A Triumphant Renaissance: The Grand Canyon Railway
Williams’ saving grace came just a few years later. In 1989, entrepreneurs Max and Thelma Biegert purchased the long-dormant rail line to the Grand Canyon. After a massive restoration effort of the tracks and historic depots, the Grand Canyon Railway was resurrected, making its inaugural run on September 17, 1989—exactly 88 years to the day after the first train.
The return of the train, coupled with a growing national nostalgia for Route 66, sparked a dramatic renaissance. Williams embraced its historic assets:
- The Historic Downtown District (much of which is on the National Register of Historic Places) was preserved and revitalized.
- The old Route 66 alignment became a destination in itself.
- The Grand Canyon Railway now carries more than 150,000 visitors a year, fulfilling Williams’ original role as the “Gateway” and helping to keep tens of thousands of cars out of Grand Canyon National Park.
Today, Williams continues to honor its legacy, inviting visitors to step back into the days of the Old West, the heyday of Route 66, and the golden age of railroad travel. It is a powerful example of an historic American town that successfully looked to its past to secure its future.
