Furthermore, another triple-level interchange will be built to accommodate Soncy Road, Helium Road, I-27 and the new loop. [77], From 1932 to 1977, the Paramount Theater, originally built for $250,000, flourished in Amarillo. [80] The Amarillo Livestock Auction on Bull Road holds a free-to-the-public cattle auction on Tuesdays. [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. Cable television is primarily provided by Suddenlink Communications. Peaks of the Amarillo Mountains range from 2500 to 10,000 feet high. The Potter County portion had the nation's largest natural gas reserve. The four acres of the Mary E. Bivins Tropical Conservatory offer lush gardens and seasonally themed activities and classes. Pantex, the only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility in the country, is also a major employer. Polk Street contains many of the city's historic downtown buildings and homes. Initially known for cattle transit, the town soon became a thriving western town. They also happen to be shared with our neighbors to the east. Want Something Different This Christmas? [116] In order to attend the trial in Amarillo, she temporarily relocated her show to the Amarillo Little Theatre for nearly a year. While the mayor serves as a presiding officer of the commission, the city manager is the administrative head of the municipal government and is responsible for the administration of all departments. Sip fresh ground coffee at 806, and you will forget all about chain store coffee. It is a stunning landscape vista. providing easier access to the new freeway. 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. Four separate school districts combine to form Amarillo schools. The musical depicts a story about the history of Texas Panhandle settlers throughout the years. One thing you don't account for however is something looking bigger or smaller than you seemed to think it was. Another natural landmark near the city, the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is located 30 miles (48km) north of Amarillo. The Amarillo metropolitan area is the 180th-largest in the United States with a population of 236,113 in four counties: Armstrong, Carson, Potter, and Randall. From 1978 to 2002, the Junior League of Amarillo and the city of Amarillo's Parks and Recreation Department co-sponsored Funfest, a family entertainment festival, benefiting the city parks and the league's Community Chest Trust Fund. The Baptist St. Anthony's Health Care System supports the growing need for all medical professionals. Amarillo had a median gross rent of $876 from 2016 to 2020. [93] During high school football season, the Amarillo Independent School District schools' home games are in Dick Bivins Stadium which had a $5.7million renovation in 2005. [76] Palo Duro has a distinct hoodoo that resembles a lighthouse. That part of Amarillo within Randall County is represented by Swinford's Republican colleague, John T. Smithee, who has served in the 86th District since 1985. The major local newspaper is the Amarillo Globe-News, owned by GateHouse Media, was a combination of three newspapers: Amarillo Daily News, Amarillo Globe, and Amarillo Times. [121][122], On May 5, 2020, Amarillo ranked 13th in the nation for Highest Average Daily Growth Rate of COVID-19 cases by the New York Times.[123]. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 37.0F (2.8C) in January to 78.3F (25.7C) in July. [28] The tallest peak is reported to be 2,500 feet (760m) underground in northeast Potter County under the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument. Measuring 120 miles long and up to 1,000 feet deep, Palo Duro is the second-largest canyon in the U.S. (only Arizona's Big Ditch beats it). [22] The arrival of servicemen and their families ended the city's depression. On average, there are 5.9 days of lows at or below 10F or 12.2C, 8.8 days where the temperature fails to rise above freezing, and 61 days of 90F (32.2C)+ highs. Palo Duro Canyon State Park, 30 miles southeast of the city, offers hiking, biking, horseback riding, and zip-lining. The meat packing industry is a major employer in Amarillo;[66] about one-quarter of the United States' beef supply is processed in the area. The quarries enable access to the Amarillo Mountains, an underground mountain range that extends to the Arbuckles of Oklahoma. [20], Following the lead of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad established services to and from Amarillo. New homes and luxury communities pepper the area. During the third week of September, the Tri-State Fair & Rodeo brings participants mostly from Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas to Amarillo since 1921. They are some thousands of feet underground. In the 20052006 television season, Amarillo is the 131st largest television market in the United States designated by Nielsen Media Research.