Large ranches exist in the Amarillo area; among others, the defunct XIT Ranch and the still functioning JA Ranch founded in 1877 by Charles Goodnight and John George Adair. Amarillo is the 168th largest United States radio market in autumn 2005 designated by the radio audience research company, Arbitron. Amarillo is also home to the Venom, a professional indoor football team charter members of the Champions Indoor Football league. The city's original street layout was set up by William H. Bush, beginning at the west end of the town moving to the east. Amarillo has celebrated National CleanUp Day on the third Saturday of September annually since 2018.[25]. Depending on the climatologist's threshold. [91] Amarillo had a minor league indoor soccer team called the Amarillo Challengers that competed in the SISL and later the USISL.[92]. [10] The availability of the railroad and freight service provided by the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad contributed to the city's growth as a cattle-marketing center in the late 19th century.[11]. [94] Randall High School (part of the adjacent Canyon Independent School District) plays its home games in Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon, as well as the yearly Clinton Invitational horseshoe tournament. Some of the peaks are believed to be 10,000 feet (3,000m) high. Greyhound Bus provides daily commercial service to Amarillo. The Amarillo metropolitan area covers four counties: Armstrong, Carson, Potter, and Randall. Amarillo is known as "cattle-feeding" country. The city is also the location of headquarters for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. This one however got the best of me. He authored the first state school loan programs for returning World War II veterans and college students. The river is dammed to form Lake Meredith, a major source of drinking water in the Texas Panhandle region. Wonderland Amusement Park is located in northern Amarillo at Thompson Park, named for Ernest Thompson. In Amarillo, the southern plains meet the desert. One, the Caprock Chief, would have seen daily service as part of a Fort Worth, TexasDenver, Colorado service, but it failed to gain traction. Eat all 72 ozs of steak, and it's FREE! Christie's version, which only managed to reach 18 when originally released in 1971, made it to the number 1 spot in the UK Singles Chart in 2005 for 7 weeks. Exhibit at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum at Canyon, TX states that the underground structures known as Amarillo Mountains are an extension of the Arbuckles of Oklahoma and the Ouachita of . Sanborn also offered to trade lots in the new location to businesses in the original city's site and help with the expense of moving to new buildings. No fatalities were reported. For other uses, see, Location within Potter and Randall Counties, with Potter to the north, 7910179111, 79114, 7911679121, 7912379124, 79159, 79163, 7916679168, 7917179172, 79174, 79178, 79182, 79185, 79187, 79189, This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties. The footlights of Amarillo burn bright. U.S. Highway 66 also passed through the city. However, the closure of Amarillo Air Force Base on December 31, 1968, contributed to a decrease in population to 127,010 by 1970. Don Harrington Discovery Center, located in the city's hospital district, is an interactive science center and space theater with over 60 hands-on exhibits. The World Championship Ranch Rodeo sponsored by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association is held every November in the Amarillo Civic Center. Amarillo operates one of the largest meat-packing areas in the United States. Both Country and Americana music are a staple at HootPub "Hoot's" for the locals. Weather Underground provides local & long-range weather forecasts, weatherreports, maps & tropical weather conditions for the Amarillo area. And, occasionally, when conditions are right, the cottonwood trees show their brilliant colors, and the leaves fall. [118] The 1997 murder of Brian Deneke and subsequent trial also brought national attention because it highlighted social divisions in the community that mirrored those in America as a whole. Route 66 Motor Speedway, a 3/8 mile clay, high-bank oval track, sits east of the city. The tornado devastated the south and east sides of the city, killing 7 people, and injuring more than 80 others. About 100 miles (160km) southeast of Amarillo in Briscoe County is Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway, the state park is the home of the official Texas State Bison Herd, who were captured and taken care of by cattle rancher Charles Goodnight. Reminder That Spring And Summer Are Close From Community Market, City Of Amarillo Went Live With Survey; Not Sending You Spam. Known as the United States' third windiest city, the constant breeze makes even the hottest days bearable and contributes to Amarillo's suitability for wind farm development. [8] The Amarillo-Pampa-Borger combined statistical area had an estimated population of 308,297 as of 2020. They lie completely underground and are covered by. This 3-bedroom + loft, 3-bathroom cabin sleeps up to 9 guests and features nice amenities to relax in the trees or with seasonal mountain views in winter. Address: 1600 South Polk Street, Amarillo, Texas. Other crops in the area include sorghum, silage, hay, and soybeans. If you can't, you pay $72 for the experience. It is a stunning landscape vista. Petroleum extraction is also a major industry. The mayor and each commissioner serves a two-year term. Amarillo's nightlife combines eateries, music venues, jazz bars, and dance clubs. [76] Palo Duro has a distinct hoodoo that resembles a lighthouse. They also happen to be shared with our neighbors to the east. