WILLIAMS, ARIZONA: CROWN JEWEL OF THE NORTH COUNTRY

Friday, September 11, 2026

THE AT&SF RAILROAD IN WILLIAMS, ARIZONA PART IV: THE FREY MARCOS STATION COMPLEX

THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND SANTA FE RAILROAD IN WILLIAMS, ARIZONA PART IV: THE FREY MARCOS STATION COMPLEX

"Sheet No. SLT 24B of Valuation Section No. 2 of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, from survey station 9454 plus 00 to survey station 19504 plus 00. Chief Engineer, The A.T.&S.F. Ry. Co., Coast Lines. Williams Station Plat, The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Operated by The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Co. Coast Lines, Albuquerque Division, Arizona June 30, 1915."

An overview of the Frey Marcos, the yard area, and the city of Williams between Bill Williams and Railroad Avenues.

It should be noted that a warehouse and industrial area was located to the south of the yard area. This stretched, in the earlier years, along the tracks from east to west, and included warehouses and various other businesses. At one time there were houses interspersed among the businesses.

Notations for the warehouses, east to west:

Corrugated iron warehouses (4)

Wagon Scale (small building)

Babbit Brothers Corrugated Iron Warehouse (large structure.) There is also a notation 'Babbit Brothers," which could mean that all of the warehouses belonged to that company. Today, one of the structures still exists in the parking lot of the visitor's center.

close-up view of the Frey Marco station and surrounding structures.

An earlier Sanborne Insurance Map shows a large water tower just to the south of the Frey Marcos, servicing the yard area.

Houses (4) Northeast of Depot (Green Arrows)

Chicken House

Cess Pools

Privies

These four houses were located on railroad property and were probably for employees of the railroad. These might have included a place for crews to stay between calls to service.

The Frey Marcos and Depot (Blue Arrows)

Notations, east to west:

Portico of Depot, Depot

Harvey House

Grass Areas (2)

Brick Platform

Spur to the north of the Harvey House (Red Arrow) The spur provided access for supplying:

Water Tank (Elevated Wood Tub)

Buried Oil Tank

Coal House

Section House area (Purple Arrows)

Steam line (Overhead): It appears that on the northside of the property, an overhead steam line provided steam to the houses and other structures, which could be used for heat.

Section House

Electric Light

Chicken House

Privy

Wood Tub Water Tank

Mexican Bunk House(s) (Yellow Arrows)

A close-up image of a vintage postcard. The image is looking west, showing the downtown area of Williams, and the railroad yard. The Frey Marcos is right-of-center in the image.

In this image a series of structures are located just to the east of the Frey Marcos. Today, this would be the parking lot for the expanded hotel. These structures have the same general appearance and similar design as to the houses shown on the map.

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

The colonnaded front porch and walkway faced the tracks. In the background is the top of the water tower. There are two main tracks passing the station separated by a walkway. The third track from the station can be seen entering the west end of the yard. The yard area is on the left of the image, South in direction.

Postcards Authors Collection

Two postcard images showing the FREY MARCOS. The first image is looking to the northwest, the second northeast. Note the walkways and the number of tracks. These was probably publicity photos taken at the time of completion of the complex.

NEXT: PART V: THE YARD AREA WEST OF THE FREY MARCOS

THE AT&SF RAILROAD IN WILLIAMS, ARIZONA PART V: YARD FACILITIES WEST OF THE FREY MARCOS, THE SAGINAW INTERCHANGE

THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND SANTA FE RAILROAD IN WILLIAMS, ARIZONA PART V: YARD FACILITIES WEST OF THE FREY MARCOS, THE SAGINAW INTERCHANGE

Notations, from east to west on the map:

Underground Steam Line to Powerhouse. Tool house located next to the line, south side of tracks (Light Blue Arrows) Just north of the trestles, the overhead steam line transitions to underground. It appears that steam was provided to the entire yard area.

Frame Trestles, 70' Long (2) Both have handrails (Blue Arrows) One of the trestles is a double-deck, double-track feature, and the other is single track. The sandstone abutments still exist today, and can be seen from old Route 66.

The Saginaw and Manistee interchange (Red) This interchange serviced The Williams Brewery and the Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company (Green Arrows)

The lumber company is extensively covered in other posts on the Blog. The Williams Brewery history is also documented on another post; however, the following map provides information as to its location. There was one brewery, that was rebuilt after a fire. The map shows its layout in October 1901.

