WILLIAMS, AZ

WILLIAMS, AZ

July 25, 2015

About a hundred miles out of Williams, AZ smoke from a forest fire was beginning to drift across Interstate 40.  We were hopeful that our trip would not be interrupted by a fire.  After several miles the smoke thinned and we felt a little more secure.

Pulling into Williams brought back old memories of sights I had grown up with.  The town was really into Route 66 memories.  Williams, gateway into the beautiful Grand Canyon, was the last American town to be by-passed by the giant Interstate 40.  After all the lawsuits were settled, Williams was given 3 exits off I-40 and everyone seemed to be satisfied.  

Williams apparently preserves one of the best stretches of old US Route 66 in the country.  The town itself preserves the image of the Route 66 era with shops, cafes, gas stations and motels, each sporting their own identities with Route 66.

We stayed in a micro motel that, even though it was undergoing remodeling, still identified with the old times.  Williams has many motels to choose from.  During the summer months, if you don't make advanced reservations, you might not find a weekend vacancy!  Tourists flock to this town by the thousands every year.

We enjoyed walking around downtown and peering into 50's era shops , decorated with antiques and filled with souvenirs of by-gone days.  Locally made leather goods were also plentiful.  The smell of smoking BBQ, burgers and chicken, wafting from the 1950's era Cafe sucked us in as we walked down the sidewalk.  The burgers, fries and milk shakes were great!  The walls were littered with old photographs and posters advertising products of the times.  Jukebox Rock 'n Roll music blasted the tunes of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Chubby Checker and many others as we dined. 

The country breakfast and coffee we had at another cafe the next morning was about the same.  We walked by a Gas Station Museum that looked like a pretty normal gas station in 1955.  The old car parked in front of the vintage gas pumps was a perfect fit for this scene.

We were entertained by a real live western shoot-out show at the corral.  The local Sheriff apparently handed out western style justice to a few rustlers and horse thieves. That evening, the Sheriff again, administered justice in a street shootout as we dined on a second floor balcony of a pizza shop.  

You had better watch your step in this town, Partner!