Located in the center of the Texas Panhandle, Amarillo, with a population of almost 175,000 in 2000, straddles the Potter and Randall county line and serves as the seat of government for Potter County. The population is 77 percent white, 15 percent Latino, 6 percent African American, and a small percentage of other groups. It is a marketing point for cattle, wheat, corn, sorghum, natural gas, oil, and helium. Amarillo is a crossroads and has served that function throughout its history.
When the Fort Worth and Denver Railway, after a delay during the depression of the 1870s, resumed its northwestward march into the Texas Panhandle, James T. Berry, a real estate promoter, led a group of merchants from Colorado City to establish a new town site along the railroad route. In 1887 they laid out a grid of streets near Amarillo Lake, also known as Wild Horse Lake. At first called Oneida, the town's name was soon changed to Amarillo, which means "yellow" in Spanish. Supposedly, Spanish shepherds or traders had previously named the area for an abundance of yellow flowers or perhaps for the yellow soil of the creek banks. Local cowboys, having been promised a town lot by Berry, cast the decisive votes for Amarillo as the new county seat on August 30, 1887. This political designation, along with the railroad and the supply of water, gave Amarillo the necessities of life.
The railroad arrived in 1887, bringing merchants, cattle buyers, and settlers. By 1890 Amarillo was one of the world's busiest cattleshipping points. The town site lay on low ground, however, and after soaking rains in the spring of 1889 the town was moved to a higher location established by rancher Henry B. Sanborn and barbed wire–fencing magnate Joseph F. Glidden. The railroad opened a second depot, and voters transferred the county seat in 1893. Citizens incorporated the town in 1899 and established a council-manager form of city government in 1913, a system used to the present day.
Amarillo continued to grow. Three more rail lines had arrived by 1903. In the first decade of the twentieth century Amarillo acquired a hospital, an independent school district, an electric service, a trolley system, a public library, and a rowdy bowery. Although the population reached 9,957 in 1910, it was still a raw town, as Mary H. Turner of Chicago observed in 1902. Men spoke only about the cattle business; there were no sidewalks and no trees; rattlesnakes sunned themselves on the small golf course; and a black bull wandering the streets opened home fence gates in order to eat the planted flowers.
Oil explorers found natural gas near Amarillo in 1918 and petroleum in 1921. The nearby Cliffside gas field, with its high natural helium content, began producing in 1927 and resulted in the construction of a federal government helium plant four miles west of town. The government produced the inert gas until 1970, when an excess of helium in the nation made production unnecessary. Amarillo still bills itself as the "Helium Capital of the World." After the dust storms and poverty of the Great Depression, World War II brought economic relief in 1942 with the opening of the Amarillo Army Air Force Field for training pilots and the nearby Pantex Ordnance Plant for producing bombs. The airfield closed in 1946, reopened in 1951, and then closed again in 1968. The federal government converted the Pantex plant in 1951 to the production and deconstruction of chemical and nuclear explosives. Fears about radioactive poisoning and reports of unsafe environmental conditions have resulted in occasional protests and have left a shadow of concern that remains to the present time. Still, the Pantex plant was Amarillo's largest employer, and there has been relatively little pressure on Pantex to prioritize environmental protection.
After a decline in population of 8 percent following the closing of the airfield, Amarillo's population had rebounded to 149,230 by 1980. In 1971 the city took over a part of the airfield for an airport, which is now served by six passenger airlines, and Interstates 40 and 27 now traverse the city, dividing it into quarters. Natural gas, petroleum, cattle, agriculture, and transportation remain Amarillo's main economic supports.
David G. McComb Colorado State University
Henderson, H. Allen. "Amarillo, Texas." In The New Handbook of Texas, edited by Ron Tyler. Austin: Texas State Historical Association, 1996: 1: 140–42.
Key, Della Tyler. In the Cattle Country: History of Potter County. Amarillo: Tyler-Berkley, 1961.
Price, B. Byron, and Frederick W. Rathjen. The Golden Spread. Northridge CA: Windsor Publications, 1986.
Home Geography & Travel Cities & Towns Cities & Towns A-B
Amarillo, the city that portraits western heritage, is an example of a city that emerged from nothing to gain its unique identity in US history.
Amarillo, a city located in the center of the Texas Panhandle, is a seat for Potter county and a city that connects two interstates, 40 and 27. Amarillo is designated as a city with pure levels of air.
Have you watched the movie 'Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade'? Do you remember Henry Jones, Indiana, Sallah, and Marcus riding off into the spectacular sunset? This scene was shot in Amarillo. The city is the place of spectacular views of sunrises and sunsets.
Read more facts on Amarillo, Texas in this article.