The area where the brewery once stood is now covered by the intersection of Bill Williams and Railroad Avenues with old Route 66. The lumber company site is developed into hotels and partly covered by residential areas. Little else remains, and is located on private property, not open to the public.

Sanborne Insurance Maps, Library of Congress. October 1901

NEXT: PART VI: THE GRAND CANYON RAILWAY

The ATSF and Williams Arizona: Part VI; The Grand Canyon Railway

The Grand Canyon Railway

(All images, unless otherwise noted, are located in the file "Grand Canyon Depot Images" available online. Used by permission; creative commons.org/licenses by/2.0/. Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023. Captions are from the original images.)

(Author's note: I cannot do justice to the Grand Canyon Railway on an amateur blogsite. I would recommend the book "Cowboys, Miners, Presidents & Kings: The Story of the Grand Canyon Railway; Al Richmond; Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 85-70353. This book served as a reference guide for this brief history.)

Origins of the Grand Canyon Branch Line

In the early years of Williams, a sense of optimism and the hope of prosperity filled the hearts and minds of the town's citizens. A new lumber mill had been built, with ample supplies of Ponderosa Pines waiting to be harvested. The Atlantic and Pacific ran through the town, with the hope of securing the division point of the railroad. Ranching was a major industry. Add to this the newly discovered mineral deposits of the Anita Mining District, with the promise of untold wealth. Yes, there were ample reasons to hum a happy tune, as there seemed to be no end to good news. The Williams News, the town paper, was more than obliging to continue encouraging this sunny outlook on the future.

Lombard, Good and Company, through the auspices of the Anita Consolidated Copper Company, were involved in the development of the Anita Mines, north of Williams, and south of the Grand Canyon. In order to ship the ore from the mining district, and to supply the new smelter in Williams, a railroad would have to be built. After acquiring the necessary funding through investors and stocks, they began building the Santa Fe and Grand Canyon Railway to the Anita Mines district, and thence onward to the Grand Canyon.

However, due to the fact that the ore deposits were of low quality, the first railroad company ran out of money before reaching the canyon. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway was able to buy the remaining assets of the Santa Fe and Grand Canyon Railway, allowing the completion of the line to the Grand Canyon.

The Town of Anita

(From an article in The Williams News, dated January 27, 1916. This would have been written contemporaneous with the town's existence. Additional comments from the author have been added.)

The town of Anita deserves some mention as it was located within the original mining district. It was in part an important consideration for building the railroad that would eventually reach the Grand Canyon. Located 40 miles North of Williams, it was incorporated in the early 1900s. The town was developed to service the mining district, which was reported in 1904 to have 35 claims (the Copper Queen Mine was developed in 1907.) The township was divided into six wards, presumably from which the town council members could be elected. A station stop was provided, to service the needs of the local residents.

The town was substantial enough to have its own column in The Williams News. This column continued for a number of years, reporting on the comings and goings of the local citizenry and persons of note. It was reported in one column, March 19, 1914, that an automobile party had stopped in Anita, then took the remainder of the trip to the Grand Canyon by train.

Like many promising mining districts, the ore did not prove to be substantial enough to continue exploiting. Eventually, as the mines gave out the town faded away. Most of the buildings were moved to Williams or appropriated by the local ranchers. Today, sagebrush and the remnants of a railroad spur that served the mining district, mark the location of Anita.

The Grand Canyon Depot and Railroad Yards

To service the expected crowds, the Grand Canyon Depot was constructed in 1901. To capture the rustic, western appearance that would uniquely blend into the natural surroundings, logs were used in the construction. This Depot would serve with distinction for the Santa Fe Railway, and then the Grand Canyon Railway in future years. The building has existed for over 125 years and is worthy of respect and admiration. After the sale of the branch line by the Santa Fe, the new owners have lovingly maintained this historic building.

Caption reads "The Grand Canyon Railroad Station built in 1901 and is within the Grand Canyon Village Historic District. It is one of three remaining railroad depots in the U.S. built with logs..."(license to use Wikimedia Commons, commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File Grand Canyon

With the coming of the railroad, facilities were needed to service the passenger trains. This included a number of tracks arranged in the yard so that passengers could disembark to the Depot. A wye was built within the narrow confines of the Village in order to turn the entire train, then back into the depot, ready for the return to Williams. One special feature, which can be seen in the following images, was a series of steam and electrical connections to each track, whereby each set of passenger cars could be connected to ensure heating to the cars in the winter months.

