History of Amarillo, Texas, USA

1895 - Amarillo
Amaril'lo, a post-town, the capital of Potter co, Tex., on the Denver, Texas & Fort Worth Railway, 333 miles N.W. of Fort Worth. It has 7 churches, 2 banks, and 2 newspaper offices. Pop: in 1890, 422.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1916
Amaril'lo, a banking post-town, the capital of Potter co., Tex., on the Fort Worth and Denver City and other railroads, 333 miles NW. of Fort Worth. Pop. in 1890, 422 ; in 1900, 1442.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher

1929 - FIVE DEAD IN AMARILLO FIRE. SCORE ARE HURT WHEN OLD HOTEL IS DESTROYED IN EARLY MORNING BLAZE. ALL AVENUES OF ESCAPE ARE CUT OFF AND MANY ARE FORCED TO LEAP FROM THIRD STORY WINDOWS.
(By The Associated Press.)
Amarillo, May 11. - Trapped by flames which destroyed the Tourist hotel here early today, five men were burned to death, or killed when they jumped to the pavement from third story windows. Three of the victims were burned to death and two killed when they leaped. At least a score were injured, three seriously.

The dead:
PETER KEARNS, Pine, Colo.
RAYMOND COZART, Detroit, Texas.
HOYT CROWE, Tulia, Texas.
J. P. PURDIAN, or PERDIAN, Amarillo.

An Unidentified Man.
Guests fought their way to safety through scenes of the wildest confusion, screams punctuating the roar of the flames as they swept through the ancient structure, one of the oldest buildings in the business district. Many actually made their way to safety through the flames, while others, blocked from ordinary exits by the fire escaped through windows.

Several Missing.
Although firemen continued to rake the ruins, no other bodies had been found. Neither had numerous hotel guests been... Read MORE...

1934 - March 25 - A spring storm produced 21 inches of snow at Amarillo TX in 24 hours. However, much of the snow melted as it fell, and as a result, the snow cover was never any deeper than 4.5 inches.

WeatherForYou.com

1934 - Amarilloan Electrocute, Two Others Hurt In Mishap
Transformer Skids Into Live Wire Carrying 13,000 Volts; Eighteen-year-old Boy Killed Instantly.

Amarillo, Texas, May 29. – One man was electrocuted and two others were seriously burned shortly before noon today when a transformer they were trying to load onto a truck skidded into a live wire carrying 18,000 volts.

Howard COY, 18, was killed instantly. His brother, Boyd COY, and W. G. STREET, a local contractor and employer of the COY brothers were in a critical condition at local hospitals.

The transformer had been disconnected and placed on skids, preparatory to loading it when the men apparently lost control of it. STREET had contracted to move the transformer to a sub-station in the south part of the city, according to officials of the Southwestern Public Service company. No employe of the power company was present.

Physicians said the current apparently passed through STREET’S body. There were burns in the palms of his hands and on the soles of his feet.

“I don’t... Read MORE...

1935 - March 28-31 - A severe duststorm blanketed Amarillo, TX, for 84 hours. During one six hour period the visibility was near zero.

WeatherForYou.com

1953 - March 18 - KGNC (now KAMR) TV channel 4 in Amarillo, TX (NBC) begins broadcasting

historyorb.com

1954 - Fire at Amarillo Destroys Theater, Routs Hotel Guests.
AMARILLO, Texas, (AP) -- Fire destroyed a theater here Tuesday and routed 10 guests in an adjoining second-floor hotel.

Firemen said the blaze apparently smouldered for hours before flames burst through the roof of the Capitol Theater, one of Amarillo's oldest.

The roof collapsed and spread the blaze to the seats below.

There were no reported injuries.

An Amarillo newsboy reported the fire at 4:19 a.m. It was out of control before fire companies arrived.

Guests in the hotel said they smelled smoke earlier, but couldn't locate its source.

A small jewelry store and barber shop flanking the theater lobby suffered heavy smoke damage, but the hotel and a bar below were saved by a fire wall.

The blaze apparently started in the rear of the theater, but the cause was not known. No damage estimate was given.

The theater was owned by the Richard Coon Hospital estate of Dalhart and was operated by Trans-Texas Theaters, Inc., with headquarters in Dallas.

W. H. Coon of... Read MORE...

Amarillo, Texas is the windiest city in the U.S. with an average wind speed of 13.6 mph.

National Weather Service

Here's a list of some of the top places to visit and things to do in Amarillo:
Cadillac Ranch: This iconic art installation features ten half-buried Cadillacs, nose down in the ground, covered in graffiti. It's a must-visit spot to let your creative juices flow, as spray painting the cars is encouraged.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park: Known as the "Grand Canyon of Texas," this stunning natural wonder is perfect for hiking, mountain biking, and camping. The park offers breathtaking vistas, colorful canyons, and an amphitheater with a famous outdoor musical, "Texas."

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum: Amarillo is known as the "Horse Capital of the World," and this museum celebrates the history and heritage of the American Quarter Horse. It's a fascinating place to learn about these iconic animals.

The Big Texan Steak Ranch: If you're a carnivore, this legendary steakhouse is a must-visit. They're famous for their 72-ounce steak challenge. Can you finish it in an hour and get it for free?

Amarillo Botanical Gardens: This oasis of lush greenery... Read MORE...