Grand Canyon Railway Depots
Williams Depot
Grand Canyon Railway departs each day from the historic Williams Depot.
The depot was built in 1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.
The
depot was an oasis for travelers heading to and from California along the
main line running from Los Angeles to Chicago. The depot was much more than
a place to get tickets. It was home to a Harvey House Hotel, which had 43
rooms. There was also a formal dining room as well as a cafe, bar and a news
room. The depot is the oldest poured-concrete structure in the state of Arizona.
Today, the depot is where passengers of Grand Canyon Railway pick up
their tickets. There is also an expansive gift
shop in the depot full of Grand Canyon Railway and Grand Canyon mementos.
Both the Williams Depot and original Fray Marcos Hotel are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
The Grand Canyon Depot
The northern terminus of the line resides in Grand Canyon National Park.
Constructed in 1909-1910, 
Grand
Canyon Depot is part of the Grand Canyon National Park Historic District
and is a National Historic Landmark. Designed by architect Francis W. Wilson
of Santa Barbara, Calif., the log and wood-frame structure is two stories
high. Originally, the downstairs was designated for station facilities and
the upstairs was inhabited by the station agent’s family. Today, the first
floor is used for railway passenger services. The building is one of approximately
14 log depots known to have been constructed in the United States, and one
of only three remaining. Of the three, the Grand Canyon Depot is the only
one in which logs were used as the primary structural material and which
still serves an operating railroad. The Depot’s logs are squared on three
sides creating bearing surfaces, flat interior surfaces and a rustic exterior
appearance. Just beyond the depot is the El Tovar Hotel, built in 1905 by
the railroad. The El Tovar is the signature hotel along the rim. The railroad
built the depot five years after the hotel and placed it conveniently close
for the rail passengers.