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| Landmark # | Potter County | Visited: November 3, 2018 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | A plaque on the side of a building in Amarillo! |
| What makes it historical? | THE PLAQUE SAYS: Construction of a railroad across the Panhandle led to the founding of Amarillo as County Seat of Potter County, Aug. 30, 1887.
For the ensuing ten years, Amarillo had a monopoly on trade from the South Plains, and was the nation’s largest rural cattle shipping point, 1892-97. But in 1898 its trade was threatened and the city’s very existence jeopardized when it appeared that the (Santa Fe sponsored) Pecos Valley & North Eastern Railway, to be built to Roswell, N.M. (220 mi. SW), might make junction with the Santa Fe at Washburn (15 mi. SE), cutting off ready access to the South Plains. The Santa Fe, however, responded to requests from the citizens to make Amarillo the terminus of the new line. The Santa Fe acquired the Pecos Valley & North Eastern in 1899 and moved headquarters from Panhandle (30 mi. NE) to Amarillo. In 1908 the Santa Fe extended its main line here from Panhandle and built a link from Texico, N.M., to Belen, N.M., making Amarillo a major point on the transcontinental line. These measures, together with construction of branch lines, contributed vitally to making Amarillo the commercial center of the High Plains. (1973) OTHER TIDBITS: That pretty well sums it up! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| How do I find it? | Listed Directions: On Santa Fe Building 800 Polk Street Amarillo, TX 79101 Annotations: From Austin: ~484mi (779km) — 8.1hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |