City of Amarillo
Nickname: Amascrillo
Location within the state of Texas
Coordinates: 35°11′57″N 101°50′43″W / 35.19917, -101.84528
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Potter, Randall
Government
- Mayor	Debra McCartt
Area
- City	90. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The political units and divisions of the United States include The 50 states (four of these being officially styled as Commonwealths) which are typically Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. List of Texas county name etymologies|List of Texas county seat name etymologies The state of Texas is divided into 254 counties, more than any other U Potter County is a County located in the US state of Texas. It forms part of the Amarillo metropolitan area. Randall County is a County located in the US state of Texas. It forms part of the Amarillo metropolitan area. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status 3 sq mi (233. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 9 km²)
- Land	89. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 8 sq mi (232. 7 km²)
- Water	0. 5 sq mi (1. 2 km²)
Elevation	3,605 ft (1,099 m)
Population (2005)
- City	183,021
- Density	2,026. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 8/sq mi (782. 5/km²)
- Metro	236,113
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	806
FIPS code	48-03000[1]
GNIS feature ID	1351066[2]
Website: http://www.amarillo.gov/

Amarillo is the 11th-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 119th Largest City In The U. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving Areas using UTC−6 Single zone countries Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Daylight saving time ( DST The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving UTC−5 is the Time offset used in the North American Eastern Time Zone during Standard time and in the North American Central Time Zone during A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks The map to the right is now clickable click on an area code to go to the page for that code Federal Information Processing Standards ( FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the United States Federal government for use by all non-military The Geographic Names Information System ( GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. S. and the seat of Potter County. A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Potter County is a County located in the US state of Texas. It forms part of the Amarillo metropolitan area. ^[3] A portion of the city, the biggest in the Texas Panhandle, extends into Randall County. The Texas Panhandle is a region of the US state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state Randall County is a County located in the US state of Texas. It forms part of the Amarillo metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 173,627 (though a July 1, 2005 estimate placed the city's population at 183,021). The United States Census is a decennial Census mandated by the United States Constitution. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Amarillo metropolitan area, however, has an estimated population of 236,113 in four counties. The Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the Texas Panhandle that covers four counties - Armstrong, Carson, By 2010 The city's population is expected to be 200,000. ^[4]

Amarillo was originally named Oneida and it is situated in the Llano Estacado region. Llano Estacado ( Sp /ˈʎano ˌestəˈkado/ " Palisaded Plains" is a region in the southwestern United States that encompasses parts of Eastern New ^[5] The availability of the railroad and freight service provided by the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad contributed the city's growth as a cattle marketing center in the late 19th century. The Fort Worth and Denver Railway, nicknamed "the Denver Road" was an American railroad company that operated in the northern part of Texas from 1881 ^[6] Amarillo is the regional economic center for the Texas Panhandle as well as Eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Eastern New Mexico is a region of the US state of New Mexico. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. ^[7]

The city was once the self-proclaimed "Helium Capital of the World" for having one of the country's most productive helium fields. This Helium ( He) is a colorless odorless tasteless non-toxic Inert Monatomic Chemical ^[8] The city is also known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" (as the city takes its name from the Spanish word for yellow) and most recently "Rotor City, USA" for its V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft assembly plant. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[9] Amarillo operates one of the largest meat packing areas in the United States. The meat packing industry is an Industry that handles the slaughtering, Processing and distribution of animals such as Cattle Pantex, the only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility in the country, is also a major employer. The Pantex plant is America's only Nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility and is charged with maintaining the safety security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The attractions Cadillac Ranch and Big Texan Steak Ranch were located on the former U.S. Highway 66, which passes through the city. Cadillac Ranch is a public art installation and sculpture in Amarillo, Texas, U The Big Texan Steak Ranch is a Steakhouse Restaurant and Motel located in Amarillo Texas, United States which opened on the previous In the US state of Texas, Interstate 40 (abbreviated I-40) runs east-west through the panhandle in the northwest part of the state

History

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. The XIT Ranch was a Cattle ranch in the Panhandle of Texas which operated from 1885 to 1912 The JA Ranch, jointly founded by John George Adair and Charles Goodnight, is the oldest privately-owned Cattle operation in the Palo Duro Canyon Charles Goodnight ( March 5, 1836 &ndash December 12, 1929) was a cattle rancher in the American West, perhaps the John George Adair, sometimes known as Jack Adair ( March 3, 1823 – May 4, 1885) was a Scots-Irish Businessman Goodnight continued the partnership for a time after Adair's death with Adair's widow, Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie Adair, who was then the sole owner from 1887 until her death in 1921. Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie Adair ( April 6 1837 &ndash September 22 1921) was the Matriarch of Glenveagh Castle

In April 1887, J. T. Berry established a site for a town after he chose a well-watered section along the way of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad, which had begun building across the Texas Panhandle. The Texas Panhandle is a region of the US state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state Berry and Colorado City, Texas merchants wanted to make their new town site the region's main trading center. Colorado City is a city in Mitchell County, Texas, United States. On August 30, 1887, Berry's town site won the county seat election and was established in Potter County. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Availability of the railroad and freight service after the county seat election made the town a fast growing cattle marketing center. Cargo (or freight) refers to goods or produce transported generally for Commercial gain by ship, aircraft, train, Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family ^[6]

The settlement originally was called Oneida; it would later change its name to Amarillo. Amarillo's name probably derives from yellow wildflowers that were plentiful during the spring and summer or the nearby Amarillo Lake and Amarillo Creek, named in turn for the yellow soil along their banks and shores (Amarillo is the Spanish word for the color yellow). Despite having a name of Spanish origin, Amarillo's name is pronounced in English as "Am-ah-RILL-oh" rather than "Ah-mah-REE-yoh". English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Early residents pronounced it according to the Spanish pronunciation, but within a year, the English pronunciation prevailed. Charles F. Rudolph, editor of the Tascosa Pioneer, predicted the pronunciation change after blaming Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad employees for ignoring the word's Spanish pronunciation. ^[10]

An aerial view of the Amarillo business district in 1912.

On June 19, 1888, Henry B. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Sanborn, who is given credit as the "Father of Amarillo,"^[11] and his business partner Joseph F. Glidden began buying land to the east to move Amarillo after arguing that Berry's site was on low ground and would flood during rainstorms. Joseph Farwell Glidden ( January 18 1813 &ndash October 9, 1906) was an American Farmer who patented Barbed wire 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. His incentives gradually won over people, who moved their businesses to Polk Street in the new commercial district. ^[12] Heavy rains almost flooded Berry’s part of the town in 1889, prompting more people to move to Sanborn's location. This eventually led to another county seat election making Sanborn's town the new county seat in 1893. ^[6]

By the late 1890s, Amarillo had emerged as one of the world's busiest cattle shipping points, and its population grew significantly. The city became an elevator, milling, and feed-manufacturing center after an increase in production of wheat and small grains during the early 1900s. Discovery of gas in 1918 and oil three years later brought oil and gas companies to the Amarillo area. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit ^[6] The United States government bought the Cliffside Gas Field with high helium content in 1927 and the Federal Bureau of Mines began operating the Amarillo Helium Plant two years later. ^[13] The plant would be the sole producer of commercial helium in the world for a number of years. ^[14] The U.S. National Helium Reserve is stored in the Bush Dome Reservoir at the Cliffside facility. The National Helium Reserve, also known as the Federal Helium Reserve, is a strategic reserve of the United States holding over a billion cubic feet of Helium ^[15]

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. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. 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. ^[16]

During the 1930s, the city was hit by the Dust Bowl and entered an economic depression. The Dust Bowl, or the dirty thirties, was a period of severe Dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and U.S. Routes 60, 87, 287, and 66 merged at Amarillo, making it a major tourist stop with numerous motels, restaurants, and curio shops. The system of United States Numbered Highways (often called U World War II led the establishment of Amarillo Army Air Field in east Amarillo and the nearby Pantex Army Ordnance Plant, which produced bombs and ammunition. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including After the end of the war, both of the facilities were closed. The Pantex Plant was reopened in 1950 and produced nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the ^[6] The following year, the army air base was reactivated as Amarillo Air Force Base and expanded to accommodate a Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortress wing. Amarillo Air Force Base, originally Amarillo Army Air Field is a former United States Air Force base located in Potter County, Texas, approximately The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U ^[17] The arrival of servicemen and their families ended the city's depression. Between 1950 and 1960, Amarillo's population grew from 74,443 to 137,969. However, the closure of the Amarillo Air Force Base on December 31, 1968, contributed to a decrease in population to 127,010 by 1970. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In the 1970s, ASARCO, Iowa Beef Processors (present day Tyson Foods), Owens-Corning and Weyerhaeuser built plants at Amarillo. ASARCO LLC is a Mining, Smelting, and Refining company based in Tucson Arizona that mines and processes primarily Copper Tyson Foods Inc ( is an American Multinational corporation based in Springdale Arkansas, that operates in the Food Industry Owens Corning Corporation ( is the world's largest manufacturer of Fiberglass and related products Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world the world's largest private owner of Softwood Timberland The Eastridge neighborhood houses many immigrants from countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Burma; Many of them found employment at the nearby Iowa Beef Processors plant. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. ^[18] The following decade, Amarillo's city limits encompassed 60 square miles (160 km²) in Potter and Randall counties. Interstate 27 highway connecting Lubbock to Amarillo was built mostly during the 1980s. For another freeway route in the United States with Interstate 27 as a "misreference" see U ^[6]

Geography and climate

Lighthouse hoodoo in Palo Duro Canyon. Hoodoos are tall thin spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of Arid basins and Badlands They are composed of soft Sedimentary The canyon system is located south of the city.

Amarillo is located near the middle of the Texas Panhandle and is part of the Llano Estacado or Staked Plains region which has a surface that is relatively flat and has little drainage in the soil. Due to the lack of developed drainage, much of the rainfall either evaporates, infiltrates into the ground, or accumulates in playa lakes. ^[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 90. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 3 sq mi (234 km²). The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 89. 9 sq mi (233 km²) of it is land and 0. 4 sq mi (1. 2 km²) of it (0. 50%) is water. 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. See also Metropolitan Statistical Area, Core Based Statistical Area Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasThe United States Census Bureau has defined Armstrong County is a County located in the US state of Texas, and was formed in 1876 from Bexar County. Carson County is a County located in the US state of Texas. It is part of the Amarillo metropolitan area.

About 40 mi (64 km) northeast of Amarillo is the Canadian River, which divides the southern part of the High Plains to form the Llano Estacado. The Canadian River is the largest Tributary of the Arkansas River. This article is about a geographic region in the United States The river is dammed to form Lake Meredith, a major source of drinking water in the Texas Panhandle region. A dam is a barrier that divides waters. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water while other structures such as Floodgates, Levees Lake Meredith is a man-made Lake formed by Sanford Dam on the Canadian River at Sanford Texas. ^[19] The city is situated near the Panhandle Field, in a productive gas and oil area, covering 200,000 acres (800 km²) in Hartley, Potter, Moore, Hutchinson, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, and Collingsworth counties. Hartley County is a County located in the US state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 5537 Moore County is a County located in the US state of Texas. In 2000 its population was 20121 Hutchinson County is a County located in the US state of Texas in the northern portion of the Texas Panhandle. Gray County is a County located in the US state of Texas. In 2000 its population was 22744 Wheeler County is a County located in the US state of Texas. In 2000 its population was 5284 Collingsworth County is a County located in the US state of Texas. The Potter County portion had the nation's largest natural gas reserve. ^[20] Approximately 25 mi (40 km) south of Amarillo is the canyon system, Palo Duro Canyon. Palo Duro Canyon is a Canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment in the Panhandle of Texas ( USA)

The mostly unknown Amarillo Mountains are an extension of the Arbuckles of Oklahoma and the Ouachita of Arkansas. turner falls okjpg|thumb|right|300px|Turner Falls nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains of South Central Oklahoma Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. They are some one thousand feet underground. The range was discovered by pioneer oilmen. Some of the peaks are believed to be 10,000 feet in height. ^[21]

Cityscape

Most of Amarillo’s population growth and commercial development are occurring in the southern and northwestern parts of the city. ^[22] Similar to many towns in the Texas Panhandle, the city’s downtown has suffered economic deterioration throughout the years. ^[23] 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. ^[24] Since its conception in the 1990s, Center City has sponsored public art projects and started block parties in the downtown area. ^[25]

The 31-story Chase Tower, was opened in Amarillo's downtown in 1971. Chase Tower is a 374-foot 31- story Building located in Amarillo Texas, United States. ^[26] Completed in the same year as the Chase Tower, the Amarillo National Bank Plaza One building houses the headquarters of Amarillo National Bank, the city's largest financial institution. Amarillo National Bank (ANB is the largest financial institution serving the city of Amarillo Texas, and is one of the largest family-owned banks in the United States ^[27][28] 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. The Santa Fe Building is one of the oldest buildings in downtown Amarillo, Texas, U ^[29]

The Santa Fe Building in the downtown area.

