Amarillo, Texas

{{For timeline}}

During April 1887, John T. Berry, from Abilene, Texas, established a site for a town, choosing a well-watered section along the right-of-way of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway that was building across the Texas Panhandle. Barry and merchants from Colorado City, Texas wanted to make his new townsite the region's main trading center. On August 30, 1887, the site won the election for a county seat to be established for Potter County. Availability of the railroad's freight service made the town a fast-growing cattle-marketing center.

The settlement originally was called Oneida; it later changed its name to Amarillo (the Spanish word for the color yellow). This probably had been suggested by 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. Early residents originally pronounced the city's name more similar to the Spanish pronunciation {{IPAc-en|ˌ|aː|m|ə|ˈ|r|iː|j|oʊ}} {{respell|ah-mə|REE|yoh}}, but it later was supplanted by the current pronunciation.Hammond, Clara T., comp. Amarillo (1974). pg. 6. George Autry, Printer, Amarillo, Texas.

File:Amarillo, Texas (1889).jpg

File:Aeroplane view of business district Amarillo, Texas. LOC 75696586.jpg

File:Grand Opera House, Amarillo, Texas.jpg

File:Texas - Amarillo - NARA - 68149021 (cropped).jpg

On June 19, 1888, Henry B. Sanborn, who is given credit as the "Father of Amarillo",{{cite news |author=Everett, Liz |title=History Makers of the High Plains: H.B. Sanborn |date=May 19, 2000 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/051900/his_sanborn.html |access-date=January 25, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927003456/http://www.amarillo.com/stories/051900/his_sanborn.html |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} and his business partner Joseph F. Glidden began buying land to move Amarillo to the east after arguing that Berry's site was on low ground and would flood during rainstorms. Sanborn 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 some people who moved their businesses to Polk Street in the new commercial district.{{cite news |author=Crawford, Jim |title=A town determined to survive |date=July 23, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/072306/spe_disama7.shtml |access-date=January 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929090757/http://www.amarillo.com/stories/072306/spe_disama7.shtml |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} Heavy rains almost flooded Berry's part of the town in 1889, prompting even more people to move to Sanborn's location. This eventually led to another county-seat election, which made Sanborn's site the new county seat in 1893.

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 a grain elevator, milling, and feed-manufacturing center after an increase in wheat and small grains production during the early 1900s. Discovery of natural gas in 1918 and oil three years later brought oil and gas companies to the Amarillo area.

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.{{cite news |author=Livadas, Greg |title=State of Ballooning: Texas |date=October 1999 |work=Balloon Life Magazine |url=http://balloonlife.com/publications/balloon_life/9801/9910/sob9910.html |access-date=January 25, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060316214121/http://www.balloonlife.com/publications/balloon_life/9801/9910/sob9910.html |archive-date=March 16, 2006 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} The plant was the sole producer of commercial helium in the world for many years.{{Handbook of Texas|id=doh02|name=Helium Production}}. Retrieved on January 25, 2007. The U.S. National Helium Reserve is stored in the Bush Dome Reservoir at the Cliffside facility.{{cite book |author= National Research Council U.S. |year= 2000 |title= The Impact of Selling the Federal Helium Reserve |chapter=TABLE 2.1 Ownership and Location of Helium Extraction Plants in the United States in 1998 |chapter-url= http://www.nap.edu/openbook/0309070384/html/20.html |page= 20 |publisher= National Academy Press |isbn= 0-309-07038-4 |author-link= United States National Research Council}}

File:Amarillo Texas March 1943 View.jpg

Amarillo was hit by the Dust Bowl in the 1930's and entered an economic depression.

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. 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.

In 1949, a deadly F4 tornado devastated much of Amarillo, shortly after nightfall on May 15, tearing through the south and east sides of the city, killing seven people, and injuring more than 80 others. The tornado touched down southwest of Amarillo, near Hereford, then tracked northward, on a collision course with Amarillo. The tornado, shortly after 8 pm, ripped through Amarillo's most densely populated areas, demolishing almost half of the city, and causing catastrophic damage and loss of life.

In 1951, the army air base was reactivated as Amarillo Air Force Base and expanded to accommodate a Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortress wing.{{cite web |author= Amarillo Economic Development Corporation |url= http://www.amarilloedc.com/index.php?id=51 |title= Community History |access-date= January 28, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060116220406/http://www.amarilloedc.com/index.php?id=51 |archive-date= January 16, 2006 |url-status= dead |df= mdy-all }} 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 Amarillo Air Force Base on December 31, 1968, contributed to a decrease in population to 127,010 by 1970. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Amarillo's population as 6.1% Hispanic and 88.5% non-Hispanic white.{{cite web|title=Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html|access-date=December 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812191959/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html|archive-date=August 12, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

In the 1980s, ASARCO, Iowa Beef Processors (present-day Tyson Foods), Owens-Corning, and Weyerhaeuser built plants at Amarillo. The Eastridge neighborhood houses many immigrants from countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Burma, many finding employment at the nearby Iowa Beef Processors plant.{{cite news |author=Beck, Bruce |title=Representing all walks of life |date=December 27, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/122706/our_6355729.shtml |access-date=January 26, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927003321/http://www.amarillo.com/stories/122706/our_6355729.shtml |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} The following decade, Amarillo's city limits encompassed {{convert|60|sqmi|0}} in Potter and Randall Counties. Interstate 27 highway connecting Lubbock to Amarillo was built mostly during the 1980s.

In May 1982, a strong F3 tornado struck Amarillo's western suburbs, devastating parts of Dawn, and Bushland. No fatalities were reported.

Following the lead of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, predecessors of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad had established services to and from Amarillo. 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.{{cite news |author=Welch, Kevin |title=Crossroads of America |date=July 23, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/072306/spe_disama2.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

U.S. Routes 60, 87, 287, and 66 intersect at Amarillo, making it a major tourist stop with numerous motels, restaurants, and curio shops.

File:palodurolighthouse.jpg

Amarillo is located near the middle of the Texas Panhandle. It does not share similar weather characteristics with south and east Texas. It is situated in the grasslands of the Texas Panhandle and is surrounded by dense prairie. Amarillo is infamous for its unpredictable weather patterns, with broad daily temperature changes, raging winds, devastating hailstorms and "northers", long periods of drought, late frosts, spring tornadoes, dust storms, and floods.

Though urbanization, agricultural farming, and construction have taken place over the last century in and around Amarillo, the native grasslands that dominate this region have remained largely untouched. The region's surface is relatively flat and has little soil drainage. Due to the lack of developed drainage, much of the rainfall either evaporates, infiltrates into the ground, or accumulates in playa lakes. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|90.3|sqmi|km2}}, with {{convert|89.9|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} of it land and {{convert|0.4|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} of it (0.50%) covered by water. The Amarillo metropolitan area covers four counties: Armstrong, Carson, Potter, and Randall. Amarillo sits closer in proximity to the Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado state capitals than it does to Austin.

Flowing about {{convert|20|mi|km}} northeast of Amarillo is the Canadian River, which divides the Western High Plains ecological region. The southern divide of the Western High Plains is the Llano Estacado or Staked Plains geographical region. The river is dammed to form Lake Meredith, a major source of drinking water in the Texas Panhandle region.{{Handbook of Texas|id=rnc02|name=Canadian River}}. Retrieved on January 25, 2007. The city is situated near the Panhandle Field, in a productive gas and oil area, covering {{convert|200,000|acre}} in Hartley, Potter, Moore, Hutchinson, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, and Collingsworth Counties. The Potter County portion had the nation's largest natural gas reserve.

