American Legion Cordova Post #13 color guard.
There was a sky viewing by the Coconino Astronomical Society of Friday. Unfortunately today marked the end of the season for the Williams Aquatic Center with a free swim and aloha party.
WILLIAMS – The Independence day celebration in Williams was filled with activity. The weekly Kiwanis swap meet opened on Friday. The Williams Aquatic Center held a free swim and there was a community event and prayer on Saturday.
Williams was prevented from conducting a fireworks display again, but there was lightning and rain.
The parade this year was held in the evening and was larger than normal. If you missed it, here it is:
While July 4, 1776, gets all the glory for being the day the Declaration of Independence was signed, just 12 words in a newspaper owned by Benjamin Franklin announced the historic move that came first in the form of a vote on July 2.
“Philadelphia, July 3: Yesterday the Continental Congress declared the United Colonies free and independent states.”
That’s all it said in the Philadelphia Gazette.
There were so few characters in this message that Deseret News described it as “America’s 238-year-old tweet,” a nod to Twitter’s 140-character limit.
According to Deseret News, only 1,000 copies of the newspaper were printed holding the text that declared independence from Great Britain. It was buried under pages of classified ads looking for runaway slaves. One such copy turned up at an auction catalog last month and was snapped up by collector Brent Ashworth, who last year displayed some of his other rare items at Glenn Beck’s “Man in the Moon” event held over the Independence Day holiday.
“I was shocked,” Ashworth told Deseret of the copy. “It’s a very rare paper. … It’s a great piece.”
Read more at The Blaze
“And even should the cloud of barbarism and despotism again obscure the science and liberties of Europe, this country remains to preserve and restore light and liberty to them. In short, the flames kindled on the 4th. of July 1776, have spread over too much of the globe to be extinguished by the feeble engines of despotism. On the contrary they will consume those engines, and all who work them.” — Thomas Jefferson, September 12, 1821 letter to friend John Adams.
WILLIAMS – The small town celebration of Independence in the city of Williams is filled with everything except fireworks. The only fireworks display will come from the possible thunderstorms through the weekend. Very little precipitation is expected.
The celebration by celebrating the birth date of one of the cities most prominent citizens born on the day Congress declared independence from Great Britain on July 2d. After Congress voted for independence, John Adams wrote a letter to his beloved Abigail which included this oft quoted selection:
“But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.- I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by Solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfire and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
“You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. – I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. – Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”
Despite the limitations, Williams will move forward with a full weekend of activities. In addition to the planned activities, you can also plan a trip to the Grand Canyon with Marvelous Marv’s Private Grand Canyon Tour. Drive through Bearizona wild life park and check out the animals up close in the walk through area. Or take a ride on the Zipline on Railroad Avenue.
When you get hungry, you can try out one of the restaurants in Williams noted by the award winning Arizona Highways magazine. Twister’s on the east end of town, Red Raven in the Grand Canyon Hotel on Second Avenue, and the most recently honored Grand Canyon Coffee and Cafe. We suggest you try the signature Canyon Burrito. All of these establishments are located right along historic Route 66.
KIWANIS CLUB “ROUTE 66 STREET MARKET” (JULY 4-6) Every weekend starts on Friday with the Kiwanis Club Route 66 Street Market to support Kiwanis scholarships. The market is located on Railroad Avenue across the street from Williams Memorial Park on the west end of town. For more info contact Bud 928-635-4393.
WORLD MISSION FUND RAISER (JULY 4) 11am. BBQ, chicken on a stick, hot dogs, sno-cones, drinks, bounce house, balloon toss, cupcake walk, watermelon eating contest. Free activities for kids. Family Harvest Church 220 S. Seventh Street. More information 928 635 5208
COMMUNITY EVENT (July 4th) 1pm-6pm Williams and Forest Service Visitor Parking Lot on the corner of Railroad Ave and Grand Canyon Blvd. Community Prayer at 1:00pm. 2pm-6pm Food, games, crafters. For more information 928 635-0273 x 210.
TRACTOR DISPLAY – (JULY 4-6) from 9am-6pm- Hit & Miss engine and Tractors. Located on 2nd street and Route 66
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION – (July 4th) Noon-4pm Williams Aquatic Center (RAILROAD AVE) Hot Dogs, Door Prizes, Fun, Games, families Welcome, Free Community Swim 12pm-4pm. Free Lunch from noon-2pm. Sponsored by Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center.
COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (July 4th) 4pm Ice Cream Social4pm. 127 W. Sherman Ave.
Call 928 6352511 for more information.
