By the time the federal building was constructed, Amarillo was a thriving community. The city was established in 1887 and grew quickly thanks to the cattle industry. Then, after oil and natural gas were discovered in the 1920s, the population grew even more. As the city grew, so did the volume of mail and the need for an increase in mail service. When the first post office opened in 1887, it offered fourth-class service; when a post office building was erected in 1908, it offered first-class service. The federal government built the first federal post office building, a three-story structure, in 1914 at 620 Taylor Street. The rapid growth of the city in the 1920s prompted the federal government to make plans to erect a new structure—the current building—in the mid-1930s and it was built in 1939. The public response to the new building wasn't totally positive, as people said it looked like a "shoebox" with windows. As a result, a cornice was added along the upper edge of the building. Post office operations continued until 1977 when they were moved to another building.

Designed in the Moderne style, the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building was built in 1939.

Clow, Victoria Green. "Amarillo U.S. Post Office and Courthouse." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.

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The J. Marvin Jones Federal Building was built in 1939 as a United States Post Office and Courthouse. It is historically significant for its architecture and association with "New Deal" federal works programs of the 1930s, which provided employment during the Great Depression. Though not as large as the buildings around it, it holds a prominent place in downtown Amarillo and provides a physical space for the federal government in the city. In terms of architecture, the building was designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick in the Moderne style. It is also known for its large murals located in the former lobby painted by artist Julius Woeltz in 1940. The murals depict the history, cultures, industries, and agricultural life of the Texas Panhandle.   

J. Marvin Jones Federal Building

This tour is a work in progress, and we hope to add a few more entries soon. 

Amarillo Texas Downtown Walking Tour

The museum's collection covers Amarillo's entire history, including formative periods and struggles such as the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and tornados and other natural disasters. Highlights include the archives of the National Wrestling Alliance Amarillo promotion, a Civil War firearms collection, the first railroad rail laid in Amarillo, autographs of local celebrities such as wrestler Dennis Stamp, a collection of The Amarillo Globe News newspapers, many books that explore the history of the Panhandle, the largest collection of political memorabilia in the Panhandle, and the archives of the Confederate Veterans Convention in Amarillo. The museum is relatively new and only open by appointment.

Founded in 2013, the Amarillo Historical Museum is located on the second floor of a former elementary school. It explores the city's history beginning from the construction of the first railroad line to today. It was established by local businessman Tom "Bub" Warren, who wanted to showcase the city's rich history. The museum is housed on the third floor of a former elementary school. Numerous items are on display including photographs, memorabilia, and artifacts. 

Amarillo Historical Museum

Landergin BrothersPatrick and John Landergin were born in 1854 and 1856, respectively, on a dairy farm in New York. They were the sons of Irish immigrants who fled the potato famine in Ireland in the 1840s. When they were teenagers, the brothers worked as trail drivers in Kansas and throughout the Southwest. They settled in Eureka, Kansas in 1875 and, at some point during these early years, invested in a herd of longhorn cattle. Eventually, the acquired 2,600 acres of land in three ranches. They sold the cattle to markets in England and became wealthy as a result. As prominent members in the community, Pat was elected to the Kansas legislature and was a trustee of two colleges in Kansas, a director of Eureka Bank (John was also a director), and director of the Kansas Livestock Association.In the early 1900s, severe drought resulted in a sharp decline in the cattle market, prompting the brothers to move to Amarillo, where they first leased then eventually bought 92,000 acres. They would acquire more land in the coming years, totaling around 1.5 million acres in three states by 1916. Pat became director and later president of the Panhandle Cattlemen's Association and John became vice-president of the Southwester Cattle Raiser's Association. The brothers also established the town of Vega in 1907. In 1917, they were founding members of the Amarillo Oil Company, which was the first company to drill for oil and natural in the Panhandle. After the brothers died, one of their nephews, Frank Donegan, took over their business interests. Unfortunately, the decline in the cattle industry during the 1920s caused serious financial problems for Donegan, as supporting the cattle ranches strained the bank and oil/gas activities. Unable to maintain the family business, Donegan was forced to terminate it. The house in Amarillo was impounded and sold at auction to the Harringtons in 1940; the rest of the business interests were eventually sold off in the early 1940s.Don and Sybil HarringtonDon Harrington was a businessman and engineer. He came to Amarillo in the 1926 and leveraged his skills to purchase oil and gas leases. He also designed a processing plant called the Cargray Plant. He would eventually become one of the most successful oilmen in the industry. Sybil was born in Amarillo and developed a love for the arts beginning at a young age, particularly music and dance. She and Don got married in 1935. Don, too, had a love for the arts. Over the years, they acquired fine and decorative art pieces on their travels to Europe. Famous artists represented in the collection include Monet, Renoir, and Degas. They held an open house in 1968 to exhibit the collection to support the Amarillo Fine Arts Association. The Harringtons donated 45 works of 19th century European to the Phoenix Museum of Art. They also established the Don and Sybil Harrington Foundation (now called the Amarillo Area Foundation) in 1951 to provide philanthropic support to a variety of educational, medical, cultural, historical, and humanitarian organizations and causes. Sybil continued these activities after Don passed away in 1974; she died in 1998.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, Harrington House is one of Amarillo's most important and recognizable landmarks. It was built in 1914 by brothers John and Patrick Landergin, who became wealthy cattle ranchers in the late 19th century. Later, it was the home of wealthy oilman Don Harrington and his wife, Sybil, who were also prominent figures in the community. In terms of architecture, the house is a fine example of Neoclassical architecture, featuring a two-story portico, a symmetrical design, an ornate interior, and a collection of fine and decorative arts. The house has twenty rooms, eight bathrooms, and seven fireplaces. Today, the home is a museum and open to tours by appointment.

