SECRET Tunnels and The MOTHER Road: ☀️🌵 Williams Arizona

As I was wrapping up my morning of filming, I happened to meet a local Williams resident who informed me about hidden secret tunnels under the city. These tunnels were built by the Chinese immigrants brought here to build the railroad. They used them as opium dens and to get around the town since they were forbidden to walk the streets.

Later, after the US passed prohibition nationwide, the tunnels were used as speakeasys and secret passages to the local bordellos.

Welcome to Williams, Arizona, located in the heart of the Kaibab National Forest at an elevation of 6,770 feet.

Founded in 1881, Williams was named for the famous trapper, scout and mountain man, "Old Bill Williams." A statue of "Old Bill" stands in Monument Park, located on the west side of the city. The large mountain directly south of town is named Bill Williams Mountain and the Town was incorporated July 9, 1901.

Also known as the "Gateway to the Grand Canyon®," Williams was the last town on Historic Route 66 to be bypassed by Interstate 40. The community, bypassed on Oct. 13, 1984, continues to thrive on tourism.

Boasting seven area fishing lakes, hiking trails up Bill Williams Mountain and into Sycamore Canyon, an alpine ski area and cross-country ski trails, four seasons weather and an abundance of wildlife, Williams offers unlimited recreational opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast.

The Historic Downtown District covers six square blocks. There is something for everyone in Williams, Arizona. The town boasts a rich heritage that features the Old West and Route 66 coupled with tourism trends today and the town's heyday years of the '50s and '60s.

#Smalltown #Arizona #Travel #Tourism #tunnels