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rodeo is the largest of more than a dozen area rodeos that fuel a thriving rodeo industry. A city route (which was an original alignment of US 66 through central and west Amarillo) followed Fillmore south into the downtown area and turned on West 6th through the San Jacinto Heights district which is now home to many antique shops, restaurants and other businesses, passing the Amarillo Country Club and veering onto West 9th Street and Bushland Blvd before tying into the through route at a traffic circle near the Veterans Hospital. [135] TxDOT has planned multiple multi-level interchanges that intersect with Interstate 40, Interstate 27, and U.S. 287 and 87. [147], Drinking water is provided by the City of Amarillo and its Utilities Division. Each of these three carriers maintained substantial freight and passenger depots and repair facilities in the city through most of the 20th century and were major employers within the community.[21]. . The facility, located just across the Amarillo Civic Center, features a 1,300-seat auditorium. For a memorable experience, try the delicious 72 oz steak challenge at The Big Texan Steak Ranch and Microbrewery, a cultural landmark off of Route 66. Are you looking for something more serene? A helipad is available. [145] Construction began in 2006 for a new Texas State Veterans Home in northwest Amarillo. Located on the campus of West Texas A&M University, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum claims to be the largest historical museum in Texas. Palo Duro Canyon State Park, 30 miles southeast of the city, offers hiking, biking, horseback riding, and zip-lining. Lyft and Uber's ridesharing companies and commercial taxi services are available at Amarillo International Airport and the Tradewind Airport. From Amarillo lots of crazy shit happened back in the day. Some of the peaks are believed to be 10,000 feet (3,000 m) high. The park also houses the Amarillo zoo and offers picnicking. It's a deceptive altitude increase when coming from Oklahoma City. Visit The Amarillo Civic Center for indoor stage productions home to the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra and the Lone Star Ballet. Houston, TX 44 F Clear. Another Amarillo industry and a substantial employer is the Pantex Plant, a newly built nuclear weapons manufacturing and assembly plant. The facility opened in 1940 and was renamed in 2005, honoring the 18-year-old Amarillo Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The Potter County portion had the nation's largest natural gas reserve. Lake Meredith is located northeast of Amarillo and in 2005 it contained at least 114billion US gallons (430,000,000m3) of water. According to 'Cities Ranked and Rated' (Bert Sperling and Peter Sander), Amarillo averages 48 days per year during which thunder and lightning is reported. Routes 60, 87, 287, and 66 intersected at Amarillo, making it a major tourist stop with numerous motels, restaurants, and curio shops. [148] Increased rainfall in recent years[when?] The Potter County portion had the nation's largest natural gas reserve. Amarillo is also mentioned in the song "Route 66". Singer Lacey Brown of Amarillo advanced to the top 24 in season 8 on the hit show American Idol. Loop 335 circles around Amarillo in all four directions and consists of four-lane roadway on its northeast and southwest quadrants and two-lane paving to the southeast and northwest. [35][36] The Santa Fe Building, completed in 1930, was the regional offices of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, but was vacant for several years until Potter County bought the building for $426,000 in 1995 to gain new office spaces. Notable Amarilloans include actress Ann Doran (19112000), old-style journalist Bascom N. Timmons, the Dory Funk wrestling family, former UFC Champions Heath Herring and Evan Tanner, astronaut Rick Husband, professional golfer Ryan Palmer, rockabilly pioneer Buddy Knox, actress Carolyn Jones, actress and dancer Cyd Charisse, actor and poet Harry Northup, State Senator Max Sherman, Republican state chairman Tom Mechler, politicians Beau Boulter and John Marvin Jones, businessman T. Boone Pickens, Jr., singer-songwriter J. D. Souther, gambler Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston, soldier and interior decorator Clyde Kenneth Harris, and music artist and composer Terry Stafford ("Amarillo by Morning"; "Suspicion"). The museum is now rebuilding its aircraft collection as Texas Air & Space Museum and is located on American Drive on the south side of the airport. Living in Amarillo is easy. With a little bit of patience, one can find Tex-Mex restaurants, Asian stir-fry, and delicious burgers, all housed in nondescript locations. The eastern end of the mountains offers 1,000 feet (305 m) of topographic relief in a region otherwise dominated by gently rolling grasslands. Approximately 25 miles (40 km) south of Amarillo is the canyon system, Palo Duro Canyon. Amarillo's downtown is thrift central. Amarillo's major network television affiliates are KACV-TV 2 (PBS), KAMR 4 (NBC), KVII 7 (ABC), KFDA 10 (CBS), KCIT 14 (Fox), and KCPN-LD 33 (MyNet). At least, that's what's going on according to these guys. The Amarillo area is an outdoor playground.