The Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company and Williams Arizona

AVIATION HISTORY; THE ORIGINAL GRAND CANYON AIRPORT This posting is note related to the railroads that existed in the North Country, however it is a point of interest. The vast stretches of seemingly empty desert one sees while traveling to the Grand Canyon hold the treasures of relics of the past, from cultural sites to frontier adventures into the wilderness.  The development of the aviation industry played an important role in American history. Imagine the early days of fabric covered wooden frames, powered by small gasoline engines, that allowed people to fly in the air. Having developed from those early primitive "aero planes" to the modern jets in just seventy years, this technology is often taken for granted, as you can now board a flight to any destination through-out the world.   As aircraft designs matured, more individuals began to understand the potential of flight. Small airfields were developed throughout the country, often simple runways plotted out on fiel...

  WILLIAMS, ARIZONA; STEAM ENGINES ON THE RAILS All images courtesy Arizona Memory project; Williams, Arizona Collection. Original scans available at the Williams Historic Photo Project, Williams, AZ. (AZMEMORY.AZLIBRARY.GOV (Information regarding the steam engines was provided from ATSFRailfan.Net/ATSFSteam.HTML.) Images from the past don't just capture an item of interest, but tell a story. Sometimes speculating as to the circumstances in the photograph can prove to be more entertaining and informative than the centerpiece of importance.   This engine appears to have been involved in some near-catastrophic event. The front pilot has been sheared-off, and the number plate has suffered from the fracas. The number of men milling about with earnest expressions indicates that a wreck has occurred, and that the powers-that-be want the line cleared as soon as possible. The woman in the image is probably the wife of one of the officials' overseeing repairs.    ATSF #1239 w...