back then.

    The old depot remained abandoned for some time, until a group of dedicated volunteers restored the depot, becoming the Williams Visitor Center. The interior walls were left exposed, so that you can see the brickwork and other details of construction. In addition to being a historic building in its own right, the center offers travel information by a friendly and well-informed staff. A small but well-designed museum provides the visitor with a glimpse into the history of Williams.

    There was also a third station near Williams, at a place called Williams Junction, located East of town. This junction is where the Prescott line and the mainline merged, then proceeded east towards Flagstaff. The area where the station was located is on BNSF property, and off-limits to the public. 

Postcard: Author's Collection

    To summarize a well-written article on Wikipedia:

 Williams Junction was an Amtrak station, that serviced the Southwest Chief, and passengers to the Grand Canyon (although this refers to the original station that was built on this site, there are indications that the original was replaced by an "Am-shack," a basic metal bus stop like structure well known for simplicity and uncomfortable conditions.) 

    There were two separate routes for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe from Williams; one was the transcontinental route that ran East-West, and the other was the route that ran South to Prescott (the "Peavine Route.") Originally, both routes passed through Williams, in front of the Williams- Grand Canyon station. Later, as the trans-con was realigned, the junction was moved to the east of Williams, which became known as Williams Junction. This station opened on December 18, 1960. In 1969, at the end of Santa Fe passenger service, and the beginnings of Amtrak, both Williams stations were closed.

 Interestingly, Amtrak's corporate name was North American Rail Passenger Corporation, and the initials of NARPC is not as catchy as Amtrak. There is one theory that the Santa Fe would have continued to run their name trains (Chief, Super Chief, Grand Canyon Limited, etc.) if they had known the budget-cutting the new corporation would do to regional passenger service. Then again, if Amtrak hadn't been born as a government entity, rail passenger service would have become virtually extinct in the United States. 

    According to the article, when the Grand Canyon Railway began operations as a private passenger operation, the Amtrak named-train "Southwest Chief" dropped off passengers at Williams Junction (probably when the "Am-shack" was created,) who were then bused to Williams to make connections with the Grand Canyon Railway. This service was discontinued in 2018, and passengers are now bused from the Flagstaff Amtrak station. (Suggested reading is the Wikipedia article, which states it better.)

 A MYSTERY: THE 1892 STATION COMPLEX

     

    The December 1892 Sanborn Insurance Map presents a mystery. A station complex is identified to the north of the tracks, across from 2nd Street.   There is no indication of a brick station structure. This complex includes offices, a separate railroad depot, and a separate station dining room that included a pantry and kitchen. This is probably the restaurant facility that dated to 1884, later operated by Fred Harvey in 1894. Just south is a men's sleeping dormitory. Additional buildings are a water tower, pump house, and a basic engine servicing facility. All of these structures have been lost to time.  

    The map is significant, in that it defines the footprint of the accommodations built prior to the brick station. These structures likely were wooden buildings erected to provide basic facilities for the railroad. This indicates that there were four stations that had served Williams: the early station complex indicated on the map dating to 1884; the brick station; the more modern complex indicated on the 1910 maps; and the Williams Junction station site. 

There is oral history that states a small town was located just west of Williams, and a station existed at this site. The citizens of this small community moved to Williams, once the post office was established. Further investigation will take place.