Harrington House

The origins of First Baptist Church date to 1889 when the initial group of 16 members established the congregation. They built the original, 36x60-foot church structure the following year. By this time, the population in Amarillo numbered only 150; however, the city grew quickly thanks to the railroads, which provided fast transportation for agricultural goods. Amarillo soon became an important regional center. As Amarillo grew, so did the congregation. To accommodate the increasing number of members, the congregation erected a second church in 1908 at 9th and Polk Streets. It served the congregation for less than 20 years, however, as it too became too small. The third and current structure was completed in 1930 at a cost of a half-million dollars. Over the next few decades, the congregation added new buildings, creating the large complex that occupies much of the city block today. The original church building was moved to its current location at the corner of Tyler Street and 12th Avenue in 1964.

First Baptist Church is one of Amarillo's largest and most striking landmarks. It is somewhat unique in that it does not exhibit a particular architectural style. However, it does incorporate a theme of rounded arches on the exterior and in the interior. It also features decorative moldings (on the exterior) and decorative, painted ornamentation in the interior. As such, the interior is arguably more striking than the exterior. First Baptist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. 

First Baptist Church

The church was established in 1890 as the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Two years later, it built the first church building at 620 Fillmore Street. During the next several years the church congregation grew and eventually, it became clear that a new building was needed. As a result, the congregation erected its second home at 1000 Taylor Street and named it Central Presbyterian Church in 1909. As noted above, the city grew quickly in the 1920s; the congregation mirrored this growth and soon became too large for the building on Taylor Street. This is what prompted the construction of the current building, which took about two years to complete. Over time, additional structures were built creating a large complex that includes an education building and a chapel. Interesting features of the church building itself include flying buttresses, lancet-arched openings, and Tudor-arched stained glass windows. It is unclear when the church's named was changed to its current one.

Built in 1926 and originally called Central Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church is a fine example of the Gothic Revival architectural style. It is located south of downtown Amarillo in one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city called the Plemons Addition. The church was erected during a period in which the city grew significantly thanks to the booming oil and natural gas industries. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. 

First Presbyterian Church

Henry Sanford was born in St. Lawrence, New York in 1845. He moved to DeKalb, Illinois when he was 19 and got a job working at a hardware firm for a man named Joseph F. Glidden. There he met and fell in love with Glidden's niece Ellen Wheeler. They got married in 1868 and and would eventually have one son, Ellwood Bradley, who was also born in 1868. At some point, Sanford started selling wooden gutters, and then started selling horses with a partner in 1872. Then in 1875, Glidden proposed to both men that they sell his new invention, barbed wire, to Texas ranchers (he asked Sanbord to be the chief sales man). It took some time, but eventually the sales of barbed wire increased significantly and by 1876, sales reached nearly one million dollars.In the coming years, Sanborn started buying thousands of acres land for cattle ranches and also got involved with real estate. After the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway built a line through the Panhandle in 1887, Sanborn platted a townsite—what would be come Amarillo—on a large ranch he owned, hoping to establish Amarillo as the county seat, which did eventually happen. He also built the Amarillo Hotel and the city's first waterworks. As noted above, Sanford built the house in 1902. It was originally located on the block where the Amarillo Civic Center is now. An iron fence surrounded the property and he also a built a carriage, horses, and an office building. Sanford lived in the house until he passed away in 1912; Ellen remained until she died in 1921 (Ellwood, sadly, died in 1890; the park across from the house is named after him). The next owner, Charles D. Hoover, moved the house to its current location in 1923. As of this writing, the house appears to be the location of a law office.

Built in 1902, the H.B. Sanborn House is one of the oldest homes in Amarillo. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, the house is named after Henry Bradley Sanborn, who is considered as the "father of Amarillo." In terms of design, the home is an excellent and rare example Italianate architecture in the city. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. 