Amarillo's historic homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places reflect the economic growth from around 1900 to the start of World War II. The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP is the United States government's official list of districts sites buildings structures and objects deemed worthy of Polk Street contains many of the city's historic downtown buildings and homes. The large historic homes on this street were built close to downtown, and homes were located on the west side of the street as a symbol of status because they would be greeted with the sunrise every morning. ^[30]

The City of Amarillo's Parks and Recreation Department operates over 50 municipal parks, including a skatepark west of the city. A skatepark is a purpose-built Recreational environment for Skateboarders to ride and develop their technique Amarillo's largest parks are Medical Park, Thompson Memorial Park, and Memorial Park, near Amarillo College's Washington Street Campus. 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. Organization The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc Funfest was held in Thompson Memorial Park during Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (on May in) ^[31]

Climate

Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle's climate is a semi-arid temperate steppe climate (Koppen climate classification BSk). A Semi-arid climate or steppe climate generally describes climatic regions that receive low annual Rainfall (250-500 mm or 10-20 in The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist It is characterized by a rush of cold air from the north or northwest into a warmer area and occasionally, by blizzards during the winter season and a hot summer with generally low to moderate humidity. A blizzard is a severe Winter storm condition characterized by low Temperatures strong Winds and heavy blowing Snow Blizzards are formed when The normal annual rainfall for Amarillo is approximately 20 inches (508 mm). Most of the region's precipitation occurs in the late spring and summer months, and the least occurs from November through March. ^[32] The February's average high in the city is 49 °F (9 °C) and average low is 22 °F (-6 °C); July's average high is 91 °F (33 °C) and average low is 64 °F (18 °C). ^[33] The highest temperature ever recorded in Amarillo was 108 °F (42 °C); the lowest was -16 °F (-27 °C). ^[34] Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle are situated on the western portion of "Tornado Alley. For the book by William S Burroughs, see Tornado Alley (book. "^[35]

Demographics

This map shows the city's average number of inhabitants per square mile of land in 2000. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile.

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 173,627 people, 67,699 households, and 45,764 families residing in the city. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The population density was 1,932. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 1/sq mi (746. 0/km²). There were 72,408 housing units at an average density of 805. 8/sq mi (311. 1/km²). Given Amarillo's growth rate, however, the numbers have increased, and the city's population is approximately 183,021 according to a July 1, 2005 estimate. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The racial makeup of the city was 77. 50% White, 5. 97% African American, 0. 78% Native American, 2. 05% Asian, 0. 04% Pacific Islander, 11. 32% from other races, and 2. 34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21. 86% of the population which had a significant increase of 63. 35% compare to the 1990 U. S. Census report. ^[36]

There were 67,699 households, of which 33. 9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50. 6% were married couples living together, 12. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** 8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32. 4% were classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. Of 67,699 households, 2,981 were unmarried partner households: 2,713 heterosexual, 82 same-sex male, and 186 same-sex female. 27. 7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9. 9% have someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2. 53 and the average family size was 3. 10.

The population distribution of the city is spread out, with 27. 9% under the age of 18, 10. 2% from 18 to 24, 28. 8% from 25 to 44, 20. 5% from 45 to 64, and 12. 6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there are 92. 4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88. 5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,940, and the median income for a family was $42,536. Males had a median income of $31,321 versus $22,562 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,621. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country About 11. 1% of families and 14. 5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country 6% of those under age 18 and 9. 3% of those age 65 or over. Approximately 37. 5% of African American households in 2000 had an income below $15,000, compared to 17. 59% of White households and 22. 08% of Hispanic households. In addition, about over 34. 6% of the total African American population lived in poverty, compared to 22. 8% of the Hispanic population and 10% of the White population. ^[36]

Law and government

In 1913, Amarillo became the first Texas city and the fifth in United States to use the council-manager form of municipal government, with all governmental powers resting in a legislative body called a commission. In the council-manager form of government an elected city council (typically between five and 11 people is responsible for making Policy, passing Ordinances voting Appropriations A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation ^[37][38] Amarillo's commission composed of five elected commissioners, one of whom is the mayor of the city. The mayor and each commissioner serves a two-year term. The role of the commission is to pass ordinances and resolutions, adopt regulations, and appoint city officials, including the city manager. A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a City, in a council-manager form of city government 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. The city commission holds its regular meetings on Tuesday of each week. ^[39]

Amarillo is in the U.S. House 13th Congressional district, and is represented by Representative Mac Thornberry. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. William McClellan "Mac" Thornberry (born July 15, 1958) an American Politician, has been a Republican member of the In the Texas Legislature, the city is in the 31st District in the Texas Senate, represented by Republican Kel Seliger. The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. Kelton Gray “Kel” Seliger (born June 16, 1953) is a Republican member of the Texas State Senate representing District 31 It is in the 87th District in the Texas House of Representatives, having been represented by Republican David A. Swinford since 1991. David Anthony Swinford (born June 28, 1941) is an agricultural consultant from the Texas Panhandle who is an influential Republican Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. 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. John True Smithee (born September 7, 1951) is an Amarillo Attorney who has been a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar)

As the seat of Potter County, the city is the location of the county's trial, civil, and criminal courts. 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.

Economy

See also: List of companies in Amarillo, Texas

The Potter County Courthouse contains the offices of the county judge and clerk. This is a List companies in Amarillo Texas that are headquarters or have a large presence in the city

Amarillo is considered the regional economic center for the Texas Panhandle as well as Eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Eastern New Mexico is a region of the US state of New Mexico. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. The meat packing industry is a major employer in Amarillo; about one-quarter of the United States' beef supply is processed in the area. The city is also the location of headquarters for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. Petroleum extraction is also a major industry. The helium industry has decreased in significance since the federal government privatized local operations in the late 1990s. Bell Helicopter Textron opened a helicopter assembly plant near the city's international airport in 1999. Bell Helicopter Textron is an American Helicopter and Tiltrotor manufacturer headquartered in Fort Worth Texas. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. ^[7]

The city's largest employer in 2005 is Tyson Foods, with 3,700 employees. Tyson Foods Inc ( is an American Multinational corporation based in Springdale Arkansas, that operates in the Food Industry The Amarillo Independent School District is next with 3,659 employees followed by BWXT Pantex, Baptist St. Amarillo Independent School District is a School district that is based in the city of Amarillo, Texas, United States. Anthony’s Health Care System, City of Amarillo, Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Amarillo College, and United Supermarkets. Amarillo College ( AC) is a two-year fully accredited Community college in Amarillo, Texas with over 10000 students that was established United Supermarkets is a Lubbock Texas based Supermarket chain whose roots go back to 1916 when H ^[36] Other major employers include Bell Helicopter Textron, Owens-Corning, and ASARCO.

Approximately 14 million acres (57,000 km²) of agricultural land surrounds the city with corn, wheat and cotton as the primary crops. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Other crops in the area include sorghum, silage, hay and soybeans. Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are used as Fodder plants either cultivated or as part For the Christian Alternative band please see Silage (band Silage is fermented, high-moisture Fodder that can Hay is a generic term for grass or Legumes that have been cut dried and stored for use as animal feed, particularly for grazing animals like ^[40] The Texas Panhandle, particularly in Hereford, Texas, serves as a fast growing milk producing area as several multi-million dollar state of the art dairies were built in early 2000s. Hereford is a city in Deaf Smith County, Texas, United States. ^[41]

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. American Airlines Inc (AA is a US -based airline and the world's Largest airline in total passenger miles transported and passenger fleet size ^[42][43] The AEDC is largely responsible for bringing Bell Helicopter Textron's development of the V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft and the future site of Marine One assembly in Amarillo. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[44]

Education

The clock tower at the Amarillo College's Washington Street Campus.

