Williams, Arizona Hotels

This is the current conditions weather report for Williams. The report was made 17 minutes ago, at 11:56 UTC. The wind was blowing at a speed of 3 miles per hour / 5.6 kilometers per hour from the northwest (310°). The temperature was 48°F / 9°C, with a dew-point at 48°F / 9°C. The atmospheric pressure was 30.15 inHg / 1022 hPa. The relative humidity was 87%. The skies were clear.

Williams is a city in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 3,094. It lies on the route of Historic Route 66, Interstate 40, and the Southwest Chief Amtrak train route. It is also the southern terminus of the Grand Canyon Railway, which takes visitors to Grand Canyon Village.

Williams is a unique community with a storied past. While today's visitors can experience the modern amenities seen in most tourist destinations, they are also invited to personally share in the history and nostalgia of this mountain community. Founded in the late 1800's by ranchers, railroaders, and lumbermen, Williams' name comes from the famous trapper and "mountain man", Bill Williams. Remnants of those early days are still visible in the buildings, streets, and neighborhoods of modern-day Williams.

Because of its location near the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Williams is a major tourist stop and has many inns and motels. Restaurants and gas stations may be seen serving mainly tourists rather than local residents, especially during holiday seasons.

Williams, Arizona would go down in history as being the last town to have its section of Route 66 bypassed. The original plan was to have the last section of the famous highway bypassed somewhere in Texas, but lawsuits that had been filed kept the last section of Interstate 40 from being built around Williams. After settlements called for the state to build three exits for the town, the suits were dropped and I-40 was built. In 1984, Interstate 40 was opened around the town and newspapers the next day reported the essential end of the famous US 66. The following year, Route 66 was decommissioned.

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