{{Handbook of Texas

|id=dop01

|name=Panhandle field

}}. Retrieved on January 25, 2007. Approximately {{convert|25|mi|km|sigfig=1}} south of Amarillo is Palo Duro Canyon. The tallest peak is reported to be {{convert|2500|ft|m}} underground in northeastern Potter County under the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument.{{cite web|url=http://amarillo.com/stories/091000/new_amamountans.shtml |title=Quake, rattle and roll | Amarillo Globe-News |publisher=Amarillo.com |date=2000-09-10 |access-date=2013-09-28}}

{{climate chart

| Amarillo, Texas

|25|52|0.7

|28|56|0.5

|35|65|1.3

|43|72|1.5

|53|81|2.3

|62|90|2.9

|66|93|2.8

|65|91|2.9

|58|84|1.7

|45|73|1.8

|34|61|0.8

|26|52|0.7

|units = imperial

|float = right

|clear = both}}

Like most of the Texas Panhandle, Amarillo has a temperate semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk).Depending on the climatologist's threshold, BSk if based upon the annual mean temperature (<{{convert|18.0|°C|1|disp=or}}), BSh if based upon the daily average temperature in the coldest month (≥{{convert|0|°C|disp=or}}). Both the city and most of the county as a whole lie in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a.{{cite web|title=USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map|url=http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/#|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227032333/http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/|archive-date=February 27, 2014|access-date=February 24, 2014|publisher=Agricultural Research Center, PRISM Climate Group Oregon State University}} Amarillo is characterized by a winter season featuring large diurnal temperature variation, great day-to-day variability, possible sudden and/or severe Arctic air outbreaks (in Texas, called "blue northers"), possible blizzards and hot summers with generally low humidity. The average annual precipitation is {{convert|20.4|in|mm|disp=or|sp=us}}. Much of Amarillo's precipitation falls during heavy convective showers and thunderstorms during the late spring and summer months.

According to 'Cities Ranked and Rated' (Bert Sperling and Peter Sander), Amarillo averages 48 days per year during which thunder and lightning is reported. This is above the national average. These storms can be severe: Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle are situated in the western portion of "Tornado Alley" and are prone to severe weather events, occurring primarily between April and July. Severe thunderstorms can produce damaging straight-line winds, large hail, tornadoes, and flash flooding. Amarillo is no stranger to devastating tornadoes. Tornadoes have occurred in and around the city in 1968, 1970, 1982, 1986, 2001, 2007, and most recently in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The strongest tornado to ever hit Amarillo was a deadly F4 tornado that struck the city in the nighttime hours of May 15, 1949. Amarillo suffered a direct hit, causing catastrophic damage and loss of life in Amarillo's most densely populated areas. The tornado devastated the south and east sides of the city, killing 7 people, and injuring more than 80 others. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from {{convert|38.6|°F|1}} in January to {{convert|79.6|°F|1}} in July. Sunny weather prevails year-round, with nearly 3300 hours of bright sunshine annually. The National Weather Service in Amarillo forecasts and provides climatic data for the city.

Extreme temperatures range from {{convert|-16|°F|1}} on February 12, 1899 to {{convert|111|°F|1}} on June 26, 2011, but lows do not typically dip to {{convert|0|°F|1|disp=or}} in most years, while highs above {{convert|100|°F|C|1|disp=or}} are seen on 4.7 days on average. On average, there are 5.9 days of lows at or below {{convert|10|°F|1|disp=or}}, 8.8 days where the temperature fails to rise above freezing, and 61 days of {{convert|90|°F|1}}+ highs. Unlike in the Rio Grande Valley or eastern portions of Texas, days where the low does not fall below {{convert|70|°F|1|disp=or}} are relatively rare, due to the aridity and elevation. Blizzards occur occasionally, but snowfall is typically light, averaging nearly {{convert|18|in|cm|0|disp=or|sp=us}} seasonally and the median figure is near {{convert|10|in|cm|0|disp=or|sp=us}}.{{cite news |author=Doyle, Thomas |title=Experts say tornado season nears |date=March 29, 2001 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/032901/new_tornadao.shtml |access-date= January 26, 2007}} Amarillo is also recorded as the windiest city in the U.S. by the Weather Channel.{{cite web |url= http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/americas-morning-headquarters/10-windiest-large-cities-america-20140408?pageno=10 |title= America's Windiest Cities |year= 2014 |publisher= weather.com |access-date= April 16, 2014 |archive-date= April 15, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140415190715/http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/americas-morning-headquarters/10-windiest-large-cities-america-20140408?pageno=10 |url-status= dead }}

{{Weather box

|collapsed =

|location= Amarillo, Texas, 1991–2020 normals,{{efn|Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010.}} extremes 1892–present{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/|title = NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access}}