According to the 2000 United States Census, 20. 5% of all adults over the age of 25 in Amarillo have obtained a bachelor's degree, as compared to a national average of 24. A bachelor's degree is usually an Undergraduate Academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three four or in some cases and 4% of adults over 25, and 79. 3% of Amarillo residents over the age of 25 have earned a high school diploma, as compared to the national average of 80. High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution 4%. ^[45]

The higher education institutions in the city are Amarillo College, a two-year community college with over 10,000 students; Wayland Baptist University, a private university based in Plainview, has a branch campus in Amarillo; and Texas Tech University at Amarillo, a branch campus of Texas Tech University that offers selected master's degree programs. Amarillo College ( AC) is a two-year fully accredited Community college in Amarillo, Texas with over 10000 students that was established A community college is a type of Educational institution. The term has different meanings in different countries Wayland Baptist University is private coeducational Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas, U Plainview is a city in and the County seat of Hale County, Texas, United States. Texas Tech University at Amarillo is an official off campus teaching site of Texas Tech University located in Amarillo, Texas. Texas Tech University is a public, coeducational research university in Lubbock Texas. West Texas A&M University, in nearby Canyon, is the regional university in the Amarillo area and the Texas Panhandle. West Texas A&M University (also known as WTAMU, or WT, West Texas State) part of the Texas A&M University System, is a Public university Canyon is a city in Randall County Texas, United States. The population was 12875 at the 2000 census

The public primary and secondary education are mostly handled by the Amarillo Independent School District (AISD) and Canyon Independent School District. Primary education is the first stage of Compulsory education. Australia See also Education Amarillo Independent School District is a School district that is based in the city of Amarillo, Texas, United States. Canyon Independent School District is a School district based in Canyon Texas, U (CISD) The AISD has approximately 29,000 students in 2004 while CISD has over 8,000 students in 2005. ^[46][47] The AISD operates 4 high schools, 9 middle schools, 36 elementary schools, a specialty high school, and an alternative school. Middle school or Junior High School serves as a "bridge" between the Elementary School and the High School See also Primary education An elementary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory education known as elementary An alternative school (sometimes called a minischool) is an educational establishment with a curriculum and methods that are nontraditional or sometimes ultratraditional While, the CISD has 1 high school, 2 junior high/intermediate schools, and 4 elementary schools in Amarillo. Other school districts in the city are River Road, Highland Park, and Bushland Independent School Districts. School districts are a form of Special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools River Road Independent School District is a public School district based in rural north central Potter County, Texas ( USA) Highland Park Independent School District is a public School district based in Amarillo, Texas ( USA) Bushland Independent School District is a public School district based in the community of Bushland, Texas ( USA) Nonreligious and Christian denomination private schools in Amarillo include Arbor Christian Academy, Holy Cross Catholic Academy, Amarillo Montessori Academy, San Jacinto Christian Academy, Bible Heritage Christian School, and St. Holy Cross Catholic Academy is a private, Roman Catholic High school in Amarillo Texas. Andrew's Episcopal School.

From 1922-1938, the author Laura Vernon Hamner, who wrote a novelized biography of Charles Goodnight, served as the Potter County school superintendent. An author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created Laura Vernon Hamner ( July 17, 1871 – September 20, 1968) was an American Author, Ranch Historian A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story A biography (from the Greek words bíos (βίος meaning "life" and gráphein (γράφειν meaning "to write" is an account Charles Goodnight ( March 5, 1836 &ndash December 12, 1929) was a cattle rancher in the American West, perhaps the She was a ranch historian and radio personality. See also History An historian is an individual who studies and writes about History, and is regarded as an Authority on it Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. In her later years, she lived in the Herring Hotel and was often known informally as "Miss Amarillo". ^[48]

Culture

See also: Registered Historic Places in Potter County and Randall County

Amarillo has a number of natural attractions near the city. The Palo Duro Canyon State Park is United States' second largest canyon system, after the Grand Canyon and is located south of Amarillo. The Grand Canyon Palo Duro has a distinct hoodoo that resembles a lighthouse. Hoodoos are tall thin spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of Arid basins and Badlands They are composed of soft Sedimentary Another natural landmark near the city, the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is located 30 miles (50 km) north of Amarillo. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is a United States National Monument It is once known as the site for prehistoric inhabitants to obtain flint in order to make tools and weapons. Flint (or flintstone) is a hard sedimentary Cryptocrystalline form of the Mineral Quartz, categorized as a variety of Chert About 100 miles (160 km) 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. Briscoe County is a County located in the US state of Texas. As of 2000 the population is 1790 Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway is a Texas State park on the Caprock Escarpment in Briscoe County, Texas United States, approximately This is an article about an animal For other uses see Bison (disambiguation. Charles Goodnight ( March 5, 1836 &ndash December 12, 1929) was a cattle rancher in the American West, perhaps the ^[49]

From 1932-1977, the Paramount Theater, originally built for $250,000, flourished in Amarillo. Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays It had plush red carpet, murals and a pipe organ, 1,433 seats, and was considered the finest theater north of Dallas. A carpet is any loom-woven felted textile or grass floor covering A mural is a Painting on a wall ceiling or other large permanent surface The pipe organ is a Musical instrument that produces sound when pressurized air (wind is driven through a series of pipes, controlled by a keyboard The building is now an office and parkiing garage. ^[21]

The Cadillac Ranch is located west of Amarillo on Interstate 40

Local millionaire Stanley Marsh 3 has 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. Stanley Marsh 3 (born January 31, 1938) is a Millionaire Artist, Philanthropist, and prankster from Amarillo Texas, Cadillac Ranch is a public art installation and sculpture in Amarillo, Texas, U In the US state of Texas, Interstate 40 (abbreviated I-40) runs east-west through the panhandle in the northwest part of the state Cadillac is a Brand of Luxury vehicles owned by General Motors. Marsh also participates in an ongoing art project called the Dynamite Museum, which consist of thousands of mock traffic signs. Most countries post signage known as traffic signs or road signs, at the side of Roads to These signs, bearing messages such as "Road does not end" or displaying a random picture, are scattered throughout the city of Amarillo. ^[50]

The city has events and attractions honoring the cowboy and Texas culture. A cowboy is an animal Herder who tends Cattle on Ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback and often performs a multitude of During the third week of September, the Tri-State Fair & Rodeo brings participants mostly from Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas to Amarillo since 1921. ^[51] On the Tri-State Exposition grounds, the Amarillo National Center is a special events center for events ranging from national equestrian competitions to motor sports and rodeos. The Amarillo National Center is a 10000-seat multi-purpose Arena in Amarillo Texas. For the Roman class see Equestrian (Roman Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving Horses This broad description Auto racing (also known as automobile racing, motor racing or car racing) is a Motorsport involving Racing Cars It Rodeo (ˈroʊdioʊ or /roʊˈdeɪoʊ/ is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States The World Championship Ranch Rodeo sponsored by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association is held every November in the Amarillo Civic Center. The Working Ranch Cowboys Association (WRCA was established in 1995 in Amarillo Texas as a professional association for ranch owners foremen and cowboys The Amarillo Civic Center is a multi-purpose convention center in Amarillo Texas. Amarillo hosts the annual World Championship Chuckwagon Roundup the first weekend in June. Teams in competition prepare a feast of breaded beef cutlets, mashed potatoes, baked beans, and sourdough biscuits and attempt to duplicate the food served on western cattle trails of the 1860s and 1870s. ^[52] The Amarillo Livestock Auction holds a free to the public cattle auction on Tuesdays. Now located on Interstate 40, The Big Texan Steak Ranch, was made famous by offering visitors a free 72 ounce (2 kg) beef steak if they eat it and its accompanying dinner in under an hour. The Big Texan Steak Ranch is a Steakhouse Restaurant and Motel located in Amarillo Texas, United States which opened on the previous This article is about the unit of mass For the unit of force see Pound-force.

Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, opened in 2006, houses the Amarillo Opera, Amarillo Symphony, and Lone Star Ballet concerts. Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts is a Performing arts facility in downtown Amarillo, Texas, U The facility, located just across the Amarillo Civic Center, features a 1,300-seat auditorium. The Globe-News Center was built in hope by the city officials and others that it will spur a revitalization of the downtown area. ^[53] The nonprofit community theater group, Amarillo Little Theatre, has its season run from September to May. WikiProject {{{1}}} The definition of Community Theatre differs in the US from the UK The theater group's two facilities, the Mainstage and the Adventure Space, are located west of Amarillo's downtown. In the Palo Duro Canyon’s amphitheatre, an outdoor musical called Texas plays nightly during the summer. An amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is an open-air venue for spectator sports concerts rallies or theatrical performances The musical depicts a story about the history of Texas Panhandle settlers throughout the years. In 2002, the producers changed its name to Texas Legacies after retiring the previous script that was used for 37-years for a more historically accurate one but they decided to revert back to the original script due to declining attendance in 2006. A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. ^[54][55]

The Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts building is located near the Amarillo Civic Center.

The Amarillo Public Library is affiliated with the Harrington Library Consortium. The consortium consist of public, college, and school libraries located in the Texas Panhandle that share resources and cooperate with one another. Other members include the Amarillo's public schools, Amarillo College, Canyon Area Library, Lovett Memorial Library in Pampa, Texas, and Hutchinson County Library in Borger, Texas. Pampa is a city in Gray County, Texas, United States. The population was 17887 at the 2000 census Borger is the largest City in Hutchinson County, Texas, United States. ^[56] The Amarillo Public Library's main branch is located in downtown and operates 4 neighborhood branches.

The city's largest amusement park is Wonderland Amusement Park, which is located at Thompson Park.

Amarillo residents are known as Amarilloans. This is a List of Amarilloans, notable current and former citizens of Amarillo Texas. Notable Amarilloans include the Dory Funk wrestling family, astronaut Rick Husband, rockabilly pioneer Buddy Knox, actress Carolyn Jones, actress and dancer Cyd Charisse, politician John Marvin Jones, businessman T. Boone Pickens, Jr., famed gambler Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston and music artist and composer Terry Stafford ("Amarillo by Morning"; "Suspicion"). Dory Funk (May 4 1919 – June 3 1973 was a Professional wrestler. Richard Douglas "Rick" Husband ( July 12, 1957 – February 1, 2003) was an Astronaut and the Space shuttle commander Buddy Wayne Knox ( July 20, 1933 - February 14, 1999) was an American singer and songwriter best known for his 1957 Rockabilly Carolyn Sue Jones ( April 28, 1930 — August 3, 1983) was an American Actress, best remembered for playing the role Cyd Charisse ( March 8, 1922 &ndash June 17, 2008) was an American Dancer and actress. Judge John Marvin Jones ( February 26, 1882 &ndash March 4, 1976) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Thomas Austin Preston Jr (born December 31, 1928 in Johnson Arkansas) known as Amarillo Slim, is a professional gambler famous for Terry LaVerne Stafford ( 22 November, 1941 &ndash 17 March, 1996) was an American Singer and Songwriter, best Tom Blasingame, considered to have been the oldest cowboy in the history of the American West, worked for seventy-three years, primarily, on the JA Ranch south of Amarillo. Thomas Everett Blasingame, known as Tom Blasingame ( February 12, 1898 - December 27, 1989) was a Texas Cowboy A cowboy is an animal Herder who tends Cattle on Ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback and often performs a multitude of The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost The JA Ranch, jointly founded by John George Adair and Charles Goodnight, is the oldest privately-owned Cattle operation in the Palo Duro Canyon In nearby Clarendon and Canyon, Texas, lived the [[Western (genre)|Western artist Harold Dow Bugbee. Clarendon is a city in Donley County, Texas, United States. The Population was 1974 at the 2000 Census. Canyon is a city in Randall County Texas, United States. The population was 12875 at the 2000 census The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of Activities to do with creating Art, practicing the Arts and/or demonstrating Harold Dow Bugbee ( August 15 1900 &ndash March 27 1963) was an American Western Artist, Illustrator

Museums and art collections

The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse breed. The American Quarter Horse Association ( AQHA) based in Amarillo Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation improvement and record-keeping The organization is headquartered in Amarillo and has a museum. There is also an American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame exhibited in the museum; among the inductees was J. L. "Dusty" Rhoades of Odessa, who served as AQHA president in 1966 and 1974. The American Quarter Horse Association has created a Hall of Fame to honor both people and horses who contributed to the growth of the American Quarter Horse. James Lewis Rhoades, usually known as J L "Dusty" Rhoades ( January 8, 1899 - February 1978was one of the founders of the American Odessa is a city in Ector and Midland Counties in the US state of Texas. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. In addition, the AQHA and Center City of Amarillo co-sponsors the project, "Hoof Prints of the American Quarter Horse" which consist of horse statues located in front of several Amarillo businesses, such as the downtown Amarillo National building, Nationwide Insurance, and Edward Jones. An area business would purchase a horse statue and a local artist paints on it. ^[57]

Two of the Amarillo area's higher education institutions have at least one museum in their campuses. The Amarillo Art Center[1], opened in 1972, is a building complex with an art museum and concert hall located on the Washington Street Campus of Amarillo College. In addition, Amarillo College's Washington Street Campus is the home of the largest natural history museum of any two-year college in the United States. ^[58] Located on the campus of West Texas A&M University, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum claims to be the largest historical museum in Texas. Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is a History museum on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon Texas, U

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. Don Harrington Discovery Center is an interactive science center in Amarillo, Texas, U ^[59] Outside of the building contains a steel structure called the Helium Monument which has time capsules and designates Amarillo the "Helium Capital of the World. "^[6] Near the proximity of the Discovery Center, the Amarillo Botanical Gardens has gardens, indoor exhibits, and a library for visitation throughout the year. The Texas Pharmacy Museum claims to be the only Texas museum specialized in the research, collection, preservation, and exhibition of the history of pharmacy, is also located in the city's hospital district. ^[60]

Other notable museums in the area are the Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum and the English Field Air & Space Museum. The Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum features a collection of Native American artifacts and provides dance performances. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States Sadly, the English Field Air & Space Museum, which had been operated by the Texas Aviation Historical Society featuring aircraft and space exhibits, is now closed. Visitors can peer through the chainlink fence and see some of the aircraft still sitting there. ^[61] The museum's facility used to be city's main airport terminal. ^[62]

Local media

The major local newspaper is the Amarillo Globe-News, owned by Morris Communications, was a combination of three newspapers: Amarillo Daily News, Amarillo Globe, and Amarillo Times. Amarillo Globe-News is a Newspaper in Amarillo, Texas, owned by the Morris Communications Company. Morris Communications of Augusta Georgia is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include newspaper and magazine publishing outdoor advertising radio Other publications include a local monthly magazine dealing with city and regional issues in the Amarillo area called, Accent West. Magazines, periodicals or serials are Publications generally published on a regular schedule containing a variety of articles, generally The American Quarter Horse Association publishes two monthly publications, The American Quarter Horse Journal and The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal.

