Area Information

Spanish conquistador Francisco Coronado was the first European to reach the area in 1541. A portion of El Camino Real (The King's Highway) from Santa Fe, NM, to San Antonio, Texas, included the Amarillo area, and was widely used for exploration and trade during the 1780s. In 1876, Potter Country - named after Robert Potter, Secretary of the Navy and Senator of the Republic of Texas - was created by the Texas Legislature. Col. Charles Goodnight, developer of the chuck wagon, started the local cattle industry when he settled in the area and brought 1,600 head of cattle with him. In 1887, Amarillo became a county seat, and the first railroad freight service came to the area.

The higher education institutions in the city are Amarillo College, Wayland Baptist University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Amarillo School of Pharmacy, and Texas Tech University at Amarillo. West Texas A&M University, a regional university headquartered in nearby Canyon, has a satellite campus in downtown Amarillo. Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is located on the east side of town and is served by several major air carriers with non-stop service to Dallas, Houston, Denver and Las Vegas. From Western events to arts and culture, there something for everyone in Amarillo. If the Old West and outdoor recreation are your passion, be sure to check out the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, the Amarillo Livestock Auction, the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Palo Duro Stables & Six Gun City at Timber Springs, River Breaks Ranch, the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center and the WRCA World Championship Ranch Rodeo. For other entertainment, one can visit the Amarillo Zoo, the Big Texan Steak Ranch & Horse Hotel, Splash Amarillo water park and the Wonderland Amusement Park. History buffs will love exploring Historic Route 66, the Llano Cemetery, the Madame Queen prototype 2-10-2 Texas locomotive, the Polk St. Historic District and the Potter County Courthouse. Other points of interest include the Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, the Texas Panhandle War Memorial, the Texas Pharmacy Museum and Vintage Autohaus & Imports, a country club for car enthusiasts. Amarillo and the surrounding Panhandle area are a unique blend of two American eras: the working ranches, virtually unchanged in the day-to-day operations from the late nineteenth century, and a vibrant twenty-first century economy, providing leadership for the modern west. Stop by our United Country office, and let us show you "The Real Texas."

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