|single line= Y

|Jan record high F = 83

|Feb record high F = 89

|Mar record high F = 96

|Apr record high F = 99

|May record high F = 104

|Jun record high F = 111

|Jul record high F = 110

|Aug record high F = 108

|Sep record high F = 105

|Oct record high F = 99

|Nov record high F = 88

|Dec record high F = 83

|year record high F = 111

|Jan avg record high F = 71.4

|Feb avg record high F = 76.5

|Mar avg record high F = 83.5

|Apr avg record high F = 88.6

|May avg record high F = 94.7

|Jun avg record high F = 99.7

|Jul avg record high F = 100.3

|Aug avg record high F = 98.2

|Sep avg record high F = 95.2

|Oct avg record high F = 88.6

|Nov avg record high F = 79.7

|Dec avg record high F = 71.8

|year avg record high F = 102.4

|Jan high F = 52.2

|Feb high F = 56.1

|Mar high F = 64.8

|Apr high F = 72.4

|May high F = 80.9

|Jun high F = 89.7

|Jul high F = 92.9

|Aug high F = 91.0

|Sep high F = 84.0

|Oct high F = 73.0

|Nov high F = 61.3

|Dec high F = 51.9

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 38.6

|Feb mean F = 41.8

|Mar mean F = 49.8

|Apr mean F = 57.5

|May mean F = 66.8

|Jun mean F = 76.1

|Jul mean F = 79.6

|Aug mean F = 78.1

|Sep mean F = 70.9

|Oct mean F = 59.2

|Nov mean F = 47.4

|Dec mean F = 38.8

|year mean F = 58.7

|Jan low F = 24.9

|Feb low F = 27.5

|Mar low F = 34.8

|Apr low F = 42.5

|May low F = 52.6

|Jun low F = 62.4

|Jul low F = 66.4

|Aug low F = 65.3

|Sep low F = 57.8

|Oct low F = 45.4

|Nov low F = 33.5

|Dec low F = 25.7

|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 7.4

|Feb avg record low F = 8.6

|Mar avg record low F = 16.8

|Apr avg record low F = 27.2

|May avg record low F = 37.5

|Jun avg record low F = 50.4

|Jul avg record low F = 57.4

|Aug avg record low F = 56.6

|Sep avg record low F = 41.8

|Oct avg record low F = 29.0

|Nov avg record low F = 16.0

|Dec avg record low F = 6.8

|year avg record low F = 0.3

|Jan record low F = −11

|Feb record low F = −16

|Mar record low F = −3

|Apr record low F = 13

|May record low F = 26

|Jun record low F = 38

|Jul record low F = 51

|Aug record low F = 48

|Sep record low F = 30

|Oct record low F = 12

|Nov record low F = 0

|Dec record low F = −8

|year record low F = -16

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.71

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.53

|Mar precipitation inch = 1.27

|Apr precipitation inch = 1.45

|May precipitation inch = 2.27

|Jun precipitation inch = 2.85

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.82

|Aug precipitation inch = 2.86

|Sep precipitation inch = 1.69

|Oct precipitation inch = 1.75

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.75

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.71

|year precipitation inch = 19.66

|Jan snow inch = 4.0

|Feb snow inch = 3.5

|Mar snow inch = 1.9

|Apr snow inch = 0.5

|May snow inch = 0.2

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.7

|Nov snow inch = 2.6

|Dec snow inch = 3.8

|year snow inch = 17.2

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 3.9

|Feb precipitation days = 4.3

|Mar precipitation days = 6.0

|Apr precipitation days = 5.6

|May precipitation days = 7.7

|Jun precipitation days = 8.5

|Jul precipitation days = 7.2

|Aug precipitation days = 8.2

|Sep precipitation days = 6.3

|Oct precipitation days = 5.3

|Nov precipitation days = 4.0

|Dec precipitation days = 4.7

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 2.6

|Feb snow days = 2.2

|Mar snow days = 1.9

|Apr snow days = 0.4

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.1

|Nov snow days = 1.1

|Dec snow days = 2.8

|Jan humidity = 58.1

|Feb humidity = 58.5

|Mar humidity = 51.7

|Apr humidity = 48.3

|May humidity = 54.2

|Jun humidity = 56.3

|Jul humidity = 53.3

|Aug humidity = 58.4

|Sep humidity = 61.0

|Oct humidity = 55.9

|Nov humidity = 58.6

|Dec humidity = 59.1

|year humidity = 56.1

|Jan sun = 222.1

|Feb sun = 215.2

|Mar sun = 268.7

|Apr sun = 301.1

|May sun = 325.1

|Jun sun = 343.0

|Jul sun = 353.6

|Aug sun = 323.5

|Sep sun = 264.5

|Oct sun = 266.4

|Nov sun = 211.5

|Dec sun = 201.5

|year sun = 3296.2

|Jan percentsun = 71

|Feb percentsun = 70

|Mar percentsun = 72

|Apr percentsun = 77

|May percentsun = 75

|Jun percentsun = 79

|Jul percentsun = 80

|Aug percentsun = 78

|Sep percentsun = 71

|Oct percentsun = 76

|Nov percentsun = 68

|Dec percentsun = 66

|year percentsun= 74

|Jan dew point C = −7.7

|Feb dew point C = −5.6

|Mar dew point C = −3.4

|Apr dew point C = 0.5

|May dew point C = 6.7

|Jun dew point C = 12.4

|Jul dew point C = 14.2

|Aug dew point C = 14.5

|Sep dew point C = 11.2

|Oct dew point C = 4.1

|Nov dew point C = −1.8

|Dec dew point C = −6.4

|source 1 = NOAA (sun, relative humidity, and dew point 1961–1990){{cite web |url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ama |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title=National Weather Service Climate |access-date=August 29, 2020}}{{cite web |url= ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72363.TXT |title= WMO Climate Normals for Amarillo/INTL, TX 1961–1990 |publisher= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200718113052/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72363.TXT |archive-date= 2020-07-18 |url-status= dead |access-date= August 29, 2020}}{{cite web |url= ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00023047.normals.txt |title= WMO Climate Normals for Amarillo |publisher= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200718113135/ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USW00023047.normals.txt |archive-date= 2020-07-18 |url-status= dead |access-date= August 29, 2020}}

}}

;Notes:

{{notelist}}

{{US Census population

|1890= 482

|1900= 1442

|1910= 9957

|1920= 15494

|1930= 43132

|1940= 51686

|1950= 74246

|1960= 137969

|1970= 127010

|1980= 149230

|1990= 157571

|2000= 173627

|2010= 190695

|2020= 200393

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=2013-09-28}}
Texas Almanac: 1850–2000{{cite web|url=http://www.texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/CityPopHist%20web.pdf|title=Texas Almanac: City Population History 1850–2000 |work=Texas Almanac |access-date=2013-09-28}}

}}

File:Amarillo Texas - Persons Per Square Mils - Census 2000.pngAccording to the 2020 United States census, there were 200,393 people, 76,778 households, and 50,005 families residing in the city, an increase of 5.1% since the 2010 United States census. At the 2010 U.S. census, there were 190,695 people residing in Amarillo, an increase of 9.8% since the 2000 U.S. census.{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=Amarillo&_cityTown=Amarillo&_state=04000US48&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010 |title=American FactFinder |publisher=Factfinder.census.gov |access-date=2013-06-09 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200210224418/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=Amarillo&_cityTown=Amarillo&_state=04000US48&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010 |archive-date=February 10, 2020 |url-status=dead }}

In 2020, there were 76,778 households with an average of 2.57 people per household.{{Cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Amarillo city, Texas 2019|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/amarillocitytexas/PST040219|access-date=2021-04-19|website=www.census.gov|language=en}} Of the households, 60.8% lived in owner-occupied housing units and the median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $140,030. The median homeowner costs with a mortgage were $1,272 and without a mortgage $479. Amarillo had a median gross rent of $876 from 2016 to 2020. Amarillo had a median household income of $52,941 and per capita income at $28,274. An estimated 15.4% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.

In 2020, there were 78,706 occupied households, out of which 26,945 were married couples living together, 4,327 had a female householder with no spouse present, and 1,858 were male householder, no spouse present. The age distribution of the city in 2020 was as follows: 7.6% of the population was under the age of 5, 26.8% was under the age of 18, 73.2% 18 and older, 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.1 years.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,941, and the median income for a family was $64,632. Married-couple families had a median income of $80,819, and non-family households had a median income of $31,663. About 15.4% of families were below the poverty line, including 20% of those under age 18, 14.1% ages 18 – 64, and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.

Part of the Bible Belt, Christianity is the predominant religion in Amarillo and its metropolitan area. There are more than 200 churches in the area as of 2013.{{Cite web|last=STAFF|first=GLOBE-NEWS|title=Keeping the Faith: Amarillo Magazine delves into city's religious community|url=https://www.amarillo.com/article/20131025/NEWS/310259644|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Amarillo Globe-News|language=en}}

According to Sperling's BestPlaces in 2021, 77.83% of the population identified as religious, with 74.53% Christian.{{Cite web|title=Religion in Amarillo, Texas|url=https://www.bestplaces.net/religion/city/texas/amarillo|url-status=live|website=Sperling's BestPlaces|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515164109/http://www.bestplaces.net/religion/city/texas/amarillo |archive-date=May 15, 2012 }} Baptists made up 40.2% of the Christian population and Catholics were 13.3% of the local population. Methodists and Pentecostals were the next largest Christian groups, followed by Presbyterians, Mormons, Episcopalians or Anglicans, and Lutherans. Approximately 8.1% of the population were of a different Christian faith. In 2021, about 0.1% of Amarillo's residents identified with Judaism and 2.1% were Muslim. An estimated 1.1% followed an Eastern religion such as Buddhism or Hinduism. Amarillo has a UU congregation but it does not host a Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagan chapter.[https://www.cuups.org/CUUPS-SouthWest-Chapters/ CUUPs Southwest][https://www.google.com/maps/place/Amarillo+Unitarian+Universalist+Fellowship/@35.192528,-101.9065786,11.68z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87015006fc87a773:0xb79ebf5460508834!8m2!3d35.155982!4d-101.8974131 Google maps]

Amarillo is considered the regional economic center for the Texas Panhandle,{{cite web |author= United States Department of Transportation |url= http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/econdev/i27tx.htm |title= Economic Development History of Interstate 27 in Texas |access-date= May 4, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060507065632/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/econdev/i27tx.htm |archive-date= May 7, 2006 |url-status= dead}}{{Cite web|title=At the Heart of Texas: Amarillo|url=https://www.dallasfed.org:443/research/heart/amarillo|access-date=2021-04-21|website=www.dallasfed.org|language=en}} as well as Eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle. The meat packing industry is a major employer in Amarillo;{{Cite web|title=Over 400 COVID-19 Cases Identified At Amarillo Tyson Plant ... So Far|url=https://www.hppr.org/post/over-400-covid-19-cases-identified-amarillo-tyson-plant-so-far|last=Haflich|first=Angie|date=May 14, 2020|website=High Plains Public Radio|language=en|access-date=2020-05-18}} about one-quarter of the United States' beef supply is processed in the area. The city also holds the headquarters for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. Petroleum extraction is also a major industry. The helium industry decreased in significance after 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.

The city's largest employer in 2005 was Tyson Foods, with 3,700 employees. The Amarillo Independent School District was next with 3,659 employees followed by Pantex, Baptist St. Anthony's Health Care System, City of Amarillo, Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Amarillo College, Walmart, and United Supermarkets.{{cite web |author= City of Amarillo's Community Development Department |url= http://www.amarillo.gov/departments/commdev/pdf/2005-2010%20Analysis%20of%20Impediments.pdf |title= 2005–2010 Analysis of Impediments |access-date= January 27, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080625054110/http://www.amarillo.gov/departments/commdev/pdf/2005-2010%20Analysis%20of%20Impediments.pdf |archive-date= June 25, 2008 |url-status= dead |df= mdy-all }} Other major employers include Bell Helicopter Textron, Owens-Corning, Amarillo National Bank and ASARCO.