Amarillo's major network television affiliates are KACV-TV 2 (PBS), KAMR 4 (NBC), KVII 7 (ABC), KFDA 10 (CBS), KCIT 14 (FOX), KCPN 33 (MyNet), and KTMO 36 (Telemundo). A television station is a type of broadcast station that broadcasts both audio and Video to Television receivers in a particular area KACV-TV is a public Television station in Amarillo Texas, broadcasting locally on VHF channel 2 as a PBS member station The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the KAMR-TV is an NBC affiliate in Amarillo Texas, USA. The station was acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group after merging with KAMR's parent The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's KVII-TV, better known as ProNews7, is an ABC affiliated Television station in Amarillo, Texas that also operates satellite KVIH-TV The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. KFDA-TV NewsChannel 10 is an CBS affiliated Television station in Amarillo, Texas, USA. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. This article is about the television station in Amarillo Texas KCPN-LP is a My Network TV affiliate in Amarillo Texas. KCPN-LP originally was the UPN affiliate in the Texas Panhandle viewing area but MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyNet or MNT) is a Television network in the United States, owned by the Fox Broadcasting Company Telemundo is an American television network based in Hialeah Florida a suburb of Miami Florida. In the 2005-2006 television season, Amarillo is the 131st largest television market in the United States designated by Nielsen Media Research. A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area, DMA or simply market is a region where the Population Nielsen Media Research ( NMR) is an American firm that measures media Audiences including Television, Radio ^[63]

Amarillo is the 195th largest United States radio market in autumn 2005 designated by the radio audience research company, Arbitron. This article is about radio broadcasting for other uses see Radio (disambiguation. Arbitron ( is a Radio audience research company in the United States which collects listener data on radio audiences similar to that collected by Nielsen Media The top 5 rated commercial radio stations in autumn 2005 according to Arbitron are classic hits station KXGL-FM 100. KXGL is a commercial Radio station located in Amarillo Texas, broadcasting on 100 9; hip hop station KQIZ-FM 93. KQIZ is a Rhythmic Top 40 music formatted Radio station in Amarillo Texas, U 1; country station KGNC-FM 97. For the NBC television affiliate known as KGNC until the 1970s see KAMR. 9; news and talk station KGNC-AM 710; and KMXJ-FM 94. 1, an adult contemporary station. ^[64] The regional public radio network, High Plains Public Radio, operates KJJP-FM 105. 7. Other notable radio stations around the area include the college stations KACV-FM 89. Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of Radio station that is run by the students of a college KACV-FM 899 FM is a college Radio station in Amarillo Texas. The station is owned and operated by the city's Community college 9 (Amarillo College) and KWTS-FM 91. KWTS is a Radio broadcast service in Canyon, Texas, USA and is operated by the West Texas A&M University. 1 (West Texas A&M University) in nearby Canyon.

Outside media attention

The city gained national media attention in 1998 when television talk show host Oprah Winfrey was unsuccessfully sued by local cattlemen for comments made on her show connecting American beef to mad cow disease, costing them and their industry millions of dollars. Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29 1954 often referred to simply as Oprah, is an American The Oprah Winfrey Show is a United States syndicated Talk show, hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey, and is the highest-rated Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ( BSE) commonly known as Mad-Cow Disease ( MCD) is a fatal Neurodegenerative disease in Cattle ^[65] In order to attend the trial in Amarillo, she temporarily relocated her show to the Amarillo Little Theatre for nearly a year. During the trial, Winfrey hired Dallas-based jury consultant Phil McGraw to aid her attorneys on selecting and analyzing the members of the jury. Phillip Calvin McGraw (born September 1, 1950) best known as Dr ^[66] McGraw would later become a regular guest on Winfrey's television show and subsequently started his own talk show, Dr. Phil, in 2002. Dr Phil is an American Talk show hosted by Phil McGraw. After McGraw's success with his segment on The Oprah Winfrey Show Another notable trial in Amarillo includes the Fort Worth-area murder case of T. Cullen Davis, which involved one of the richest men in the United States, his former wife, and her daughter and boyfriend. Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventeenth-largest city in the United States. Thomas Cullen Davis (born September 22 1933 was the head of the Kendavis oil company The trial was moved from Fort Worth to Amarillo in 1977 on a change of venue. ^[67] The murder of Brian Deneke also brought attention outside of the Texas Panhandle mainly due to the crime revolved around a conflict between two different cultures. Brian Deneke ( March 9, 1978  – December 12, 1997) an American punk rock fan from Amarillo, Texas The small town of Tulia, Texas, approximately 47 miles (76 km) south from Amarillo, was the scene of a controversial drug sting in 1999. Tulia is a City in Swisher County, Texas, United States. The population was 5117 at the 2000 census; in the 2005 census estimate A federal lawsuit directed at the officials responsible for the sting operation was held in Amarillo. In the final settlement, the City of Amarillo agreed to pay $5 million in damages to the former Tulia defendants; disband the Panhandle Regional Narcotics Task Force that it set up to oversee the sting operation; and require early retirement for two Amarillo Police Department officers who were responsible for supervising the sting's sole undercover agent. ^[68][69]

The American Quarter Horse Association and Center City of Amarillo sponsors an on-going public art project that consist of decorated horse statues located in front of several Amarillo businesses.