H.B. Sanborn House

Lee Bivins was born on October 7, 1862 in Grayson County, Texas. His father was a rancher, owner of a mercantile store, and also operated the first mill in the county. Bivins followed in his father's footsteps, acquiring his own herd of cattle and operating two general store before he was 20 years old. He married his wife, Mary Gilbert, whom he had known since childhood, in 1882 (they would have two daughters and two sons; only the sons survived into adulthood). In 1889, Bivins established a store and wheat mill in the town of Claude and also bought a ranch few miles to the southwest. He was elected county commissioner the next year. Within a few years, he and his family moved to Amarillo after he bought a ranch northwest of the town. And as noted above, he built the house in 1905. In the coming years Bivins purchased more and more land. At the time of his death he owned around 500,000 acres, which made him the largest cattle ranch owner in the world. He usually owned approximately 60,000 cattle as well. In addition, large natural gas and oil deposits were found on his land as well. Bivins also owned property in Amarillo and was a stockholder in many firms in the Panhandle. In Amarillo, he played a role in establishing the city's first airport (called the Panhandle Aerial Service and Transportation Company) and became its first president. He was elected mayor in 1925 and served in that position until he died of a heard attack in 1929. He was buried in Llano Cemetery.

The Bivins House is a large brick mansion that is now the location of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce. It was built by its namesake, Lee Bivins (1862-1929), in 1905. Bivins was an important figure in Amarillo during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A successful oilman and rancher, Bivins was also a philanthropist and civic leader, serving as city commissioner and then mayor. In terms of architecture, the house is a fine example of the Georgian Revival style. It features Edwardian bay windows, leaded glass, large dormer windows, a two-story portico, limestone trim, and other decorative elements. 

Bivins House

Rail service in Amarillo began in 1887, which was the same year Potter County was established. Within a couple of decades, as the city grew thanks in large part to the railroads, Amarillo became a key regional economic hub and the most important city in the Panhandle. One factor for this development was that the city was an entry point to Southwest, which was sparsely populated at the time. To encourage settlement, the company setup a department to attract settlers (through a variety of means including publishing booklets and maps) and even started agricultural education programs. To these ends, the company employed salesmen, colonization agents, and agricultural agents. The discovery of natural gas and oil in 1918 contributed to Amarillo's growth as well, as the Santa Fe railroad built short rail lines to better facilitate distribution of petroleum (and agricultural) products in the region. These developments prompted the company to erect the Santa Fe Building. For several decades, the company was the biggest employer in the city and an active corporate citizen. The company moved out of the building in 1989 and sold it to Potter County in 1995, which uses it for county offices. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Constructed in 1930, the Santa Fe Building was the tallest building in the city for forty years. An excellent example of Gothic Revival architecture, it was built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway company to be its new regional headquarters. Company architect E.A. Harrison designed the building, which is fourteen stories tall. Given its association with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, the building represents how important the company was to the local and regional economy. Today, the building houses county offices and commercial space on the ground floor. 

Santa Fe Building

Fisk erected the building during a prosperous time in Amarillo. The oil and natural gas industries were booming and Amarillo had become an important economic center for the Panhandle region. The building therefore represents the high status the city had reached up to that point. Over the next few decades, the type of tenants changed. Fewer doctors offices were located in the building as insurance grain/agricultural businesses moved in. In the 1960s, and oil and gas businesses and companies leased most of the offices. This gradual shift reflected the growth of the oil and gas sectors as the dominant industries in the city. The building became hotel in 2010. It is the only hotel in the city listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Fisk Medical Arts Building is one of Amarillo's best-known landmarks. Designed by architect Guy Anton Carlander, the building 10-stories tall and was built in 1928 by banker Charles A. Fisk, who was the president of the Amarillo Bank and Trust. The building, which is named after Fisk, is a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, featuring a red-brick facade with terra cotta detailing, pointed arches, and other decorative elements. The bank occupied the first floor and various medical offices leased the upper floors. The building is now a Marriott hotel.

Fisk Medical Arts Building

The idea for the tower originated with Tulsa developer, TransAmerica Group, in 1968. It approached a local social/business club called the Amarillo Club, which owned the land on which the tower now stands. The club opened in 1947 and by the late 1960s, they wanted more space, parking, and to offer dinner service—all of which they did not have in their building at the time. TransAmerica offered the penthouse of the tower to the club and they agreed; the club continues to occupy the space today. The project had two major investors and tenants, the American National Bank of Amarillo and Southwestern Public Service, which is a regional public utilities company. The tower spurred the development of the downtown, including the construction of the 16-story Amarillo National Bank, and therefore is a symbol of the city's economic vitality.