Approximately {{convert|14|e6acre}} of agricultural land surrounds the city with corn, wheat, and cotton as the primary crops. Other crops in the area include sorghum, silage, hay, and soybeans.{{cite news |author=Welch, Kevin |title=Farming changes |date=March 26, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/032606/spe_4109480.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} The Texas Panhandle, particularly in Hereford, Texas, serves as a fast-growing milk producing area as several multimillion-dollar state of the art dairies were built in the early 2000s.{{cite news |author=Levine, Steve |title=Cows in Hereford Are All Fired Up About Ethanol Plant |work=The Wall Street Journal |page=A1 |date=January 24, 2006}}

The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC), funded by a city sales tax, 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.{{cite news |author=Curry, Kerry |title=Phone calls 'in the mail' for AEDC |date=September 9, 1997 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/090997/phone.html|access-date= January 25, 2007}}{{cite news |title=Amarillo renews American deal |date=May 29, 1997 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/052997/renews.html|access-date= January 25, 2007}} 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.{{cite news |author=Hartnett, Dwayne |title=Sky's the limit |date=February 27, 2005 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/022705/spe_sky.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

From 2020 to 2021, Amarillo experienced its greatest amount of economic development in 30 years.{{Cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Taylor|title=Amarillo experiencing most economic development in 30 years|url=https://www.newschannel10.com/2021/02/24/amarillo-experiencing-most-economic-development-years/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-21|website=KFDA 10 News|date=February 24, 2021 |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224011057/https://www.newschannel10.com/2021/02/24/amarillo-experiencing-most-economic-development-years/ |archive-date=February 24, 2021 }} Amazon, Asset Protection Unit, and Texas Tech University Vet School were named some major organizations contributing to the city and metropolitan area's economic growth. Through the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas, the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce announced a new initiative to help local businesses rebound from the pandemic.{{Cite web|last=Gay|first=David|title=Amarillo Chamber of Commerce announces Supporting Small Business Initiative|url=https://www.amarillo.com/story/news/2021/04/06/chamber-commerce-announces-supporting-small-business-initiative/7089864002/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Amarillo Globe-News|language=en-US}} Its tourism industry also rebounded.{{Cite web|last=Powell|first=Drew|date=2021-04-15|title=Amarillo tourism industry offers plan for future success|url=https://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/amarillo-tourism-now-and-the-future|access-date=2021-04-21|website=KVII}}

{{See also|l1=Registered Historic Places in Potter County|National Register of Historic Places listings in Potter County, Texas|l2=Randall County|National Register of Historic Places listings in Randall County, Texas}}

File:War memorial, Amarillo IMG 0128.JPG

File:Vietnam War Memorial in Amarillo IMG 0134.JPG]]

Several natural attractions are near the city. The Palo Duro Canyon State Park is the United States' second largest canyon system, after the Grand Canyon and is located south of Amarillo. The canyon is a prominent mountain biking destination and hosts the annual 50-mile Palo Duro Canyon Trail Run.{{Cite web|url=http://palodurotrailrun.com/|title=Palo Duro Trail Run - 50 Miles, 50k, & 20k Races|website=palodurotrailrun.com|access-date=2020-02-27}} Palo Duro has a distinct hoodoo that resembles a lighthouse. Another natural landmark near the city, the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is located {{convert|30|mi}} north of Amarillo. It had been the site for prehistoric inhabitants to obtain flint in order to make tools and weapons. About {{convert|100|mi|-1}} 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 captured and taken care of by cattle rancher Charles Goodnight.{{cite news |author=Storm, Rick |title=Bison herd to be moved to Caprock Canyons |date=July 4, 1997 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/070497/bison.html|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

Local millionaire Stanley Marsh 3 funded many public art projects in the city including the Cadillac Ranch, located west of Amarillo on Interstate 40, a monument of painted Cadillac automobiles that were dug into the ground head first. Marsh also participated in an ongoing art project called the Dynamite Museum, which consists of thousands of mock traffic signs. These signs, bearing messages such as "Road does not end" or displaying a random picture, are scattered throughout the city of Amarillo.{{cite news |author=Cowley, Jennifer S. |title=Public Art in Private Places |date=October 2001 |publisher=Texas A&M University's Real Estate Center |url=http://recenter.tamu.edu/tgrande/vol8-4/1523.html|access-date= January 25, 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060917093309/http://recenter.tamu.edu/tgrande/vol8-4/1523.html |archive-date= September 17, 2006}} Besides these works, close to the city is the final earthwork of Robert Smithson (and another commission by Marsh), Amarillo Ramp.

The city has events and attractions honoring the cowboy and Texas culture. During the third week of September, the Tri-State Fair & Rodeo brings participants mostly from Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas to Amarillo since 1921.{{cite news |title=Tri-State Tradition |date=June 26, 2005 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/062605/spe_disama_26.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} 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 World Championship Ranch Rodeo sponsored by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association is held every November in the Amarillo Civic Center.{{cite news |author=Smith-Rodgers, Sheryl |title=Cowboy Cooking |date=May 21, 2006 – May 27, 2007 |publisher=American Profile |url=http://www.americanprofile.com/issues/20060521/20060521_5188.asp|access-date= January 25, 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060811185400/http://www.americanprofile.com/issues/20060521/20060521_5188.asp|archive-date=August 11, 2006}} The Amarillo Livestock Auction on Bull Road holds a free-to-the-public cattle auction on Tuesdays. Now located on Interstate 40, The Big Texan Steak Ranch is famous by offering visitors a free 72 ounce (2 kg) beef steak if it (and its accompanying dinner) is eaten in under an hour.

File:Globe-News Center in Amarillo Texas USA.jpg

File:Sleeping coyote in Amarillo Zoo IMG 0166.JPG sleeps in the afternoon heat in the Amarillo Zoo.]]

Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, opened in 2006, houses the Amarillo Opera, Amarillo Symphony, and [http://www.lonestarballet.org/ Lone Star Ballet] concerts. The facility, located just across the Amarillo Civic Center, features a 1,300-seat auditorium. The Globe-News Center was built in hope by city officials and others that it would revitalize the downtown area.{{cite news |author=Yates, Phillip |title=It all started with a vision |date=January 15, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/011506/gnc/spe_gnc1.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} The nonprofit community theater group, Amarillo Little Theatre, has its season run from September to May. The theater group's two facilities, the Mainstage and the Adventure Space, are located west of Amarillo's downtown. The Pioneer Amphitheater, located in nearby Palo Duro Canyon, is the setting for the outdoor musical drama Texas, which plays nightly during the summer. 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 attendance declined over the next four seasons, so it was decided to revert to the original Paul Green script in 2006.{{cite news |author=Chandler, Chip |title='Legacies' preview gets positive response |date=October 26, 2002 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/102602/ent_legaciespre.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}{{cite news |author=Crawford, Jim |title='Texas' is back, y'all |date=February 8, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/020806/new_3924505.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

The Amarillo Public Library is affiliated with the Harrington Library Consortium. The consortium consists of public, college, and school libraries located in the Texas Panhandle that share resources and cooperate with one another. Other members include Amarillo's public schools, Amarillo College, Canyon Area Library, Lovett Memorial Library in Pampa, Texas, and Hutchinson County Library in Borger, Texas.{{cite web|author=West Texas A&M University's Cornette Library|url=http://www.wtamu.edu/library/indexes/hlc.shtml|title=Harrington Library Consortium|access-date=June 19, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624133824/http://www.wtamu.edu/library/indexes/hlc.shtml|archive-date=June 24, 2006|url-status=dead}} The Amarillo Public Library's main branch is located in downtown and operates four neighborhood branches.

Wonderland Amusement Park is located in northern Amarillo at Thompson Park, named for Ernest Thompson. The park also houses the Amarillo zoo and offers picnicking.

Amarillo residents are known as Amarilloans. Notable Amarilloans include actress Ann Doran (1911–2000), journalist Bascom N. Timmons, the Dory Funk wrestling family, former UFC Champions Heath Herring and Evan Tanner, astronaut Rick Husband, professional golfer Ryan Palmer, rockabilly pioneer Buddy Knox, actress Carolyn Jones, actress and dancer Cyd Charisse, actor and poet Harry Northup, State Senator Max Sherman, Republican state chairman Tom Mechler, politicians Beau Boulter and John Marvin Jones, businessman T. Boone Pickens, Jr., singer-songwriter JD Souther, gambler Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston, soldier and interior decorator Clyde Kenneth Harris, and music artist and composer Terry Stafford ("Amarillo by Morning"; "Suspicion"). Singer Lacey Brown of Amarillo advanced to the top 24 in season 8 on the hit show American Idol. She returned to the show again in season 9 and advanced to the top 12 but was eliminated from the program on March 17, 2010. Former residents Evander "Ziggy" Hood and Montrel Meander are in the National Football League.

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 organization is headquartered in Amarillo and has a museum. There is also an American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame exhibited in the museum. In addition, the AQHA and Center City of Amarillo co-sponsor the project, "Hoof Prints of the American Quarter Horse" consisting 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 for a local artist to paint.{{cite news |author=Welch, Kevin |title=Horses of many colors |date=November 16, 2003 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/111603/new_horses.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

Two of the Amarillo area's higher education institutions have at least one museum in their campuses. The Amarillo Art Center [http://www.amarilloart.org/], opened in 1972, is a building complex with the Amarillo Museum of Art (AMoA){{cite web|url=http://amarillomuseumofart.org/#/|title=amarillomuseumofart.org - Registered at Namecheap.com|website=amarillomuseumofart.org}} and concert hall located on the Washington Street Campus of Amarillo College. Located on the campus of West Texas A&M University, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum claims to be the largest historical museum in Texas.

