title: Timeline of Amarillo, Texas
text: # Timeline of Amarillo, Texas
  
  The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Amarillo, Texas, USA.
  
  ## 19th century
  
  Part of a series on the :
  
  History of Texas :
  
  Timeline :
  
  | Pre-Columbian Texas | |
  | - | - |
  | Early Spanish explorations | 1519– |
  | French Texas | 1684–1689 |
  | Spanish Texas | 1690–1821 |
  | Mexican Texas | 1821–1836 |
  | Republic of Texas | 1836–1845 |
  | Statehood | 1845–1860 |
  | Civil War Era | 1861–1865 |
  | Reconstruction | 1865–1899 |
  
  Texas portal :
  
  vte :
  
  * 1889 - Town of Amarillo incorporated.
  * 1890 - Population: 482.
  * 1892 - W. W. Wetsel becomes mayor.
  * 1899 - City of Amarillo incorporated.
  * 1900 - Population: 1,442.
  
  ## 20th century
  
  * 1905 - Amarillo Livestock Auction begins. It will go on to become the world's largest seller of cattle by open $bidding.^{:169}$
  * 1907 - Grand Opera House built.
  * 1909
     * Amarillo News begins publication.
     * Amarillo National Bank established.
  * 1910 - Population: 9,957.
  * 1914 - Amarillo Police Department formed.
  * 1915 - Panhandle Weekly newspaper begins publication.
  * 1918 - "Natural gas discovered."
  * 1921 - "Oil discovered."
  * 1924
     * Amarillo Globe newspaper begins publication.
     * Tri-State Fairgrounds open.
  * 1926
     * Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo established.
     * Amarillo Globe-News newspaper in publication.
     * Herring Hotel built.
  * 1929
     * Amarillo College established.
     * English Field (airfield) begins operating.
     * Temple B'nai Israel dedicated.
  * 1930
     * Santa Fe Building (hi-rise) constructed.
     * Population: 43,132.
  * 1932
     * Potter County Courthouse built.
     * Paramount Theatre in business.
  * 1935
     * KGNC radio begins broadcasting.
  * 1939
     * Amarillo US Post Office and Courthouse built.
     * KFDA radio begins broadcasting.
  * 1942 - U.S. military Amarillo Army Air Field activated near city.
  * 1949 - Sunset Drive-In cinema in business.
  * 1953 - KFDA-TV and KGNC-TV (now KAMR-TV) (television) begin broadcasting.
  * 1954 - Texas State Highway Loop 279 in operation.
  * 1957 - KVII-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
  * 1960 - Population: 137,969.
  * 1966 - Amarillo City Transit established.
  * 1968
     * U.S. military Amarillo Air Force Base closes.
     * Amarillo Civic Center (convention center) opens (approximate date).
     * Fox Theatre (cinema) in business.
  * 1971 - Chase Tower built.
  * 1972 - Amarillo Art Center established.
  * 1976 - Amarillo International Airport in operation.
  * 1982 - High Plains Food Bank organized.
  * 1982 - KJTV (now KCIT) ((television) begin broadcasting.
  * 1990 - Population: 157,571.
  * 1998 - February 10: Oprah Winfrey wins mad cow disease-related lawsuit brought by local ranchers.
  * 2000 - Amarillo National Center (arena) built.
  
  ## 21st century
  
  * 2006 - Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts opens.
  * 2010 - Population: 190,695.
  * 2011 - Paul Harpole becomes mayor.
  * 2017 - Xcel Energy opens a new building in downtown Amarillo Also a new downtown hotel was built along with a parking garage. Also Ginger Nelson was elected the 2nd female mayor in Amarillo.
  