Bill Williams Mountain Men
The group known as Bill Williams Mountain Men originated in Williams, Arizona, in 1953 to perpetuate the heritage and spirit of those adventurers, mountain men and trappers, who first came to the American West in the 1820s. Wearing buckskin outfits, hats and moccasins and riding horseback in parades and rodeo grand entries, these Williams businessmen, doctors, judges, and ranchers raise money for charities. The group is named after the legendary fur trapper known as "Old Bill Williams," who was born in the state of North Carolina and ventured to the mountains of the West for adventure and to preach. It is believed Old Bill was killed in Southern Colorado in 1849. Bill Williams Mountain Men have represented the state of Arizona five times in the United States Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C., and continue to perpetuate the lore, memory, and romance of the intrepid group of mountain men, particularly Old Bill Williams.