File:Amarillo pond IMG 0153.JPG

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.{{cite web |author= Don Harrington Discovery Center |url= http://www.dhdc.org/exhibits.html |title= Exhibits |access-date= February 14, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20051125140410/http://www.dhdc.org/exhibits.html |archive-date= November 25, 2005}} Outside of the building is a steel structure called the Helium Monument which has time capsules and designates Amarillo the "Helium Capital of the World". Near the proximity of the Discovery Center, the Amarillo Botanical Gardens has gardens, indoor exhibits, and a library for visitation throughout the year.

The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150321043139/http://www.ttuhsc.edu/sop/museum/ 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.{{cite web|author=Texas Tech Health Science Center at Amarillo|url=http://www.ttuhsc.edu/sop/prospective/visitors/museum.aspx|title=Texas Pharmacy Museum|access-date=April 5, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060921065555/http://www.ttuhsc.edu/sop/prospective/visitors/museum.aspx|archive-date=September 21, 2006|url-status=dead}}

Founded in 2013, by businessman Tom Warren, The Amarillo Historical Museum is Amarillo's only local museum exclusively featuring local history.{{cite web|url=https://amarillohistorical.wix.com/amarillohistory |title=Amarillo Historical Museum |publisher=Amarillohistorical.wix.com |access-date=2017-06-26}}

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. The English Field Air & Space Museum, which had been operated by the Texas Aviation Historical Society and featured aircraft and space exhibits, closed its doors in 2007 and subsequently lost many of its aircraft. The museum, now rebuilding its collection as Texas Air & Space Museum, is located on American Drive on the south side of the airport.

Most of Amarillo's population growth and commercial development is occurring in the southern and northwestern parts of the city.{{cite news |author=Chapman, Joe |title=Land Grab |date=February 27, 2005 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/022705/spe_landgra.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} Similar to many towns in the Texas Panhandle, the city's downtown has suffered economic deterioration throughout the years.{{cite news |author=Moon, Chris |title=Downtown Dilemma: How did it happen? |date=September 15, 2003 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/091503/usn_downtown.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} To help revitalize it, the Center City of Amarillo organization was formed to establish partnerships with groups that have a large presence in the city.{{cite news |title=City's center becomes the center of attention |date=March 26, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/032606/spe_4091584.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} Since its conception in the 1990s, Center City has sponsored public art projects and started block parties in the downtown area.{{cite web |publisher=Center City |title=Polk Street Block Party |url=http://www.centercity.org/blockparty.html |access-date=February 4, 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060828000235/http://www.centercity.org/blockparty.html |archive-date= August 28, 2006}}

The 31-story FirstBank Southwest Tower was opened in Amarillo's downtown in 1971.{{cite news |author=Berzanskis, Cheryl |title=Bank One Center to be renamed in Chase merger |date=June 10, 2004 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/061004/new_bankone.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} Completed in the same year as the FirstBank Southwest Tower, the Amarillo National Bank Plaza One building houses the headquarters of Amarillo National Bank, the city's largest financial institution.{{cite web |author= Amarillo National Bank |url= http://www.anb.com/bankHistory.asp |title= Bank History |access-date= August 7, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060717014706/http://www.anb.com/bankHistory.asp |archive-date= July 17, 2006}}{{cite news |author=Hartnett, Dwayne |title=Money Talk |date=February 27, 2005 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/022705/spe_mtalk.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} The Santa Fe Building, completed in 1930 as the regional office of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was vacant for several years until 1995 when Potter County bought it for $426,000 to gain new office spaces.{{cite news |author=Lutz, Jennifer |title=Renovated Santa Fe Building sparkles in debut |date=August 6, 2000 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/080600/new_santafe.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

File:Amarillo skyline, 2007.jpg

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. 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.{{cite web|author=Excursia / Best Read Guide |url=http://excursia.com/destinations/USA/TX/amarillo/stories/20000929/att_historictour.shtml |title=Take a Historic Tour of Amarillo |access-date=March 11, 2006 |author-link=Morris Communications |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060107232826/http://excursia.com/destinations/USA/TX/amarillo/stories/20000929/att_historictour.shtml |archive-date=January 7, 2006}}

The city of Amarillo's Parks and Recreation Department operates over 50 municipal parks, including a skatepark west of the city. 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. Funfest was held in Thompson Memorial Park during Memorial Day weekend.{{cite news |title=Junior League eyes end to Funfest |date=January 25, 2001 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/012501/new_funfest.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

The National Arena League team Amarillo Dusters, the Major League Indoor Soccer team the Amarillo Bombers and the NAHL Jr. A hockey team, the Amarillo Bulls all play in the Amarillo Civic Center. Amarillo previously hosted an independent league baseball team, the Amarillo Thunderheads of the American Association, which played its home games in Potter County Memorial Stadium from 2011 to 2015. The city was the home of the Double-A Amarillo Gold Sox Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League various years between 1939 and 1982.{{cite news |author=Lahnert, Lance |title=Mark Lee to be named revived Dillas' GM today |date=January 10, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/011006/dil_3686659.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} In 2019, the Texas League's San Antonio Missions relocated to Amarillo as the Amarillo Sod Poodles and play at the $45.5 million Hodgetown.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/san-antonio-missions-colorado-springs-sky-sox-helena-brewers-set-for-r-237847420|title=Missions, Sky Sox, Brewers set for relocation|website=Minor League baseball|date=June 21, 2017|access-date=June 22, 2017}} Amarillo formerly had a minor league indoor soccer team called the Amarillo Challengers that competed in the SISL and later the USISL.{{cite web |author= United Soccer Leagues |url= http://www.uslsoccer.com/aboutusl/history/53773.html |title= 1986... genesis: the beginning |access-date= July 25, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060912212758/http://www.uslsoccer.com/aboutusl/history/53773.html |archive-date= September 12, 2006 |url-status= dead |df= mdy-all }}

West Texas A&M University features a full slate of NCAA Division II teams; Amarillo College is in a different division than West Texas A&M, however, playing in the NJCAA division 2 bracket. From 1968 to 1996, Amarillo hosted the annual National Women's Invitational Tournament (NWIT), a post-season women's college basketball tournament.{{cite news |author=Riddle, Greg |title=NWIT – show board of directors the money |date=March 20, 1997 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/032097/directors.html|access-date= January 25, 2007}} During high school football season, the Amarillo Independent School District schools' home games are in Dick Bivins Stadium which had a $5,700,000 renovation in 2005.{{cite news |title=The new Dick Bivins |date=August 23, 2005 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/082305/pig_2547173.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} Randall High School (part of the adjacent Canyon Independent School District) plays its home games in Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon, in addition to the yearly Clinton Invitational horseshoe tournament. River Road, Highland Park, and Bushland High Schools also play football and other sports.

Another part of Amarillo's sporting history was its roots in professional wrestling. Amarillo residents Dory Funk, Stanley Blackburn and Doc Sarpolis promoted the territory for several decades. Funk's sons, Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, were National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champions representing Amarillo.