STAR GAZING (JULY 4) 7:30 pm-9:30 pm Glassburn Park, natural area. Bring your own telescope or observe the night sky through the large telescopes provided by the Coconino Astronomical Society. Bring a blanket, chair and a friend.
HOME TOWN INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE (JULY 4) 6:30 pm. This year’s theme is “Pride in Our Past…Faith in Our Future.” Parade down old Route 66. Bring your Red White and Blue!
WORLD SERIES OF TEAM ROPING QUALIFIER (JULY 4-7) Fuller productions, where team ropers compete in the best team roping event in Arizona. Located at the rodeo grounds (800 Rodeo Road). Call 928.692.8465 for more information.
STEAM TO THE CANYON (JULY 5) Celebrate the 4th of July weekend by riding the historic locomotive #4960 to the Grand Canyon. www.thetrain.com
PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation will lift some of the traffic restrictions on Interstate 15 through the Virgin River Gorge prior to the Independence Day holiday weekend (July 4-6), but is advising motorists to expect additional traffic through the weekend and be aware of the existing work zones.
With limited alternate routes available due to the remote location of the I-15 Virgin River Gorge corridor, ADOT is urging drivers traveling between Mesquite, Nevada, and St. George, Utah, to plan ahead for possible delays in both directions through the work zones due to heavier traffic volume throughout the holiday weekend.
Considerable progress has been made to date on ADOT’s multiple bridge projects along Arizona’s I-15 corridor. The $2.8 million improvement project to upgrade the surfaces of Bridge No. 3 and No. 7 (mileposts 13 and 22) is nearly complete. One traffic restriction remains on the northbound side of Bridge No. 3, which is narrowed to one lane through the work zone.
The $27 million project to reconstruct Bridge No. 6 (milepost 16), located approximately 20 miles south of St. George, is also ongoing and the highway is currently narrowed to one lane in each direction through the work zone until the project is completed in 2016. This significant project includes the replacement of the bridge’s superstructure (girders, deck and railings), as well as widening the roadway through the narrow passage of the gorge.
WILLIAMS – The flags at the Williams Own Veterans memorial hung at half-staff as they held a Memorial Day service at the cemetery with ceremonial-songs and testimony and a 21-gun salute.
Perico Avila, Williams American Legion Cordova Post #13.
The ceremony was conducted by Perico Avila, Chaplain of the American Legion Cordova Post #13. Father Kilian of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church conducted a prayer service.
Army veteran Mike Rioux gave a speech detailing his return to active duty at age 49 and combat service in Afghanistan. Debbie, Pamelia and Beverly sang in honor of those who lost their lives in battle.
The ceremony ended with the honor guard giving the traditional a 21-gun salute and Lu Carle played taps.
The lone soldier at the Williams Own Veteran’s Memorial watches over the names of those Williams residents who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
WILLIAMS – 36 USC §116 designates the last Monday in May as Memorial Day. Memorial Day was established in 1868 to pay tribute to those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms that are supposed to be guaranteed to us in the Constitution and the inalienable Bill of Rights.
This is the legacy of Memorial Day. One should keep in mind on Monday what the day is for. Everyone should remember that we still have men and women overseas on ships at sea and on land. We also have thousands of those who have yet to return. Prisoners of war unaccounted for and those missing in action. The United States government promised those it sent into harms way that it would never have a “presumed dead” category.
Unfortunately we must also add to our prayers those fighting the Slide Rock fire and those in Sedona and the Oak Creek area affected by it. The smoke from the fire is reaching Flagstaff and may hamper some of the activities they have planned.
The Williams Memorial day parade in honor of military members living and passed on begins at 11 am on Saturday. On Monday the American Legion Cordova Post #13 holds ceremonies at the Williams cemetery honoring those who have paid the price.
Flagstaff, Williams and other northern Arizona cities will provide activities that we can enjoy thanks to the sacrifice of these service members.
In Williams, the Cataract Creek Gang have begun their gunfights and will continue throughout the summer each night at 7 pm.
The Kiwanis Club Route 66 Street Market opens Friday morning and runs through Monday. The Street Market, formerly Williams Swap Meet, will continue after Memorial day and generally runs to September or October. The Street Market is located on the west end of town across from Williams Memorial Park.
There will be music on the Babbit-Polson Community Stage in the Williams Visitor Center parking lot next to the Recreation Center on Saturday from 12 to 2 pm.
The Williams Aquatic Center will open from 10 am to 4 pm Saturday with a Hawaiian Luau Pool party from noon to 2 pm sponsored by the Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center. There will be free food and games. There will be drawings for free individual and family passes, youth swim lessons and punch cards for individual sessions.