During its heyday, the railroad provided easy access to the National Park, as most people traveled by train for long distance vacations. This was before airline travel was affordable for the average traveler, and before the building of a reliable and safe highway network.

The popularity of the Grand Canyon, and all of its natural surroundings, drew the attention of national conventions, such as the Shriners and the Boy Scouts of America. The Shriners could indulge in the comforts of the nearby lodgings, and the Boy Scouts could attend a national Jamboree while camping in the great outdoors.

AERIAL PHOTO SHOWING ENTIRE GRAND CANYON VILLAGE, WITH RAILROAD WYE. HORSE BARN SHADE STRUCTURE. PHOTO BY US ARMY, PUBLIC DOMAIN. CIRCA 1924

The wye allowed passenger trains to be turned around, and the entire consist would back into the yard tracks at the Depot.

AERIAL OVERVIEW OF GRAND CANYON LODGE AND CABINS ON N. RIM. 1932

AERIAL BRIGHT ANGEL CAMP - BUILDINGS, TRAIN TRACKS & ROADS ALONG SOUTH RIM. CIRCA 1934. NPS.

The railroad provided additional services for the National Park Service, and the Village. The line provided freight services, such as fuel for the powerhouse; freight carloads of building materials, supplies for the restaurants and hotels, and an all-weather connection to the outside world. One of the most important items was water. The Santa Fe brought in freight trains consisting of water cars for the park. This was an absolute necessity, until the park developed its own water sources. It could be said that the park would not have grown in popularity without the railroad.

Images of the Grand Canyon Railroad

FIRST TRAIN TO CARRY PASSENGERS ALL THE WAY TO GRAND CANYON VILLAGE. GROUP POSING IN FRONT OF LOCOMOTIVE. 17 SEP 1901

The previous image is generally accepted as the image of the first train to the Grand Canyon. Note the water car behind the engine.

SHRINER'S SPECIAL TRAINS IN GRAND CANYON STATION YARD. SHRINERS AND 5 STEAM LOCOMOTIVES IN PHOTO. 28 MAR 1937 NPS PHOTO

SMU FOOTBALL SPECIAL TRAIN AT GC, RETURNING TO TX FROM PASADENA, CA (ROSEBOWL) 04 JAN 1936. NPS PHOT

OVERVIEW: SANTA FE TRAIN "EL CAPITAN" IN STATION AT GRAND CANYON DURING FIRST LOS ANGELES TO CHICAGO RUN. SNOW. 19 FEB 1938

LOOKING BACK ON THE LONGEST TRAIN TO HAVE ENTERED GRAND CANYON, THE ELKS SPECIAL, TAKEN FROM GROUND LEVEL BY THE POWERHOUSE. BROWN BUILDING BEHIND (ON THE RIM) 05 JULY 1956. NPS PHOTO BY LEDING.

VIEW FROM ROOF OF POWERHOUSE AT THE SHRINERS SPECIAL TRAINS IN RAIL YARD. EL TOVAR HOTEL IN THE BACKGROUND. 17 JUNE 1950 NPS PHOTO BY EDEN.

As air travel and the automobile became more reliable, the desire to travel by train became less appealing. Despite the investment in modern stainless-steel cars and diesel locomotives, ridership took a continually downward spiral, ultimately resulting in the decision to cease operations to the Grand Canyon.

After slumbering for a long period of time, new owners purchased the line just before it was sold for scrap. Therein is a new chapter, continuing to be written today, of a successful private enterprise reviving and growing what was once thought to be the final end.

The Grand Canyon Limited

An article was published in the Williams News, May 12, 2020 (Wendy Howell), With a subtitle "History of the Grand Canyon Limited." This passenger train was operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. The following Information is excerpted for educational purposes from the article:

The Santa Fe named train "Grand Canyon Limited" began service on June 29, 1929 (just before the start of the Great Depression.) In 66 hours, it traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles, "with a branch to Grand Canyon National Park."

The train consisted of a dormitory-buffet smoking car, two chair cars, a diner, three compartment-and drawing-room sleepers, and an open-end observation/parlor car, all built by Pullman-Standard.

In 1947, it was re-equipped with diesel-power and stainless-steel cars.

(Built post war, this was an attempt by most major railroads to keep the public traveling by train. By the 1960s, most railroads were more than willing to divest passenger trains. The Santa Fe was an exception, running name trains until the creation of Amtrak in the early 1970s.There has been some documentation and speculation that, had the Santa Fe known what Amtrak was planning to do with passenger rail travel on their line, the Santa Fe would have continued to operate their own trains. Alas, that was not to be...)

