Established as one of the many villages along the railroad, the town was originally founded in 1853 by Abraham V. Flagg and named Benton. In the fall of that year Jacob Flagg built the first house for his father Abraham, and in 1854 Peter Earnest opened the first shop. When residents applied for a post office, they found that there was already an established town called Benton and the village was renamed Williamsville in honor of Colonel John Williams, a local landowner. By late 1855, Williamsville had a post office, several stores, a doctor, and a one-room schoolhouse.
Today, this primarily agricultural town of around 1,500 people has a number of historic buildings along its old stretch of Route 66. The Williamsville Depot, a former railroad depot between the Norfolk and Western Railroad lines and old Route 66, serves as a senior center and meeting place for the community. Next door, the Williamsville Historical Museum, built from two railroad cars, displays many of the city's historical artifacts.
A block north on Elm Street, you can still sit back and relax while sipping an ice-cold 25-cent Soda Pop at Die Cast Auto Sales. Here, in this converted 1930's gas station, you can see a very large collection of hard-to-find die-cast models, Coca-Cola collectibles, and Route 66 memorabilia.
The Old Station, a converted 1930's gas station, is surrounded by vintage cars and memorabilia. The interior is a blast from the past, with walls lined with massive inventories of die-cast cars, Coca-Cola collectibles, and Route 66 memorabilia.
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