[115]. Through the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas, the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce announced a new initiative to help local businesses rebound from the pandemic. Out of the 77.83%, 74.53% identify as Christian. Amarillo is an affordable, vibrant, and growing community. While the fossil fuel industry, including oil, gas, and helium, remains supportive of the area, the availability of jobs related to renewable energy increases. Amarillo offers options for renters or those looking for a more permanent location. A portion of the former Amarillo Air Force Base was converted to civilian use and became part of the airport. There are four distinct seasons in the Texas Panhandle. You may recognize quite a few of the iconic landmarks found in the canyon, but there's still others that you just might have not seen yet! Blizzards occur occasionally, but snowfall is typically light, averaging nearly 18 inches or 46 centimetres seasonally and the median figure is near 10 inches or 25 centimetres. Nicknamed "The Grand Canyon of Texas," it is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and 6,000 feet deep. 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. Electric power service is distributed by Xcel Energy, through its wholly owned subsidiary, the Amarillo-based Southwestern Public Service Company. [31] To help revitalize it, the organization Center City of Amarillo was formed to establish partnerships with groups who have a large presence in the city. In addition to sculptures scattered throughout Center City, some Points of Interest include: 1) The Bivin's Home, located at 1000 S. Polk. U.S. at the Canyon E-Way Interchange to Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Texas Beef, a multi-generational family-owned Amarillo company, is the largest cattle-feed employer. The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse breed. Two airports serve the region. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010. In 1951, the army air base was reactivated as Amarillo Air Force Base and expanded to accommodate a Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortress wing. [87] Outside of the building is a steel structure called the Helium Monument which has time capsules and designates Amarillo the "Helium Capital of the World. West Texas A&M University and the Amarillo Independent School District are both significant employers to the residents of Amarillo. The Lights. The Amarillo Film Commission is a division of the Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council that was created to provide film crews with locations and other assistance when filming in Amarillo. He became an international expert on national petroleum and natural gas production and conservation. The second airport is Tradewind Airport (TDW), a privately owned public-use airport in Randall County. Are you looking for something more serene? Those readings show that there are mountains buried, not just here, but in a lot of places. Grady Hazlewood, a 1930s district attorney in Amarillo, served in the Texas Senate from 1941 to 1971. Amarillo is located near the middle of the Texas Panhandle. The Randall County Amarillo Annex building is located within the city limits and houses its Sheriff's Office and Justice of the Peace Court, Precinct 4. What Can Stop Pickleballs Takeover Of The Panhandle? The airport offers both an outdoor self-parking lot, valet parking, and car rental. The city gained national media attention in 1998 when local cattlemen unsuccessfully sued television talk show host Oprah Winfrey for comments made on her show connecting American beef to mad cow disease, costing them and their industry millions of dollars. Amarillo AMA Cheyenne CYS Amarillo Weather Weather Conditions and Forecast Salina, KS Regional Radar Nearby Personal Weather Stations WunderMap Radar Customize, add layers and zoom in & out. [73] Amazon, Asset Protection Unit, and Texas Tech University Vet School were named some major organizations contributing to the city and metropolitan area's economic growth. Palo Duro plunges into the Panhandle flatland like an upside down mountain range, and we spent the . That doesn't mean that Amarillo doesn't have mountains. This family-owned eatery, found in a 20' x 20' downtown building, serves food-truck-inspired cuisine. The depth to static water level from . Some of the peaks are believed to be 10,000 feet (3,000 m) high. The so named Amarillo Mountains are a range of granite mountains that run from northwest to southeast thru the Amarillo, TX area. A local favorite, "Texas, the Musical Drama," tells the tale of the Panhandle's settlement in the longest-running Texas musical at the Pioneer Amphitheater. The average annual precipitation is 20.4 inches or 520 millimetres. Considered a regional airport, Amarillo International accepts flights from three commercial airlines-Southwest, United, and American. [78] Besides these works, one can find close to the city the final earthwork of Robert Smithson (and another commission by Marsh), Amarillo Ramp. The defendant in the trial was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and received a light sentence. [30] Similar to many towns in the Texas Panhandle, the city's downtown has suffered economic deterioration throughout the years. In the