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 council (before 2014, it was called a commission).{{Handbook of Texas|id=moc02|name=Council-Manager Form of City Government}}. Retrieved on January 25, 2007.Hammond, pg. 31. Five elected commissioners, one of whom is the mayor, comprise the council. All serve a two-year term. The commission's role is to pass ordinances and resolutions, adopt regulations, and appoint city officials including the city manager. Although 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 meets on Tuesday of each week.{{cite web |author= City of Amarillo / Municode |url= http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=11818&sid=43 |title= Municipal Code City of Amarillo |access-date= May 4, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060320205158/http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=11818&sid=43 |archive-date=March 20, 2006 |url-status= live}}

{{Hidden begin

|title = List of mayors of Amarillo, Texas

|titlestyle = background:#F8F8FF;width:60%

}}

• Warren W. Wetsel, 1892–1894{{cite web |url=http://amarillo.gov/?page_id=110 |title= History of Amarillo City Officials |publisher=City of Amarillo |access-date= April 8, 2017}}
• R. L. Stringfellow, 1899–1902
• S. Lightburne, 1902–1906
• Will A. Miller, Jr., 1906–1908
• Lon D. Marrs, 1908–1910 and 1917–1922
• James N. Patton, 1910–1912
• W. E. Gee, 1912–1913
• J. N. Beasley, 1913–1916
• Eugene S. Blasdel, 1923–1924
• Lee Bivins, 1925–1928
• Ernest O. Thompson, 1929–1932
• Ross D. Rogers, 1932–1941
• Joe A. Jenkins, 1941–1947
• L. R. Hagy, 1947–1949
• E. H. Klein, 1949–1953
• S. T. Curtis, 1953–1955
• R. C. Jordan, 1955–1957
• J. R. Armstrong, 1957–1959
• A. F. Madison, 1959–1961
• Jack Seale, 1961–1963
• F. V. Wallace, 1963–1967
• J. Ernest Stroud, 1967–1971
• L. Ray Vahue, 1971–1975
• John C. Drummond, 1975–1977
• Jerry H. Hodge, 1977–1981
• R. P. (Rick) Klein, 1981–1987
• Glen Parkey, 1987–1989
• Keith Adams, 1989–1993
• Kel Seliger, 1993–2001
• Trent Sisemore, 2001–2005
• Debra McCartt, 2005–2011
• Paul Harpole, 2011–2017
• Ginger Nelson, 2017–2023
• Cole Stanley, 2023–Present

{{Hidden end}}

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.{{Cite web|url=http://amarillo.com/stories/021906/new_candidates.shtml|title=amarillo.com}}{{cite web|url=https://randallcounty.com/jp/jp4/default.htm|title=Randall County - Justice of the Peace 4 - Home Page|website=randallcounty.com|access-date=February 19, 2018|archive-date=August 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815230355/http://randallcounty.com/jp/jp4/default.htm|url-status=dead}}

The Texas Seventh Court of Appeals is located in Amarillo."[http://www.7thcoa.courts.state.tx.us/court/contact.asp Contact Information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125194609/http://www.7thcoa.courts.state.tx.us/court/contact.asp |date=January 25, 2010 }}." Texas Seventh Court of Appeal. Retrieved March 10, 2010.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Amarillo District Parole Office in the city."[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/parole/parole-directory/paroledir-rgnldisparoff5.htm Parole Division Region V] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926122729/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/parole/parole-directory/paroledir-rgnldisparoff5.htm |date=September 26, 2011}}." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved May 22, 2010. It also operates the Clements Unit and Nathaniel J. Neal Unit in unincorporated Potter County, east of Amarillo."[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/unit_directory/bc.html Clements (BC)]." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on June 23, 2013. "Unit Address and Phone Number: 9601 Spur 591, Amarillo, TX 79107-9606"

The United States Postal Service operates the Amarillo Main Post Office."[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/amarillo-main-ofc-delivery-2301-ross-st-amarillo-tx-1442454 Post Office Location – AMARILLO MAIN OFC DELIVERY] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603031255/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/amarillo-main-ofc-delivery-2301-ross-st-amarillo-tx-1442454 |date=June 3, 2010 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 22, 2010. Other post offices in the city include Downtown Amarillo,"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/downtown-amarillo-505-e-9th-ave-amarillo-tx-1361180 Post Office Location – DOWNTOWN AMARILLO] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701044558/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/downtown-amarillo-505-e-9th-ave-amarillo-tx-1361180 |date=July 1, 2010 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 22, 2010. Jordan,"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/jordan-8301-w-amarillo-blvd-amarillo-tx-1368555 Post Office Location – JORDAN] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314165103/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/jordan-8301-w-amarillo-blvd-amarillo-tx-1368555 |date=March 14, 2012 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 22, 2010. Lone Star,"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/lone-star-5000-s-western-st-amarillo-tx-1382087 Post Office Location – LONE STAR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531080951/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/lone-star-5000-s-western-st-amarillo-tx-1382087 |date=May 31, 2010 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 22, 2010. North Amarillo,"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/north-amarillo-841-martin-rd-amarillo-tx-1375234 Post Office Location – NORTH AMARILLO] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618060926/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/north-amarillo-841-martin-rd-amarillo-tx-1375234 |date=June 18, 2010 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 22, 2010. and San Jacinto."[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/san-jacinto-307-s-western-st-amarillo-tx-1380612 Post Office Location – SAN JACINTO] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603031408/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/san-jacinto-307-s-western-st-amarillo-tx-1380612 |date=June 3, 2010 }}." United States Postal Service. Retrieved May 22, 2010.

In the U.S. House, Amarillo is located in Texas's 13th congressional district, and is represented by Representative Ronny Jackson. In the Texas Legislature, the city is in the 31st District in the Texas Senate, represented by Republican Kevin Sparks, of Midland. It is in the 87th District in the Texas House of Representatives, having been represented by Republican David A. Swinford since 1991. Swinford retired in January 2011 and was succeeded by fellow Republican Four Price. The sliver of Amarillo within Randall County is represented by Price's Republican colleague, John T. Smithee, who has served in the 86th District since 1985.

File:Amarillo-College-Washington-St-Clock-Tower-Dec2005.jpg

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 23.3% of all adults aged 25 and older have obtained a bachelor's degree, and 85% a high school diploma or equivalent.

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 with a branch campus in Amarillo; Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Amarillo including the Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Amarillo School of Medicine and School of Health Professions and Texas Tech University at Amarillo, a branch campus of Texas Tech University that offers selected master's degree programs. West Texas A&M University, a regional university headquartered in nearby Canyon, has a campus building in downtown Amarillo.

Amarillo's primary and secondary education is handled by five different school districts:{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48375_potter/DC20SD_C48375.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Potter County, TX|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=2022-06-27}} - These have parts of the Amarillo city limits: 8130*, 35560, 35570, and 37260, : which correspond to Amarillo ISD, Highland Park ISD, Bushland ISD, and River Road ISD.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48381_randall/DC20SD_C48381.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Randall County, TX|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=2022-06-27}} - Shows parts of Amarillo in Amarillo ISD and Canyon ISD

• Amarillo ISD
• Bushland ISD
• Canyon ISD
• Highland Park ISD
• River Road ISD

{{See also|List of newspapers in Texas|List of radio stations in Texas|List of television stations in Texas}}

File:Amarillo National Bank Plaza One - Amarillo Texas USA.jpg

The major local newspaper is the Amarillo Globe-News, owned by GateHouse Media. It is a combination of three newspapers: Amarillo Daily News, Amarillo Globe, and Amarillo Times. Other publications include a local monthly magazine, Accent West, dealing with city and regional issues in the Amarillo area , and a daily online paper, The Amarillo Pioneer.{{cite web |url=https://amarillopioneer.com|title=The Amarillo Pioneer |publisher=Amarillopioneer.com |access-date=2025-01-05 }} The American Quarter Horse Association publishes two monthly publications, The American Quarter Horse Journal and The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal. HISPANIC Newspaper El Mensajero owned by Dr. Ramon Godoy started printing in 1989.

Amarillo's major network television affiliates are KACV-TV 2 (PBS), KAMR 4 (NBC), KVII 7 (ABC, with The CW on DT2), KFDA 10 (CBS), KCIT 14 (Fox), and KCPN-LD 33 (MyNet). In the 2005–2006 television season Amarillo was the 131st largest television market in the United States designated by Nielsen Media Research.{{cite web|author=Nielsen Media Research |url=http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html |title=210 Designated Market Areas |access-date=February 9, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207012545/http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html |archive-date=February 7, 2006 |url-status=dead}}

Amarillo is the 168th largest United States radio market in autumn 2005 designated by the radio audience research company, Arbitron. Arbitron rated the five highest-rated commercial radio stations in Fall 2012/Spring 2013 as:

1. KXGL-FM − 100.9 FM- Classic Hits
2. KGNC-FM − 97.9 FM- Country
3. KGNC − 710 AM- News/Talk/Sports
4. KXSS-FM − 96.9 FM- Top 40/CHR
5. KQIZ-FM − 93.1 FM- Rhythmic Top 40/CHR

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 89.9 (Amarillo College), Active Rock KZRK-FM (107.9), and KWTS-FM 91.1 (West Texas A&M University) in nearby Canyon.

Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is a public airport located {{convert|10|mi|0}} east of the central business district of Amarillo, north of Interstate 40. A portion of the former Amarillo Air Force Base was converted to civilian use and became part of the airport.{{Handbook of Texas|id=qba01|name=Amarillo Air Force Base}}. Retrieved on January 25, 2007. The airport is named after NASA astronaut Rick Husband, an Amarillo native and commander of the final flight of Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-107, which disintegrated on re-entry killing Husband and his crewmates. Several major air carriers offer non-stop service to Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, Denver, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Tradewind Airport is a public-use general aviation airport located in Randall County, {{convert|3|nmi|mi km}} south of Amarillo's central business district. The airport covers {{convert|595|acre|ha}} and has two asphalt-paved runways and one helipad.{{FAA-airport|ID=TDW|use=PU|own=PR|site=23324.*A}}. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective June 30, 2011.