Steam Engines along the Grand Canyon Line

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 was built by Baldwin in 1905. The image was taken just after Grand Canyon line's completion, given the basic ballasting and condition of the ties.

A number of tracks are seen to the left, as well as several substantially built structures. There are a number of large boxes lining the tracks, indicating they were purpose-built. This appears to be an early image of the station area at the Grand Canyon, as the tracks were used to store and service passenger cars.

The persons in the photograph are in their finest travel-attire, indicating that the engine was pulling a passenger train.

ATSF #1251 (classification 1226) was a Baldwin built (1905-06), four-cylinder balanced compound design. Survivors of the class were modified to two-cylinders sometime between 1918-32. This unusual design had its origins in the theory that more cylinders would result in additional power and greater efficiency. This may have been true initially, but in practice it left something to be desired. The problem was, the inside cylinder required valve gears and timing adjustments, just the same as the outside cylinders. Maintenance and service were a headache at best. Given that most steam engines were available 30% of the time due to maintenance requirements, this complicated design only added to the downtime. It can be compared to trying to do your own maintenance on a modern, computer-driven, high-tech automobile of today. Sometimes it's best just to trade it in...

The caption for the picture denotes this is on the Grand Canyon Line. This would have been in the early years, since only the most basic ballasting of the track has occurred. The rails also appear to be relatively light weight (50 pound?), not adequate for the heavy Mountains and other steam designs that would come later. The people in the image appear to have been motoring about, in the new technology of the automobile. The women are wearing outer travel clothes, protecting their dresses. Given that they are standing next to the engine, and no crew is seen, this locomotive appears to be dead on a siding, which might be owed to its' aforementioned complex design.

Sunday, August 23, 2026

THE UNDERGROUND TUNNELS OF WILLIAMS, ARIZONA: FACT OR FICTION?

I recently was involved in a discussion regarding the "secret tunnel system" that purportedly exists under the buildings in Williams, Arizona. This has been the subject of online video bloggers, reporting as if some mysterious secret lies hidden beneath the sidewalks: one of those small towns' closely guarded secrets, veiled behind the curtain of stoic silence maintained by the locals.

I like a legend that is formed from facts, such as Tombstone and Wyatt Earp. Often the legend takes the facts and glorifies them with much fanfare and figures of speech, until the legend is larger than the reality. The legend of hidden tunnels in Williams may just be that- a storied legend greater than the truth.

Tourism is an important industry in Williams, Arizona. As such, I have found that the locals and the old timers (which by now includes myself) are a cordial, if not sometimes friendly bunch. If you show due respect, you might be able to strike up a conversation, wherein you may learn something about this wonderful town of Williams.

Inevitably, someone will ask in a hushed voice, "What about the tunnels?" Often, the perplexed local stares back in subdued silence. This isn't because of some vast conspiracy at work, whereupon if you speak the result is the immediate expulsion from the "Old-Timers' Club." It is more of a reaction from someone that just hasn't given it much thought, because there isn't much to see. We don't want someone figuratively prying up the floorboards, or skirting about in the shadows, hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive tunnel system.

Now to the facts: Williams was founded in a climate that has severe weather; often hot in the summer and cold to the extreme in winter. When the town was founded, most of the structures were of wood and canvas construction. Several devastating fires reduced the town to ashes. Each time this happened, the town was rebuilt due to the stubborn resolve of the citizens.

After several fires, the locals decided that new buildings were best constructed from stone and brick. This allowed for two-or-more storied structures to be built. The new buildings required a firm and solid foundation, often extending deep into the soil where a more stable strata could be found. The foundation area could be used as a cellar, once proper cribbing and such was installed.

It is not uncommon for buildings to have such cellars, which are used to store items that need a consistent temperature. Not all of the town's buildings had such cellars. Those that did could be used for other nefarious purposes, with the possibility of a backdoor exit to an alley. Some adjoining properties may have reason to connect to one another; however, this was a rarity.

Images; Arizona Memory Project

Saloon Row, aka red-light district, circa 1901-1909

The Cabinet Saloon, with the Grand Canyon Hotel in Background. Circa 1890s.

From the earliest years, most of Williams business district was concentrated in a six-block area. The average person can walk the area in less than an hour, more if you decide to partake of the business establishments, to which we strongly encourage. The district was and is a mixture of single storied buildings, with a reasonable number of two storied stone structures.

In the earlier years, oral history states that Chinese labor was used to dig ditches and limited excavations for sewer and water lines in Williams.

There are a number of reasons for a subterranean system to exist, such as in Seattle, Washington or Pendleton, Oregon. One was for "volunteering" the unwary for long voyages by ship, and for both hiding extensive brothels and other unseemly activities. There were no merchant ships in Williams, and the unseemly was confined to the small "red light district."

A project of such scale would require the consent of the building owners. Property owners in the state of Arizona are rather protective, and in the case of Williams someone expanding an underground empire is highly doubtful, as a tunneling offender may encounter a hostile owner not willing to have an intruder burrowing under their foundation.

Simply stated, there was not the need for an underground system, other than a few exceptions that might have existed under the dens of iniquity.

Alas, the legend and mystic of a tunnel system may sound enticing for the tourists, but the facts indicate no such elaborate system exists.

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Update

I have finally been motivated to write a brief history, with images, on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (Atlantic and Pacific) in Williams, Arizona. The facilities were not as extensive as some towns along the line; however, Williams did play an important part in railroad operations. This changed over time, with expansion of the facilities to serve the Grand Canyon Branch line. More on this later, hopefully I will soon be presenting some of my research information.

I will also post information on the Williams, Arizona tunnels; fact, or fiction??

Sunday, January 25, 2026

REFERENCES/ BIBLIOGRAPHY*

(Author's note; in researching this information, the author heavily relied upon the works of James Fuchs and Pat Stein. References are provided in the text, and it is not the intention of the author to plagiarize the works of others, and any oversight is purely unintentional. Information and text will be updated if a reference or comment is not appropriately credited to an author.)

REFERENCES/ BIBLIOGRAPHY

PUBLISHED BOOKS

Ferrell, Mallory Hope; "Nevada Central Sagebrush Narrow Gauge," 2010 Heinburger House Publishing Company, Forest Park, Illinois

Goetzmann, William H; Army Exploration of the West, 1803-1863; 1959, Yale University Press; University of Nebraska Press 1979

Richmond, Al; The Story of the Grand Canyon Railway, Revised Edition, 1995. Northland Graphics

Roberts, David; The Pueblo Revolt: The Secret Rebellion that Drove the Spaniards out of the Southwest; 2004, Simon and Schuster, Rockefeller Center, N.Y.

Schuppert, Thomas; Central Arizona Railroad and the Railroads of Arizona's Central Timber Region; 1993; Golden West Books, San Marino, CA.

Wahmann, Russel; Verde Valley Railroads, Second printing; August 1984, Starlight Publishing, Cottonwood, Arizona 86326

Sunday, July 6, 2025

STUCKEY'S OF WILLIAMS, ARIZONA

STUCKEY'S OF WILLIAMS, ARIZONA

Stuckey's: anyone traveling Route 66 or the Interstate network in the 60's or 70's will remember this favorite landmark. This early version of the travel center provided the motoring public a welcomed rest from the long daily travel across the U.S.

The standard design featured gas pumps and an air-conditioned store. Inside the store you could find all sorts of souvenirs that were appropriate for the region, snacks, and (if I remember correctly) a place to order some fast food for the road. And clean restrooms. Although small by today's travel center standards, this was a welcoming place to be in the days before fast food chains stretched across the country.

What made this a favorite when we traveled as a family were the nut logs and other treats. Get a tank full of gas, coffee for the driver (Dad of course) and treats to fill the rest of the family-along with an incredible sugar rush- and we were back on the road.

The stores came in several standard sizes, which simplified the design and construction. Larger towns, such as Kingman, Arizona, received a larger center. The smaller towns received a standard downsized version. Only recently did I find out, from several of the websites on the internet, that Williams had a Stuckey's.

This little gem is tucked away on the far eastern side of Williams, just west of Bearizona. It is now an auto parts store, the only such store in Williams. If you look closely at the following images, you can see the distinctive roof outline, and part of the glassed-in front of the building. The old pumps are gone, but the pole for the roof remains. I believe the sign is the original from the early days.

I recently acquired an original souvenir wooden nickel on Ebay. An interesting sales gimmick: you pay five-cents for the token redeemable only at the franchise stores. They pocket a nickle that is good anywhere in the United States. You could get a cup of coffee for a nickle back then.