Urban Route 66, Williams

Urban Route 66, Williams
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Bill Williams Ave. between Sixth St. and Pine St., Williams, Arizona
Coordinates	35°14′56″N 112°11′31″W / 35.24889°N 112.19194°W / 35.24889; -112.19194Coordinates: 35°14′56″N 112°11′31″W / 35.24889°N 112.19194°W / 35.24889; -112.19194
Area	3.2 acres (1.3 ha)
MPS	Historic US Route 66 in Arizona MPS
NRHP Reference #	89000376[1]
Added to NRHP	May 19, 1989

Motor Hotel, southeast corner of 4th and U.S. Route 66, Williams, AZ

U.S. Route 66 through Williams began as a dirt street in the center of town which was later cindered and then paved. Despite some modern encroachments, most of U.S. Route 66 through Williams is lined with properties dating from the historic period. The four block long Williams Historic Business District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 20, 1984.^[1]

Vintage Gas Station, northeast corner of 1st St. and U.S. Route 66, Williams, AZ

It is flanked on the east and west by a commercial strip with motels, service stations, and restaurants dating to the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. One block of this commercial strip is west of the business district, and four blocks are to the east. The distribution and construction dates of these associated properties in Williams are directly related to construction of U.S. Route 66.^[1]

Unlike many stretches of U.S. Route 66 today, it is a good example of what the highway "looked like" during its heyday.^[1]

Williams continues to cater to the tourist trade, although Interstate 40 bypassed Route 66 on October 13, 1984.^[1]

Notable Buildings Along Bill Williams Avenue

Name	Year Built	Architectural Style	Comments
Rock Building Rock Building, 326 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1936[2]
Babbitt-Polson Building Babbitt-Polson Building, 314 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1907	Only Art Deco style building in Historic District[1]	Originally five smaller buildings combined and covered with stucco; housed grocery, hardware, department stores and bakery[2]
Bennett's Auto Bennett's Auto, 239 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1930's	Modern Style	Gas station during heyday of Route 66 when gas sold for $0.16/gallon[2]
The Postal Telegraph Co. The Postal Telegraph Co., 239 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1910		Operated until 1940's
Unknown named original building Unknown Building, 229 Route 66, Williams, AZ	ca. 1910[2]
Rittenhouse Haberdashery Rittenhouse Haberdashery, 225 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	ca. 1910		Was a men's clothing store for 60+ years[2]
Grand Canyon Drug Company Grand Canyon Drug Company, 221 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	ca. 1912		Pharmacy and soda fountain in front, doctor's office in rear[2]
Old Parlor Pool Hall Old Parlor Pool Hall, 217 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	ca. 1910[2]
Lebsch Confectiionery Lebesch Confectionery, 213 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	ca. 1914[2]
Dime Store Dime Store, 209 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	ca. 1912[2]
Duffy Brother's Grocery Duffy Brother's Grocery Store, 201 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1912		Originally a bank, mostly grocery store, also a dime store. Original tin ceiling[2]
Citizens Bank Citizen Bank, 202 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1918	Neoclassical revival	Financial center of lumber, ranching, and railroad operations; closed in 1958[2]
Sultana Theatre Sultana Theatre, 301 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1912		Saloon, billiard hall, silent movie theatre; liquor and gambling during prohibition; first "talkie" in Northern Arizona shown in 1930[2]
Pollock Building Pollock Building, 104 N. 3rd Street, Williams, AZ	First floor constructed after 1901 fire; 2nd floor 1927	"Rusticated" Romanesque Revival	Originally bank, has been newspaper, telephone/telegraph office. Constructed of locally quarried dacite; 2nd story brick[1][2]
Grand Canyon Hotel Grand Canyon Hotel, 145 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1892	Victorian Commercial style	Has survived several fires; the ground floor has served as a drug store, grocery store, dance hall, curio shop, and a meeting hall for Knights of Pythias Lodge[2]
Unknown originally named building Unknown Named Building, 135 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1907[2]
Old Post Office Old Post Office, 132 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	ca 1907
General Store General Store, 129 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1907[2]
Adams Grocery Adams Grocery, 125 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	ca. 1907[2]
Bowden Building Bowden Building, 114 W. Route 66, Williams, AZ	1947		Flagstones quarried from "Flagstone Capital of the World", 18 miles west of Williams; built during the post-WWII migration to California[2]

References