Buffalo Airport is a public-use general aviation airport located in Randall County, {{convert|9|nmi|mi km}} south of Amarillo's central business district. The airport covers {{convert|40|acre|ha}} and has two grass runways.{{FAA-airport|ID=1E7|use=PU|own=PR|site=23324.3*A}}. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective June 30, 2011.

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. Each year ACT transports approximately 350,000 passengers on the fixed route and 30,000 paratransit passengers.

Amarillo has no passenger rail service but remains an important part of the rail freight system. The last passenger train out of the city was the Santa Fe Railroad's San Francisco Chief, from Chicago, in 1971. The Texas Zephyr between Denver and Dallas last served Amarillo in 1967.

The BNSF Railway complex in Amarillo continues to serve a heavy daily traffic load, approximately 100–110 trains per day.{{cite news |author=Cunningham, Greg |title=Transportation key to Amarillo's past, future |date=June 26, 2005 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/062605/spe_disama_6.shtml |access-date=January 25, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929090701/http://www.amarillo.com/stories/062605/spe_disama_6.shtml |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} 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 are of 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.

File:Amarillo Tx - Brick Streets.jpg

The streets in Amarillo's downtown area conform to a grid pattern. 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 had been taken by the second president, John Adams.{{cite news |author=Routon, Ralph |title=Street names can honor past, embrace future |date=February 8, 2004 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/020804/new_routon.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} The last president so honored was Grover Cleveland; as the city expanded eastward the pattern was not continued.

While the streets running north–south are designated 'streets', east–west streets are numbered and are designated 'avenues'. North of the Fort Worth & Denver (now BNSF) 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 and SE avenues as W (west) and E (east), respectively. One example of the numbering difference is the former U.S. Highway 66 routing west of downtown and into the San Jacinto neighborhood. Most call it 'West Sixth Street' instead of SW Sixth Avenue.

In 1910, the Amarillo voters had approved to pay for street paving with bricks.{{cite news |author=Parker, Debra A. |title=Brick streets helped build |date=May 17, 2001 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/051701/new_brickstreets.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} As of 2003, the city still has {{convert|16.2|mi}} of brick streets in some parts of the downtown area. In 2002, the city spent $200,000 to restore one block of brick street on Ninth Avenue between Polk and Tyler streets.{{cite news |author=Chapman, Joe |title=Touchstones of history |date=August 10, 2003 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/081003/new_touchstones.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

Amarillo is served by two interstate highways: I-27 and I-40. Amarillo is also the northern terminus for I-27, of which less than one mile (~1.6 km) is located in Potter County. The highway terminates at the city's main west–east highway, Interstate 40, just north of the Potter–Randall county line. 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. North of downtown the highway becomes US 87 & 287 and continues northward to Dumas.

Interstate 40, the city's major east–west thoroughfare, was completed entirely through Amarillo in November 1968 across the center of the city.

File:Route 66 emblem water tower in Amarillo, Texas.jpg

Previously, Route 66 had been the city's major east–west highway, generally following Amarillo Boulevard to the north of the downtown area and then curving southwest to leave the city near the Veterans Hospital. A city route (which had been 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 (now now home to many antique shops, restaurants and other businesses), passing the Amarillo Country Club and veering onto West 9th Street and Bushland Boulevard 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".

In 2015, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) published the plans for the all new Loop 335 freeway that encircles the city of Amarillo.{{cite news |url=http://www.amarillo.com/news/2015-04-07/txdot-lays-out-proposed-loop-335-project |title=TxDOT lays out proposed Loop 335 project |first=Vanessa |last=Garcia |work=Amarillo Globe-News |date=April 7, 2015 |language=en}} TxDOT has planned multiple multi-level interchanges that intersect with Interstate 40, Interstate 27, and U.S. 287 and 87. The first interchange, on the East side of Amarillo, is a multi-level interchange that provides access to both directions of the I-40 Expressway and Loop 335. On the northern side of Amarillo, the loop will be completely reconstructed to an Interstate-Grade freeway with complete grade separations and will be expanded to four lanes. It also includes a stack interchange that will connect the new freeway to the future I-27 Ports to Plains Corridor (Highway 287, 87).{{cite web|url=https://www.portstoplains.com/index.php|title=Home - Ports-to-Plains Alliance|website=www.portstoplains.com}}{{cite web|url=http://apps.dot.state.tx.us/apps-cq/project_tracker/|title=Project Tracker|website=apps.dot.state.tx.us|access-date=March 10, 2018|archive-date=March 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311120723/http://apps.dot.state.tx.us/apps-cq/project_tracker/|url-status=dead}} I-27 in Southern Amarillo will be entirely reconstructed from Buffalo Stadium Rd. at the Canyon E-Way Interchange to Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It will accommodate six lanes at the mainlane bridge along with a complete stack interchange with direct connectors to and from I-27. Furthermore, another triple-level interchange will be built to accommodate Soncy Road, Helium Road, I-27 and the new loop. Also, another new mainlane bridge that accommodates up to six lanes is also in the works for I-40 near Helium Rd. providing easier access to the new freeway.{{cite web|url=https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/about/hearings-meetings/amarillo/040715.html|title=Public Meeting - State Loop 335|first=Texas Department of Transportation (State of|last=Texas)|website=www.txdot.gov}} Although construction started in 2016, the entire project, which includes converting the entire loop to Interstate Specifications, was not expected to be complete until 2024.{{cite web|url=http://www.theamarilloloop.com/|title=CloudAccess.net Message|website=www.theamarilloloop.com|access-date=March 10, 2018|archive-date=September 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922105437/http://theamarilloloop.com/|url-status=dead}}

File:Amarillo Texas USA - Harrington Regional Medical Center.jpg

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 and Mental Retardation. All are located in the Harrington Regional Medical Center, the first specifically designated city hospital district in Texas.{{Handbook of Texas|id=sbhfz|name=Harrington Regional Medical Center}}. Retrieved on January 25, 2007.

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.{{cite news |author=Schwarz, George |title=BSA facilities receive honors |date=July 8, 2005 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/070805/new_2305721.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} BSA was a result of a 1996 merger between the Texas Panhandle's first hospital, St Anthony's, with High Plains Baptist Hospital.{{cite news |author=Hernandez, Basil |title=Harrington Cancer Center joining BSA |date=March 23, 2006 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/032306/new_4286261.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} 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 to be built and opened without debt.{{cite news |author=Feduris, Marlene |title=Officials unveil book about city's hospice care |date=September 18, 2002 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/091802/new_unveilbook.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

File:Tttu amarillo.JPG

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. The facility opened in 1940 and was renamed in 2005, honoring the 18-year-old Amarillo Marine who had been posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.{{cite web |author= Library of Congress – Congressional Records |url= http://icreport.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r108:H13SE4-0025: |title= Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center – (House of Representatives – September 13, 2004) |access-date= April 17, 2006 |archive-date= June 30, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140630173028/http://icreport.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r108:H13SE4-0025: |url-status= dead }} 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; the Texas government will run it after construction is completed.{{cite news |author=Cunningham, Greg |title=Veterans home on its way |date=March 11, 2005 |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/031105/new_1466138.shtml|access-date= January 25, 2007}} The Ussery-Roan Texas State Veterans Home opened in 2007.{{Cite web |title=Amarillo |url=https://vlb.texas.gov/veterans-homes/locations/amarillo/index.html |access-date=2022-09-14 |website=vlb.texas.gov |quote=The Ussery-Roan Texas State Veterans Home opened in 2007...}}