Texas Legislature, the city is in the 31st District in the Texas Senate, represented by Republican Kel Seliger, a former Amarillo mayor. Not everyone in Amarillo wears a cowboy hat, and that's OK! [47] Amarillo is also recorded as the windiest city in the U.S. by the Weather Channel. The data shown is for information purposes only and except where noted, all of the data or features shown or depicted on this map are not to be construed or interpreted as accurate and/or reliable; the City of Amarillo assumes no liability or responsibility for any . [69], The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) is funded by a city sales tax, and it provides aggressive incentive packages to existing and prospective employers. In the mid-to-late 1990s, the AEDC gained notoriety by sending mock checks to businesses across the country, placing full-page advertisements in The Wall Street Journal, and paying an annual $1 million subsidy to American Airlines to retain jet service. A hamburger costs around $8, and a movie night for two will cost about $25. The mountains are home to numerous working ranches and quarry operations, the state reformatory, recreational homes and campsites, and scenic parklands. The underground structures known as Amarillo Mountains are an extension of the Arbuckles of Oklahoma and the Ouachita of Arkansas and Oklahoma. He authored the first state school loan programs for returning World War II veterans and college students. This district holds many of Amarillo's early history and stories and is part of the Amarillo Cultural District. It sits 123 miles north of Lubbock, Texas, on I-40, also known as the iconic Route 66. Some of the peaks are believed to be 10,000 feet (3,000m) high. Tyson Foods is considered the largest employer in the area. One, the Caprock Chief, would have seen daily service as part of a Fort Worth, TexasDenver, Colorado service, but it failed to gain traction. As we looked at them, we thought to ourselves, "how fun would this be to actually have to GUESS what these places are?". According to 'Cities Ranked and Rated' (Bert Sperling and Peter Sander), Amarillo averages 48 days per year during which thunder and lightning is reported. My Location: Amarillo, TX. Read on to learn why Amarillo is such a hidden gem. The trial was moved from Fort Worth to Amarillo in 1977 on a change of venue. [120] A federal lawsuit directed at the officials responsible for the sting operation was held in Amarillo. It does not share similar weather characteristics with south and east Texas. An estimated 15.4% of the population lived at or below the poverty line. The Amarillo mountains are part of the Arbuckle/Ouichita/Wichita mountains in Oklahoma. County, state, and federal representation, Exhibit at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum at Canyon. The Amarillo Mountains are underground. Severe thunderstorms can produce damaging straight-line winds, large hail, tornadoes, and flash flooding. In 1929, Ernest O. Thompson, a decorated World War I general and a major businessman in Amarillo, was elected mayor to succeed Lee Bivins. A popular Americana bar, Leftwoods is a favorite spot for those 21 and older. One example of the numbering difference regards the former U.S. Highway 66 routing west of downtown and into the San Jacinto neighborhood. Restaurants abound in this sleepy Texas town. The roadway continues northward into downtown Amarillo via U.S. 60, 87, and 287, via a series of four one-way streets including Buchanan, Pierce, Fillmore and Taylor. The closest Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagan meeting officially advertised is located a 5-hour plus drive in Denton, TX despite there being a UU congregation in Amarillo it does not host a CUUPs chapater. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 90.3 square miles (234 km2), with 89.9 sq mi (233 km2) of it land and 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) of it (0.50%) water. The river is dammed to form Lake Meredith, a major source of drinking water in the Texas Panhandle region. Popular . If you're looking for an Amarillo home, contact The RealFX Group at (512) 956-7390 to get in touch with an experienced local real estate agent and discover your Amarillo dream home today. [19] The U.S. National Helium Reserve is stored in the Bush Dome Reservoir at the Cliffside facility. They are some thousands of feet underground. Climbing from the canyon bottom to the rim on the new Rock Garden Trail will test any rider's lungpower. A complete schedule of route times and stop locations is available through the mobile app One Ride. An area business would purchase a horse statue and a local artist paints on it.