Amarillo, Texas

Amarillo is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas and is part of the West Texas region. It is the county seat of Potter County{{GR|6}} and a portion the city extends to Randall County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 173,627; however its metropolitan area (MSA) population is now estimated at well over 220,000. The famous Route 66 passes through Amarillo. The city's name derives from the nearby Amarillo Lake and Amarillo Creek, named in turn for the yellow soil along their banks and shores (Amarillo is the Spanish word for yellow, the color).

History

• 1541 - A Spanish conquistador named Francisco Coronado was the first European to visit the Amarillo region.
• 1887 - Amarillo was founded.
• 1913 - Amarillo is the first Texas city to use the council-manager form of government. {{ref|council}}
• 1918 - The discovery of oil in the Texas Panhandle brought oil and gas companies to the region.
• 1929 - The Amarillo Helium Plant started operations.
• 1934 - Amarillo was hit by the infamous Dust Bowl.
• 1950s to 1960s - Amarillo's population grew 85 percent, from 74,443 to 137,969.
• 1968 - The closure of the Amarillo Air Force Base, contributed to the decline in population to 127,010 by 1970.
• 1980 - The population of Amarillo reached to 149,230 and its city limits encompassed 60 square miles in Potter and Randall counties.
• 2000 - The population of Amarillo reached 173,627. (The city's estimated population in July of 2002 was 177,010, a 1.9% rise from the 2000 census figure, and the most recent estimate available.) The Amarillo MSA is estimated at well over 210,000.