Originally known as the SPS Tower, the FirstBank Southwest Tower is the tallest building in Amarillo. It is also significant for representing Amarillo's growth, development, and economic stability during the post-World War II period. Built in 1971, the tower is 31-stories tall and reaches a height of 374 feet. Tulsa architecture firm Kelley Marshall and Associates designed it in the New Formalist style. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. 


FirstBank Southwest Tower

As the population of Amarillo grew during the early 20th century, residents began to demand more government services including a free library. In 1902, a local young women's club took it upon themselves to get the ball rolling when they opened a library in a house. During the next several years, the library grew and was moved to a number of locations. Eventually the Board of City Development took over the library by 1915. Construction for the new library building finally began in 1921 and was finished a year later. Interestingly, the building had a public lounge facilities in the basement, allowing shoppers and tourists—mainly women and children—to rest during visits to downtown.

Constructed in 1922, the historic Potter County Library is located next to the Potter County Courthouse. Both were designed by local architect William C. Townes. Townes designed the building, which now houses county offices, in the Prairie School style. The two-story structure (and a basement) features a somewhat simple appearance with geometric detailing. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. 

Potter County Library

The courthouse is the fifth built for the county, which built the first one in 1888. When the current structure was erected, the economy of the Panhandle region was booming thanks to the oil industry, which emerged in the 1920s. The courthouse was built to accommodate the growing needs of the county. Prominent local officials also wanted a building that reflected Amarillo's emergence as the region's key economic center. Architect William C. Townes, who designed the adjacent Potter County Library building, designed the courthouse, which is considered one of the best Art Deco courthouses in the state. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Constructed in 1932, the Potter County Courthouse and is historically significant in two ways. One is that it is a fine example of Art Deco architecture. It features decorative bas relief elements including flowering cactus, Native Americans wrapped in blankets, pioneers carrying rifles, and local wildlife and vegetation. The courthouse is also significant for its role in the local political and economic history of the county. It continues to serve as the seat of county government.

Potter County Courthouse

By the time the federal building was constructed, Amarillo was a thriving community. The city was established in 1887 and grew quickly thanks to the cattle industry. Then, after oil and natural gas were discovered in the 1920s, the population grew even more. As the city grew, so did the volume of mail and the need for an increase in mail service. When the first post office opened in 1887, it offered fourth-class service; when a post office building was erected in 1908, it offered first-class service. The federal government built the first federal post office building, a three-story structure, in 1914 at 620 Taylor Street. The rapid growth of the city in the 1920s prompted the federal government to make plans to erect a new structure—the current building—in the mid-1930s and it was built in 1939. The public response to the new building wasn't totally positive, as people said it looked like a "shoebox" with windows. As a result, a cornice was added along the upper edge of the building. Post office operations continued until 1977 when they were moved to another building.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway DepotThe Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company (AT&amp;SF) first arrived in Texas in 1886 and then Amarillo a few years later. Thanks to the railroads, by 1900 Amarillo emerged as the key regional economic hub in the Panhandle and one of the largest shipping and distribution centers (for agricultural goods) in the country. The discovery of oil and natural gas in the region increased railroad activity further. This success prompted the construction of the depot, which served passengers. The depot also had a restaurant called the Harvey House, which was popular among travelers and local residents alike.After World War II, railroad usage around the country decreased as planes, trucks, and cars gradually took over. Fortunately, the AT&amp;SF depot was not demolished and served a number of purposes over the years. In December 2018, it was suggested that the building become a food fall. In 2019, it became the temporary location of the Amarillo Community Market.Locomotive 5000The Baldwin Locomotive Works, a locomotive building company located in Philadelphia, built the Madam Queen in 1930. The locomotive was the biggest and most famous of the AT&amp;SF railroad. Weighing almost a million pounds. It operated until November 1953 and the company donated it to the city in 1957. In 2003, the Railroad Artifact Preservation Society Inc., a local non-profit, signed an agreement with the city to restore and build a museum for the locomotive. It moved the 5000 to its current location and over the course of the next three years restored it. In 2016, the city announced plans to sell it. However, it appears that the 5000 has not been sold as of yet it and remains on display at its present location. The Society is still hoping the build the museum in the future.

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company Depot is the only historic train station in Amarillo still standing today. Originally built in 1910 (it was expanded in later years), the depot is a fine example of Spanish-Revival architecture, reflecting the culture of the Southwest. It is also a reminder of how integral railroads were to the city in the late 19th and 20th centuries. On display a few blocks away from the depot, at the corner of 2nd and S. Lincoln Street, is the Locomotive 5000, a large steam-locomotive built in 1930. Given the nickname the "Madam Queen," it was a powerful and fast and traveled 1.75 million miles over the course of its service. It appears that the depot is vacant as of October 2019 but the city is in the process of developing new ideas for it.

Amarillo Texas Downtown Walking Tour

J. Marvin Jones Federal Building

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

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