Amarillo TX Moving Companies

Amarillo, Texas

Amarillo, Texas is the county seat of Potter County (despite lying partially in neighboring Randall County) and the principal city of the Texas Panhandle region. The city has a population of 192,000, making it the 15th-largest city in the state. Amarillo and the surrounding region are notable for wide-open spaces and sunshine, as well as industry and cattle ranching. Although Amarillo’s position may seem remote, the city actually lies at the crossroads of routes between Oklahoma City and Albuquerque and between Dallas and Denver. Anyone moving to Amarillo can take advantage of these draws and more.

Economy:
The biggest employers in Amarillo include Tyson Foods (the biggest single employer, with 3,700 workers), the Amarillo Independent School District, Pantex, the Baptist St. Anthony’s Health Care System, the City of Amarillo, the Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Amarillo College and United Supermarkets. In addition to these employers, industries such as ranching, oil and gas production and military manufacture contribute a large part to the Amarillo economy. Ranching in particular is important, with Amarillo feedlots and ranches producing as much as 25 percent of all beef in the country. The two big military industries are Bell Helicopter Textron and Pantex. The first of these, opened in 1999, produces Tiltrotor military helicopters, while Pantex functions as the countries only nuclear weapon assembly and disassembly plant. Today, Amarillo moving companies bring in new residents who are seeking these exciting job opportunities.

History:
The future site of Amarillo was part of the 1541 exploration of the Great Plains carried out by Francisco Coronado, but permanent settlement of the area had to wait more than 300 years. The earliest settler in the Amarillo area was Colonel Charles Goodnight, who built a ranch with 1600 head of cattle in 1876. The land became a town with the building of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad in the 1880s. J.T. Berry chose the site for its proximity to both water and the tracks and had the town approved as the county seat in 1887. In the following year, the town began to move eastward onto land owned by Henry B. Sanborn and Joseph F. Glidden as a precaution against potential flooding. Floods did occur in 1889, prompting the complete moving of the town and the reassigning of the county seat to the new town site. Natural gas was discovered in 1918, followed by oil in 1921, joining the railway in contributing to the town’s prosperity. Although the Dust Bowl and Depression of the 1930s were felt strongly in Amarillo, economic revival occurred through the growth of industry and the opening of military-related facilities.

Tourism:
Amarillo is home a majority of the region’s recreational and cultural activity and thus boasts many musical, historical and artistic attractions. The two main historic districts are found along Polk Street (featuring homes from the beginning of the 20th century) and along the old Route 66 highway (with many shops and restaurants). Musical highlights of Amarillo include a ballet company, a symphony orchestra, an opera and several theater companies. The city has several museums, the most prominent of which are the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, the Kwahdi Museum of the American Indian, the Amarillo Museum of Art and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum. With a zoo, botanical gardens, amusement park and natural attractions, there are many outdoor activities in Amarillo as well. To reach Amarillo by air, the closest airport is the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, which offers flights to and from Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Denver. You can get around Amarillo on buses provided by the Amarillo City Transit System.

Colleges/Universities:

• West Texas A&M University
• Texas Tech Health Sciences Center
• Amarillo College
• Wayland Baptist University

Interesting Facts:

• In 1929, Amarillo was a stop on the first continuous and scheduling air passenger and mail service that flew from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
• Amarillo’s name means “yellow” in Spanish and is probably related to either the yellow mud of Amarillo Creek or to the common yellow flowers found in the region. Amarillo residents of the early years often painted buildings yellow to honor the name.
• In 1998, cattle ranchers from Amarillo unsuccessfully sued television personality Oprah Winfrey after she made comments that linked mad cow disease to American beef production. The trial was held in Amarillo and lasted almost a year. During this period, Winfrey taped her show in the Amarillo Little Theatre.

Helpful Links:

• Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council
• City of Amarillo