Grand Canyon Railway & Motel

The historic depot and former Fray Marcos (Harvey House) Hotel are still standing alongside the tracks in Williams. Development of the historic Fray Marcos Hotel started in 1901 with a curio shop next to the depot, the hotel itself didn't officially open until 1908. At the time the depot served the Santa Fe Railway. In 1925 a two story addition with 21 additional guest rooms was built. The hotel closed in the mid-1960s.

The hotel originally had 22 guest rooms and 10 employee rooms on the second floor. It was designed by architect Francis W. Wilson of Santa Barbara, California. The hotel is listed on the 1984 NRHP Williams Historic Business District.

The newer Grand Canyon Railway Motel is located behind the newer depot.

The Grand Canyon Railway engine number 9 was parked out front when we took this photo. It was restored at a cost of over $1,000,000.00 and took over 26,000 man hours of labor.

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Vintage Advertising Highlights

(Fred Harvey Logo)
FRAY MARCOS at Williams is named after Friar Marcos de Niza, one of the Spaniards with Coronado's expedition, who in 1544 and in 1571 made journeys through this region.
The hotel is of reinforced concrete and patterned after the old California missions.
Williams is the gateway to the Grand Canyon, and is situated at the foot of Bill Williams Mountain.

(Front)
FRAY MARCOS HOTEL, WILLIAMS, ARIZONA

NOTE: These undated postcards both tell the name of the hotel on the front. The first card obviously has a lengthy description on the back but shows no train tracks on the front. The second card shows the tracks out front but has no descriptive text on the beyond the Fred Harvey logo.
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Photo(s): 2013