Drinking water is provided by the City of Amarillo and its Utilities Division. Amarillo's water supply used to come from both from Lake Meredith and the Ogallala Aquifer. Due to the lake's low water level, water is now only supplied by the aquifer. Lake Meredith is located northeast of Amarillo and in 2005 it contained at least {{convert|114|e9USgal|m3}} of water. By 2011, lake levels had dropped so much due to the Texas drought that the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority voted to stop using it entirely.{{cite news |agency= Associated Press |url= https://www.usatoday.com/weather/drought/story/2011-10-14/texas-drought-abandoned-lake-meredith/50773340/1 |title= Texas drought leaves lake too low for cities' use |access-date= November 22, 2011 |work=USA Today |date=October 14, 2011}} However, increased rainfall in recent years{{When|date=September 2022}} has helped the lake regain much of its volume.{{Cite web|url=https://www.myhighplains.com/news/recent-rains-add-1-5-billion-gallons-of-water-to-lake-meredith/|title=Recent rains add ~1.5 Billion gallons of water to Lake Meredith|date=2019-06-04|website=KAMR - MyHighPlains.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-27}} Generally, the city's daily water production averages between {{convert|40|-|50|e6USgal|m3}}.{{cite web |author= City of Amarillo's Utilities Division |url= http://www.ci.amarillo.tx.us/departments/dirutils/pdf/2005%20CCR%20MSWORD.pdf |title= 2005 Water Quality Report |access-date= January 28, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060305124221/http://www.ci.amarillo.tx.us/departments/dirutils/pdf/2005%20CCR%20MSWORD.pdf |archive-date= March 5, 2006 |url-status= dead }}

Collection and disposal of the city's trash and garbage are the responsibilities of the City of Amarillo's Solid Waste Collection and Solid Waste Disposal Departments. Amarillo's non-hazardous solid waste is collected for burial in the city's landfill. The City of Amarillo also operates recycling collection centers, one located near the downtown area and four at fire stations in the city.{{cite web |author=City of Amarillo |url=http://www.ci.amarillo.tx.us/departments/solidwaste.htm |title=Solid Waste Departments |access-date=February 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051109090305/http://www.ci.amarillo.tx.us/departments/solidwaste.htm |archive-date=November 9, 2005 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }} Other utilities are primarily provided by private organizations. Natural gas is distributed by Atmos Energy. Electric power service is distributed by Xcel Energy, through its wholly owned subsidiary, the Amarillo-based Southwestern Public Service Company.{{cite web |title=Xcel Energy Inc (XEL.O) |url=https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/company-profile/XEL.O |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706001443/https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/company-profile/XEL.O |archive-date=July 6, 2018 |website=Reuters}} Wired telephone service is mainly provided by AT&T. Cable television is primarily provided by Suddenlink Communications.

The city gained national media attention in 1998 when local cattlemen unsuccessfully sued television talk show host Oprah Winfrey for comments made on her show connecting American beef to mad cow disease, costing them and their industry millions of dollars.{{cite news|author=Frankel, Daniel |title=Ranchers Say Oprah Created Lynch Mob Mentality |date=January 21, 1998 |work=E! News |url=http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,2414,00.html |access-date=January 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205144423/http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0%2C1%2C2414%2C00.html |archive-date=December 5, 2004}} 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.{{cite news|author=Donald, Mark |title=Analyze this |date=April 13, 2000 |work=Dallas Observer |url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2000-04-13/news/feature.html |access-date=January 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050415135131/http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/2000-04-13/news/feature.html |archive-date=April 15, 2005}} McGraw would later become a regular guest on Winfrey's television show and subsequently started his own talk show, Dr. Phil, in 2002.

Another notable trial in Amarillo was 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. The trial was moved from Fort Worth to Amarillo in 1977 on a change of venue.{{cite web |author= Court TV's Crime Library |url= http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/t_cullen_davis/7.html |title= T. Cullen Davis: The Best Justice Money Can Buy |access-date= May 25, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060516151611/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/t_cullen_davis/7.html |archive-date= May 16, 2006 |url-status= dead }} The 1997 murder of Brian Deneke and subsequent trial also brought national attention because it highlighted social divisions in the community that mirrored those in America as a whole. The defendant in the trial was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and received a light sentence.{{cite magazine |last1=Colloff |first1=Pamela |title=The Outsiders |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-outsiders/ |access-date=15 June 2019 |issue=November 1999 |magazine=Texas Monthly}} The movie Bomb City is based on the events surrounding Deneke's murder.

The small town of Tulia, Texas, approximately {{convert|47|mi|0}} south from Amarillo, was the scene of a controversial drug sting in 1999. Local civil rights attorney Jeff Blackburn took up the case of the Tulia defendants, which became a cause célèbre and resulted in the exoneration and pardon of the defendants.Nate Blakeslee. Tulia: Race, Cocaine, and Corruption in a Small Texas Town. New York: PublicAffairs. {{ISBN|1-58648-454-0}} 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.{{cite web |author= Court TV's Crime Library |url= http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/tom_coleman/6.html |title= The Tulia Sting |access-date= July 30, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061022120153/http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/tom_coleman/6.html |archive-date= October 22, 2006 |url-status= dead |df= mdy-all }}{{cite web|author=NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund |url=http://www.naacpldf.org/content.aspx?article=277 |title=Bad Times In Tulia, TX |access-date=July 30, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213202445/http://www.naacpldf.org/content.aspx?article=277 |archive-date=February 13, 2006}}

On May 5, 2020, Amarillo ranked 13th in the nation for Highest Average Daily Growth Rate of COVID-19 cases by the New York Times.{{cite news|author=The New York Times |title= Five Ways to Follow the Coronavirus Outbreak for Any Metro Area in the U.S.|date=May 5, 2020 |work=The New York Times |url=http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/23/upshot/five-ways-to-monitor-coronavirus-outbreak-us.html|access-date=May 7, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505220740/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/23/upshot/five-ways-to-monitor-coronavirus-outbreak-us.html |archive-date=May 5, 2020}}

Amarillo has been mentioned in popular music such as

• "Amarillo" (Gorillaz)
• "Amarillo by Morning" (notably covered by George Strait)
• "Amarillo Sky" (Jason Aldean)
• "Blame It on Texas" (Mark Chesnutt)
• "Brownsville Girl" (Bob Dylan, who refers to Amarillo as the "land of the living dead")
• "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" (Nat King Cole)
• "My Rifle, My Pony, and Me" (Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson, featured in Rio Bravo and later in several episodes of The Sopranos)
• "A Quick Death In Texas" (Clutch)
• "Running Gun" (Marty Robbins)
• "Two Lane Blacktop" (Rob Zombie)

Tony Christie's 1971 cover of "Is This the Way to Amarillo", written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, topped the UK Singles Chart for seven weeks in 2005, breaking the record for the longest time taken for a song to top the UK Singles Chart after its original release set by Jackie Wilson's "Reet Petite" in December 1986. Christie's record was broken 16 years later when "Last Christmas" by Wham! topped the UK Singles Chart in January 2021, 36 years and 1 month after its original release (a record subsequently broken in June 2022 when "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush topped the chart 36 years and 10 months after it originally entered the chart).{{cite news |title=Amarillo tops 2005 single sales |date= January 2, 2006|work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4575226.stm|access-date= January 25, 2007}}{{cite news |title=Tony Christie tops singles chart |date= March 20, 2005|work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4366721.stm|access-date= January 25, 2007}}

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.{{cite web |author= Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council |url= http://www.amarillofilm.org/ |title= Amarillo CVC Film Commission |access-date= February 9, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060313003228/http://www.amarillofilm.org/ |archive-date= March 13, 2006 |url-status= live}} Amarillo was the setting for several motion pictures, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Switchback, and The Plutonium Circus, the 1995 South by Southwest Film Festival winner for best documentary feature. Amarillo also features heavily in the Better Call Saul episode of the same name, the third of the show's second season, in which protagonist Jimmy McGill visits the city to solicit clients.{{cite web|title=Amarillo|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4462676/|website=IMDB|date=February 29, 2016}}

{{Portal|Texas}}

• U.S. Route 66-Sixth Street Historic District
• List of museums in the Texas Panhandle
• List of notable people from Amarillo, Texas
• Teel Bivins

{{Reflist}}

{{notelist}}

{{See also|Timeline of Amarillo, Texas#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of Amarillo, Texas}}

• {{cite book|title=Amarillo: The Story of a Western Town|author=Carlson, Paul H. |year=2006 |publisher=Texas Tech University Press |isbn=978-0-89672-587-4 }} An illustrated history of the Queen City of the Texas Panhandle.

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{{Wikivoyage|Amarillo}}

• [http://www.amarillo.gov/ City of Amarillo]
• [http://www.amarillo-chamber.org/ Amarillo Chamber of Commerce]

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Category:Cities in Amarillo metropolitan area

Category:Cities in Potter County, Texas

Category:Cities in Randall County, Texas

Category:Cities in Texas

Category:County seats in Texas

Category:Populated places established in 1887