Amarillo has been mentioned in popular music such "Amarillo by Morning" by Paul Fraser and Terry Stafford, Nat King Cole's "(Get Your Kicks) on Route 66", Bob Dylan's "Brownsville Girl" (Amarillo was referred to as the "land of the living dead"), Rob Zombie's "Two Lane Blacktop", and the song "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo?" written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, recorded famously by Yorkshireman Tony Christie and Sedaka, and revived by Peter Kay through performances in the comedy series Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights and in a charity performance for Comic Relief. "Amarillo by Morning" is a Country music song written by Paul Fraser and Terry Stafford. Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17 1919 &ndash February 15 1965 known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician " (Get Your Kicks On Route 66 " often rendered simply as " Route 66 " is a Popular song and Rhythm and blues standard Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major " Brownsville Girl " is a song from Bob Dylan's 1986 album Knocked Out Loaded. Robert Bartleh Cummings (born January 12, 1965) better known by his Stage name, Rob Zombie, is an American Musician " Is This the Way to Amarillo " is a song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, referring to Amarillo Texas. Neil Sedaka (born March 13, 1939 in Brooklyn New York) is an American pop Singer, Pianist, and Songwriter Howard Greenfield ( March 15 1936 – March 4 1986) was an American Lyricist and Songwriter. Tony Christie (born Anthony Fitzgerald, 25 April 1943) is an English male Singer from Conisbrough, South Yorkshire Peter John Kay (born 2 July 1973 in Farnworth, Lancashire, England) is an English Comedian, Writer, producer Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights is a BAFTA -nominated British sitcom about The Phoenix Club, a Working men's club in the Northern English Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character or scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work often to relieve tension Christie's version, which only managed to reach 18th place when originally released in 1971, made it to the number 1 spot in the UK Singles Chart in 2005 for 7 weeks. The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC on behalf of the British record industry ^[70][71]

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. ^[72] Amarillo was the setting for motion pictures such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Switchback 1997, and The Plutonium Circus, the 1995 South by Southwest Film Festival winner for best documentary feature. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a 1989 Adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg from a story co-written by Executive producer South by Southwest ( SXSW) is a set of interactive, Film, and Music festivals and conferences that take place

Sports

The af2 indoor football team Amarillo Dusters and the CHL hockey team Amarillo Gorillas both play in the Amarillo Civic Center. af2 (short for arenafootball2) is the name of the Arena Football League 's Minor league, which started play in 2000. The Amarillo Dusters are a professional Arena football team in the Af2 league The Central Hockey League (CHL is a mid-level Professional hockey league owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. The Amarillo Gorillas are a minor league hockey team that is based in Amarillo Texas. Amarillo's minor league baseball team, Amarillo Dillas of the United League Baseball, plays its home games in the Potter County Memorial Stadium. The Amarillo Dillas are a professional baseball team based in Amarillo Texas, in the United States. The United League Baseball, based in the Southern United States is an independent baseball league which operates in Texas and Louisiana Potter County Memorial Stadium is a baseball-only Stadium in Amarillo Texas. Before the founding of the Dillas, the city was the home of the AA Amarillo Gold Sox. The Amarillo Gold Sox was the name of a Minor league baseball franchise that represented the city of Amarillo Texas, in the Class D West Texas-New Mexico League ^[73] Amarillo had a minor league in-door soccer team called the Amarillo Challengers that competed in the SISL and later the USISL. The Amarillo Challengers were a Soccer club based in Amarillo Texas that competed in the SISL and USISL. The United Soccer Leagues ( USL) is the parent organization for the men's lower division leagues of US and Canadian soccer USL First Division (second division The United Soccer Leagues ( USL) is the parent organization for the men's lower division leagues of US and Canadian soccer USL First Division (second division ^[74]

West Texas A&M University features a full slate of NCAA Division II teams; however, Amarillo College is one of the few community colleges in Texas without an athletic program. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations Division II (or DII) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. From 1968 to 1996, Amarillo hosted the annual National Women's Invitational Tournament (NWIT), a post season women's college basketball tournament. College basketball most often refers to the American Basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA ^[75] During high school football season, the Amarillo Independent School District schools' home games are in Dick Bivins Stadium which had a $5. Dick Bivins Stadium is a Stadium in Amarillo Texas physically located at 800 S Marrs Street - Amarillo, Texas 79106 United 7 million renovation in 2005. ^[76] Randall High School (part of the adjacent Canyon Independent School District) plays its home games in Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon. Kimbrough Memorial Stadium is a Stadium in Canyon Texas. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of West Texas A&M University As well as the yearly clinton invitational horseshoe tournament. River Road and Highland Park High Schools, also play football, as well as other sports.

Amarillo is home to the Amarillo Gun Club. Long known as one of America's leading trap shooting clubs, the Amarillo Gun Club features a variety of clay target sports including trap, skeet, and 5-Stand. The Amarillo Gun Club has hosted numerous state championship trap shoots and has been home to members of the Trapshooting Hall of Fame.

Another part of Amarillo's sporting history was its roots in professional wrestling. Professional wrestling, or pro wrestling, is a non-competitive professional Sport, where all matches are scripted by the promotion's booking staff Amarillo residents Dory Funk, Stanley Blackburn and Doc Sarpolis promoted the territory for several decades. Dory Funk (May 4 1919 – June 3 1973 was a Professional wrestler. Karl Sarpolis (born August 31, 1897 in Newport Pennsylvania - died May 28, 1967) was a wrestling promoter in Texas Funk's sons, Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk were both National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champions and represented Amarillo. Dorrance Funk Jr Dory Jr still claims that the accident and injuries were real but does not explain why he did not lose the title to Brisco as the NWA board had planned Terrence "Terry" Funk (born June 30 1944) is an American professional wrestler and Actor known chiefly for the The National Wrestling Alliance ( NWA) is the largest governing body for a group of independent Professional wrestling promotions and sanctions various NWA

Infrastructure

Transportation

Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is located on the east side of Amarillo, north of Interstate 40. Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is a public Airport located six miles (10 km) east of the Central business district of Amarillo A portion of the former Amarillo Air Force Base was converted to civilian use and became part of the airport. ^[77] The airport was named after NASA astronaut Rick Husband, an Amarillo native and commander of the Space Shuttle Columbia. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program Richard Douglas "Rick" Husband ( July 12, 1957 – February 1, 2003) was an Astronaut and the Space shuttle commander Space Shuttle Columbia ( NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy Space shuttle in NASA 's The airport is served by several major air carriers with non-stop service to Dallas, Houston, Albuquerque, Denver, and Las Vegas. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally

Several streets around Amarillo's downtown area are still paved in bricks.

Local transit services in the city have been available since 1925 and have been provided through the City of Amarillo's Amarillo City Transit (ACT) department since 1966; before that time the system was privately owned. ACT operates bus services that include fixed route transit and demand response paratransit which are designed for people with disabilities. Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules The ACT transports approximately 350,000 passengers per year on the fixed route and 30,000 paratransit passengers, but it is a declining ridership. ACT has no plans to scale back any of their transit routes or services. ^[36]

Amarillo has no passenger rail service but remains an important part of the rail freight system. The BNSF Railway complex in Amarillo continues to serve a heavy daily traffic load, approximately 100-110 trains per day. The BNSF Railway headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the four remaining Transcontinental railroads and one of the largest railroad networks in ^[78] The Union Pacific Railroad also sends substantial shipments to or through Amarillo. In addition to intermodal and general goods, a big portion of rail shipments involve grains and coal. There have been various proposals over the years to add passenger service. One, the Caprock Chief, would have seen daily service as part of a Fort Worth, Texas—Denver, Colorado service, but it failed to gain traction. The Caprock Chief or Caprock Xpress was a proposed Amtrak Inter-city rail service which would run from Fort Worth Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventeenth-largest city in the United States. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States