For other similar articles, please check out facts about Arlington, Texas and facts about El Paso, Texas.
Facts About Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is also known as the Rotor City and The Yellow Rose of Texas. The Spanish meaning of the city name, Amarillo, is yellow. You can find yellow-colored soil along the river shores. Being the 14th most populous city of Texas, this city is located in the Llano Estacado region. Amarillo residents name the city as the helium capital of the world due to its large resources of helium. Don Harrington Discovery Center is a planetarium with a steel helium monument that honors Texas as the helium capital. Let's explore more interesting facts about this yellow city.
Amarillo is a city with events and attractions that honor the cowboy culture of the past. This city is suitable for residents who want to enjoy a suburban feel. As per surveys, it is considered one of the best cities with a low cost of living and the best place to settle after retirement. With huge natural resources, Amarillo operates many food and manufacturing industries. Amarillo occupies a special place in the US states. If you ask any steak lovers, they will surely remember Amarillo. The Big Texan Steak Ranch is a motel and a paradise for steak eaters. A large, white bull idol at the entrance tempts you to take up the biggest steak challenge. In this challenge, competitors try to eat 72 oz (2.04 kg) of steak within one hour. Those who complete the challenge are provided with a delicious meal and don't have to pay the total meal cost. Organizers compliment the winners by naming them on their board. Do you know only a few people have won the great steak challenge? Out of 68,000 people, only 9,800 people could finish the challenge. The great steak challenge was originally organized to challenge cowboys working in stockyards.
Previously, Amarillo was named Oneida. In the 19th century, it became famous and became the center for cattle marketing because Amarillo operates very big meatpacking units all over the USA. Do you know the city of Amarillo is nicknamed the bomb city because of Pantex? Pantex is a major industry setup where the assembly and disassembly of nuclear weapons are carried out.
Counties located in Amarillo are Potter, Armstrong, Carson, and Randall counties. Amarillo is the administrative center for Potter county, home to huge natural gas reserves. With an area of 269 km² (103.86 mi2), Amarillo is the best stop-and-see destination for road trip lovers on the Route 66 US highway. Route 66 is one of the legendary highway routes that connects the Midwest and the west coast. People driving through this route often stop to visit the car graveyard, Cadillac Ranch. You would be fascinated to see the setup of 10 Cadillacs vertically and on a slant, with half of each car buried underground and the other half facing the sky. Stanley Marsh III, the millionaire of Amarillo, is a sponsor of this idea, and he installed the classic cars between 1948 and 1963. This ranch is a beautiful sight for any traveler that wants to explore and check out these cars.
Amarillo is in the center of the Texas Panhandle, a 26-county area that New Mexico and Oklahoma border. Here, the southern plains meet the desert. The city was founded in 1887 and is located at the intersection of interstates 40 and 27.
Apart from this, there are many attractive places, theaters, schools, and parks, which we will discuss in the rest of the article. Get ready to explore more fascinating facts about Amarillo.
Historical Facts About Amarillo
Most of us who have watched cowboy movies like Gary Cooper's 'High Noon' and 'Tombstone' often wonder, do these kind of locations still exist in the world where we feel vibrations of the past? Amarillo is a mark of history and a promise to the future. Amarillo bridges a bond between the past and present. Want to know more about the history of the city? Visit the Amarillo Historical Museum. It is a local museum founded by businessman Tom Warren, exhibiting all the city's local history.
All the Texas Panhandle commercial activities are operated in Amarillo. The railway between Fort Worth and Denver City was initiated in 1887 at Texas Panhandle. In the same year, the city's foundation was laid by J. I. Berry. He was from Abilene. Berry and other merchants from Colorado chose the site for trading purposes and due to its sufficient water availability. In the 1887 county seat elections, Berry's town won the elections, which led to the initial development of Amarillo. Because of the proper railway and cargo facilities, it soon became positioned as a famous cattle marketing center.
Amarillo was a site for many ranches. Amarillo city was earlier named Oneida. It is believed that people there named the city Amarillo because plenty of yellow-colored wildflowers grew near Amarillo Creek and the nearby Amarillo lake.
But in 1888, a huge revolution by Henry B. Sanborn and his partner Joseph F. Glidden began, which changed the picture of Amarillo. They started taking land on the city's east side, warning that Berry's site may be prone to flood if it rains heavily. They encouraged and helped the merchants open trading sites and move their businesses. In no time the new city gained popularity and, as warned, Berry's place was flooded with the heavy rains. This incident cautioned the others to vacate Berry's place and relocate to the Sanborn's site. All these changes helped in naming Sanborn's city as a new county. Because of the cattle marketing center in the Amarillo area, other manufacturing companies gradually emerged. The oil companies came into existence after the discovery of natural gas. East Amarillo was set up with an army airfield and with the Pantex plant that produced explosions during the Second World War. A helicopter assembly plant, the Bell Helicopter Textron, was set up in 1999. Apart from that, the city has seen major developments in other sectors. Many wonder if Amarillo is a desert. Amarillo is not a desert; the southern plains meet the desert. The city is located in the grasslands and has drastic temperature changes and dust storms. Its major crops are wheat, cotton, and corn, and the city also cultivates soybeans, hay, silage, and sorghum.