[85]. Fair questions. The Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum features a collection of Native American artifacts and provides dance performances. [18] The plant was the sole producer of commercial helium in the world for a number of years. [142] BSA was a result of a merger between the Texas Panhandle's first hospital, St Anthony's, with High Plains Baptist Hospital in 1996. Amarillo and the surrounding counties are known for agriculture, medicine, and energy. He is the father of the farm-to-market road program in Texas. On August 30, 1887, Berry's town site won the county seat election and was established in Potter County. [110], According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 23.3% of all adults aged 25 and older have obtained a bachelor's degree, and 85% a high school diploma or equivalent from 2016 to 2020.[59]. [99][100], The Texas Seventh Court of Appeals is located in Amarillo. [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. The underground structures known as Amarillo Mountains are an extension of the Arbuckles of Oklahoma and the Ouachita of Arkansas and Oklahoma. [132] (The last president so honored was Grover Cleveland; though the city has expanded eastward, the pattern was not continued.) Basically underneath us, a long long way underneath us, there is a section of the Earth's mantle that we don't know much about; other than that when there are deep earthquakes the shock waves give off some really interesting readings. Amarillo's climate is a bit unpredictable. Amarillo (/mrlo/[6] AM--RIL-oh; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. In 1949, a deadly F4 tornado devastated much of Amarillo, shortly after nightfall on May 15, tearing through the south and east sides of the city, killing seven people, and injuring more than 80 others. This iconic art installation displays ten graffiti-decorated cars, partly buried in a field along I-40 (Route 66). . When you think of Texas, you think of football. However, the closure of Amarillo Air Force Base on December 31, 1968, contributed to a decrease in population to 127,010 by 1970. Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is a public airport located 10 miles (16km) east of the central business district of Amarillo, north of Interstate 40. 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. This of course means they're very, very old. Living in Amarillo is easy. [103], The United States Postal Service operates the Amarillo Main Post Office. Early residents originally pronounced the city's name more similar to the Spanish pronunciation /mrijo/ ah-m-REE-yoh, which was later displaced by the current pronunciation. The strongest tornado to ever hit Amarillo was a deadly F4 tornado that struck the city in the night time hours of May 15, 1949. River Road, Highland Park, and Bushland High Schools, also play football, in addition other sports. Other publications include a local monthly magazine dealing with city and regional issues in the Amarillo area called, Accent West and a daily online paper, The Amarillo Pioneer. [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]. The National Weather Service in Amarillo forecasts and provides climatic data for the city. The City of Amarillo also operates recycling collection centers, one located near the downtown area and four at fire stations in the city. The southern divide of the Western High Plains is the Llano Estacado or Staked Plains geographical region. Amarillo is simple to navigate. An estimated 1.1% followed an Eastern religion such as Buddhism or Hinduism. Located on the campus of West Texas A&M University, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum claims to be the largest historical museum in Texas. In 2021, about 0.1% of Amarillo's residents identified with Judaism and 2.1% were Muslim. [126] Amarillo was the setting for many motion pictures, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Switchback 1997, and The Plutonium Circus, the 1995 South by Southwest Film Festival winner for best documentary feature. Get the latest breaking news, sports, entertainment and obituaries in Amarillo, TX from Amarillo Globe-News. [46] Amarillo is characterized by a winter season featuring large diurnal temperature variation, great day-to-day variability, possible sudden and/or severe Arctic air outbreaks (in Texas, called "blue northers"), possible blizzards and hot summers with generally low humidity. [26] The city is situated near the Panhandle Field, in a productive gas and oil area, covering 200,000 acres (81,000ha) in Hartley, Potter, Moore, Hutchinson, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, and Collingsworth Counties. Routes 60, 87, 287, and 66 intersected at Amarillo, making it a major tourist stop with numerous motels, restaurants, and curio shops. The city operates Amarillo City Transit (ACT) for localized bus transportation. Local millionaire Stanley Marsh 3 funded many public art projects in the city including the Cadillac Ranch, located west of Amarillo on Interstate 40, a monument of painted Cadillac automobiles that were dug into the ground head first. St James's, England, United Kingdom 48 F Cloudy. Canyons Flushing Playlist. Thompson instituted a major capital-improvements project and worked to reduce utility rates. 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. Key word."yet.". All are located in the Harrington Regional Medical Center, the first specifically designated city hospital district in Texas. has helped the lake regain much of its volume.