The streets in Amarillo's downtown area conform to a grid pattern. The grid plan or gridiron plan is a type of City plan in which Streets run at right angles to each other forming a grid. 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. Bush named the north to south streets for past United States presidents, in chronological order except for John Quincy Adams because the surname was taken with the second president, John Adams. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by John Quincy Adams (July 11 1767 &ndash February 23 1848 was an American diplomat and politician who served as the sixth President of the United States John Adams (October 30 1735 July 4 1826 was one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States. ^[79] (The last president so honored was Grover Cleveland; though the city has expanded eastward the pattern was not continued. Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18 1837 June 24 1908 was both the twenty-second and twenty-fourth President of the United States. ) While the streets running north–south honor past presidents and are designated 'streets', east–west streets are numbered and are designated 'avenues'. North of the Fort Worth & Denver (now Burlington Northern-Santa Fe) railyard, the numbers are "NW" (northwest) west of Polk Street, and "NE" (northeast) east of Polk. South of the railyard (including the downtown-city center area), numbers are officially "SW" (southwest) west of Polk, and "SE" (southeast) east of Polk. Colloquially, though, most tend to dub the SW/SE avenues as W (west)/E (east), respectively. One example of the numbering difference regards the former U. S. Highway 66 routing west of downtown and into the San Jacinto neighborhood. Most call it 'West Sixth Street' when it's actually SW Sixth Avenue.

In 1910, the Amarillo voters approved to pay for street paving and the materials used to pave the streets were bricks. A brick is a block of Ceramic material used in Masonry construction laid using mortar. ^[80] As of 2003, the city still has 16. 2 mi (26. 1 km) of brick streets in some parts of the downtown area. The city spent $200,000 in 2002 to restore one block of brick street on Ninth Avenue between Polk and Tyler streets. ^[81]

Less than one mile (~1. 6 km) of Interstate 27 highway is located in Potter County. For another freeway route in the United States with Interstate 27 as a "misreference" see U The highway terminates at the city's main west-east highway, Interstate 40, just north of the Potter-Randall County line. In the US state of Texas, Interstate 40 (abbreviated I-40) runs east-west through the panhandle in the northwest part of the state 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. For the US Route 60 in the 1925 plan see US Route 66. US Route 60 is an east-west United States highway, running 2670 Miles In the US state of Texas, US Highway 87 is a US Highway that begins near the Gulf Coast in Port Lavaca Texas and heads In the US state of Texas, US Highway 287 is a US Highway that begins on the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur and heads north through North of downtown the highway becomes US 87 & 287 and continues northward to Dumas, Texas. Dumas is a city in Moore County, Texas, United States. The population was 13747 at the 2000 Census. ^[7]

Interstate 40, the city's major east–west thoroughfare was completed entirely through Amarillo in November 1968 across the center of the city. Previously, U.S. Highway 66 was the major east–west highway through the city, generally following Amarillo Blvd. In the US state of Texas, Interstate 40 (abbreviated I-40) runs east-west through the panhandle in the northwest part of the state to the north of the downtown area and then curving southwest to leave the city near the Veterans Hospital. 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. 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.

Amarillo is also mentioned in the song Route 66. " (Get Your Kicks On Route 66 " often rendered simply as " Route 66 " is a Popular song and Rhythm and blues standard

Medical centers and hospitals

The Harrington Regional Medical Center has two of the city's major hospitals.

Amarillo is home to medical facilities including Baptist St. Anthony’s and Northwest Texas Hospitals, the Don & Sybil Harrington Cancer Center, Bivins Memorial Nursing Home, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech School of Pharmacy, and Texas Panhandle Mental Health Mental Retardation. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Amarillo Campus is a branch of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo, Texas. All are located in the Harrington Regional Medical Center, the first specifically designated city hospital district in Texas. ^[82]

Baptist St. Anthony's, known locally as BSA, had some of its services listed on the U.S. News & World Report's "Top 50 Hospitals" from 2002 to 2005. USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D ^[83] BSA was a result of a merger between the Texas Panhandle's first hospital, St Anthony's, with High Plains Baptist Hospital in 1996. ^[84] The BSA Hospice & Life Enrichment Center provides important services to the Amarillo area. The BSA facility, opened in 1985, was the first free-standing hospice west of the Mississippi River that was built and opened without debt. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to ^[85]

Texas Tech Health Sciences Center

Northwest Texas Hospital is home to the area's only Level III designated trauma center.

The Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center is located east of Harrington Regional Medical Center. Thomas E Creek (April 7 1950&ndashFebruary 13 1969 was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during February 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 Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. ^[86] Construction began in 2006 for a new Texas State Veterans Home in northwest Amarillo. The United States government, through the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, provided the funding to build the facility, while the Texas government will run it after construction is completed. ^[87] The home is scheduled to open in 2007.

Utilities

Drinking water is provided by the City of Amarillo and its Utilities Division. Water of sufficient quality to serve as drinking water is termed potable water whether it is used for drinking or not Amarillo's water supply comes from Lake Meredith and the Ogallala Aquifer. Lake Meredith is a man-made Lake formed by Sanford Dam on the Canadian River at Sanford Texas. The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is a vast yet shallow underground Water table Aquifer located beneath the Great Plains The city's drinking water is a blend of both sources. Lake Meredith is located northeast of Amarillo contains at least 114 billion gallons (431 million m³) of water. A gallon is a measure of Volume. It is in current use in the United States and still has limited use in many other English-speaking countries CM3 redirects here If you were looking for the 3rd game in the Cooking Mama series abbreviated as CM3 see here. The city's daily water production averages between 40-50 million gallons (151,000-189,000 m³). ^[88]

Collection and disposal of city's trash or garbage are the responsibility of City of Amarillo's Solid Waste Collection and Solid Waste Disposal Departments. Amarillo's non-hazardous solid waste are collected and disposed it through burial in the city's landfill. For other uses see Water treatment and Land reclamation. A landfill, also known as a dump (and historically as The City of Amarillo also operates recycling collection centers located one near the downtown area and at 4 fire stations in the city. ^[89] Other utilities are primarily provided by private organizations. Natural gas is distributed by Atmos Energy. Atmos Energy ( headquartered in Dallas Texas, is the largest distributor of Natural gas in the United States, serving 3 Electric power service is distributed by Xcel Energy. Xcel Energy Inc ( is a Public utility company based in Minneapolis Minnesota, serving customers in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota Wired telephone service provider is primarily by AT&T. Before proposing a merge request please see Talk and see if the merger you propose has recently been made and Cable television is provided by Suddenlink Communications. Suddenlink Communications, formerly Cebridge Connections, is a top-10 cable broadband provider in the United States with approximately 1

Notes

External links

• City of Amarillo's Website
• Amarillo Chamber of Commerce
• Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council
• Amarillo Economic Development Corp.
• Amarillo Area Parks
• Amarillo Public Library Photoarchive Collection – Displays historical pictures of Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle
• Amarillo traffic webcams
• Amarillo's Cadillac Ranch
• Amarillo travel guide from Wikitravel

• Amarillo, Texas is at coordinates 35°11′57″N 101°50′43″W / 35.199252, -101.845163 (Amarillo, Texas)Coordinates: 35°11′57″N 101°50′43″W / 35.199252, -101.845163 (Amarillo, Texas)