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 Sultana Bar - Williams, Arizona Posted by:  iconions
N 35° 15.000 W 112° 11.372
12S E 391781 N 3901416
This one-story, concrete block building is located at 301 West Route 66 in Williams, Arizona.
Waymark Code: WM126GD
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 03/11/2020
Views: 2
Prohibition. Bathtub Gin and other nasty tasting alcohol that needed lots of covering fruit juices to make the taste palatable. The Sultana Bar had a Speakeasy in the basement that also led to tunnels under the streets to other speakeasies, opium dens, and other illicit, illegal pleasures. Alcohol during this time was not only bad, but could kill. This has led to ghosts haunting the basement of the Sultana as well as those tunnels below.
This 1912 building formerly housed a silent movie theatre and a billiards hall, and is believed to be haunted by patrons of the bar from over a century ago. Staff have reported eerie encounters in a network of tunnels running beneath the building, as well as being pushed around by an unseen entity in the main dining room.
- Haunted Places Website
THE "WORLD FAMOUS" SULTANA
Constructed of formed concrete
block in 1912, this saloon and
billiard hall included a buffet
for the townspeople who used it as
a gathering place. Named for the
famous Sultana ruby of India.
During Prohibition the basement
Speakeasy provided bootleg liquor
and gambling by invitation only.
- Marker Text
Historic Property Name: Sultana Building
Architect/Builder: Ben Sweetwood
Construction/Modification Dates: 1912
The Sultana Building is a large, high, single-story square plan commercial building approximately 90 x 90 feet, constructed of rusticated concrete block. It has a horizontal parapet and is divided by block walls into three units. The western unit was a bar, the central unit a theater, and the western unit was office and businesses divided into two store front bays with large plate glass windows. Although the Sultana primarily faces north onto Bill Williams Ave., its east facade facing 3rd st. is clearly visible with concrete sills and lintels. The rear has a section which was added to the building in 1937. This was used as a business office. The metal panels in the gable end are placed above rusticated cement block.
The interior has been paneled over, but there are plans to restore it. The window enclosures are recoverable and the building is in need of maintenance, but despite this, the Sultana still retains a high level of integrity.
The Sultana Building, built by Ben Sweetwood in 1912, is historically significant as a major commercial building in Williams which housed the city offices for over forty years, the local newspaper, the first talking picture show in northern Arizona, and was the location of many civic functions as well as entertainment. During prohibition the basement was used for gambling and drinking and later closed to the public. Architecturally, the Sultana is one of the few local examples of early concrete block industry. Its massiveness and styling contribute to the overall integrity of the District, and its role in the entertainment and civic functions for the citizens of Williams makes it an important contributor to the history of Williams.
- National Register Application
Public access?:
yes - note that this is an active bar and not sure how you would gain access to the basement
Visting hours:
business hours
Website about the location and/or story: [Web Link]
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