Williams in Coconino County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

William Sherley Williams

Sculpture by B.R. Pettit

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, July 8, 2010

1. William Sherley Williams Marker

Inscription. "Old Bill" was born January 3, 1787 in North Carolina. He died March 24, 1849. In that 62 year life span he did a heap of living, most of it in the wilderness. In the late 1700's and early 1800's the mountain men were trappers. In the quest of fine furs, these master trappers shoved ever westward in the raw, new frontier, braving untamed Indians, Grizzlies and worse - the cold relentless winters in the vast unexplored mountain wilderness. Their's was a lonely existence beset by many hazards. Fortunate were those who were able to live through a trapping season and get to rendezvous in the spring. After the fur market dwindled these frontiersmen became the trail- blazers of the west. The mountain men scouted the trails, escorted and guarded emigrant parties and surveying expeditions across the great unknown reaches of the unexplored west. Old Bill first visited the present site of Williams in about 1826. He was said to have spent the winter of 1832-33 in this area. In 1954 a group of Williams citizens formed The Bill Williams Mountain Men organization to perpetuate the lore, memory and romance of the mountain men of old

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- in particular, Old Bill Williams for whom a town, a mountain, and a river were named.

(Lower plaque:)
This monument was made possible by the contributions of (list of 31 names)
Monument dedicated April 26, 1980.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Exploration • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is January 3, 1787.

Location. 35° 14.911′ N, 112° 11.724′ W. Marker is in Williams, Arizona, in Coconino County. It is on East Railroad Avenue near South 9th Street, in the median. Located Monument Park, Between East Railroad Avenue (Historic Route 66) and West Grand Canyon Avenue (West Bill Williams Avenue). Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Williams AZ 86046, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Flagstaff & High Country

and in Hopi.

It is also in the American Southwest,

in the Mountain West,

on the Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in

Photographed by Mike Stroud, 2002

2. William Sherley Williams Marker

Figure: approx. 8 feet x 34 inches x 24 inches;The monument was unveiled in 1980 by Senator Barry Goldwater in a celebration that was covered by the national media.

what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bill Williams Mountain (here, next to this marker); Negrette House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sultana Theater (approx. 0.3 miles away); Babbitt-Polson Building (approx. 0.3 miles away); The "World Famous" Sultana (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pollock Building (approx. 0.4 miles away); Telegraph Office (approx. 0.4 miles away); Caboose Jake 017 (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Williams.

Also see . . .
1. Bill Williams Mountain Men of Williams. a group of business men, doctors, judges and ranchers that re-enact the life and rides of early fur trappers. (Submitted on January 14, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)

2. Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum. SIRIS entry,Control Number: IAS AZ000467 (Submitted on January 14, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,288 times since then and 62 times this year. Last updated on August 31, 2022, by Bruce Guthrie of Silver Spring, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on July 21, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 2. submitted on January 14, 2010, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.