The Canadian River divides the high western plains in the northeast of Amarillo. The Llano Estacado is also known as the staked plains geographical region located at the southern end of western high plains. Lake Meredith is the largest source of drinking water. Amarillo Mountains, one of the tallest mountai ranges discovered by pioneer oilmen, are the extension of Arbuckle and Ouachita mountains. These mountains look especially beautiful during sunrise and sunset.
The journey has not always been happy for the residents of Amarillo. The residents have been victims of natural calamities such as dust bowls and tornados.
Facts About Amarillo For Students
If you visit the city, you will notice horse statues in front of some of the buildings, such as in front of Nationwide Insurance, a downtown Amarillo building. These statues are a combined project of the American Quarter Horse Association and Center City of Amarillo to remember the noble American Quarter Horse (one of the famous sprinting American horses). Let's read about other popular attractions in the city of Amarillo.
The present population of Amarillo is 201,305. Amarillo has witnessed major population growth in the past. There are almost 50 parks all over the city, managed by Amarillo's Parks and Recreation Department. Some famous parks are Thompson Memorial Park and Medical Park. These parks are organizers of many fun festivals and marathons. Amarillo is a place known for its numerous museums and art centers. A few of these include the Amarillo Art Center and the Amarillo Museum of Art. This museum exhibits indoor arts and conducts live musical performances. Amarillo Botanical Gardens have lush, green gardens and a library you'd surely enjoy visiting. The Paramount Theater's first theater, with 1,433 seats, was established in 1932.
Amarillo's population growth and commercial economic increment are especially evident in the northwestern and southern parts. To ease with Amarillo's downtown economic crunch, Center City of Amarillo helped long-time residents conduct events and block parties in downtown Amarillo. Center City of Amarillo is a nonprofit community group which handles the Amarillo Symphony, Lone Star Ballet concerts, and the Amarillo Opera.
Highland Park ISD, Amarillo ISD, Bushland ISD, River Road ISD, Canyon ISD, are schools that manage and handle primary and secondary education.
Amarillo is a destination for many canyons and a favorite place for mountain biking lovers. The grand canyon and Palo Duro Canyon State Park are famous mountain biking locations. Another place to check out in Amarillo is the Amarillo Zoo. If you visit the city, be sure to pay a visit to the Amarillo Zoo. Do you know who the oldest cowboy in the history of the American west is? Tom Blasingame worked as a cowboy for almost 73 years in JA Ranch, south of Amarillo.
The citizens of Amarillo are called Amarilloans. Many famous persons were born in Amarillo and achieved great heights. Some famous persons include Astronaut Rick Husband; singer and writer Cyd Charisse; actress Ann Doran (1911–2000); professional golfer Ryan Palmer; businessman T. Boone Pickens, Jr.; actress Carolyn Jones; and singer-songwriter J. D. Souther. Aaron Watson is a country singer from Amarillo, Texas.
The late author Laura Vernon Hamner was called Miss Amarillo. She was a ranch historian, radio personality, and school superintendent of Potter county.
The Economy Of Amarillo
Though the meatpacking industry is the major employer, other units in Amarillo are Bell Helicopter, Pantex, Cargill, MWI-Micro Beef, Tyson Foods, Gestamp Renewable Industries. Amarillo is also an economic center for the Oklahoma Panhandle and the eastern parts of New Mexico. Though it is called helium city, privatization impacted the industry's operations a lot. Amarillo is an economic and transportation hub, where all the locals, cowboys, ranchers, gunfighters, railroaders, and settlers participated and contributed to its growth.
The economy of any country or place is determined by the transportation facilities of that particular place. Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is named after the late astronaut Rick and his crew members. It is located east-central of the Amarillo business district and north of Interstate 40. The other two airports are the Tradewind Airport and the Buffalo Airport, which are located in the southern part of the business district.
Tyson Food, set up in 2005, is a major employer. The other major employers of this city are the Amarillo Independent School District, BWXT Pantex, Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Walmart, Owens-Corning, and Amarillo National Bank. For the welfare of local merchants and employers, the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) provides attractive incentives. AEDC played a vital role in developing the V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft and future aircraft Marine One.
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