Potter: Culture, History and Hotels

Potter offers several points of interest for a trip: Art Deco architecture, public art, museums, and railroad history, as well as Route 66 culture and a rural setting. If you’re looking for a hotel in Potter, you can base your choice of travel themes on what you want to focus on during your stay. Each attraction and facility has its own distinct character—from architecture and collections to an unusual art installation.

Architecture, Art and History

Built in 1932, the Potter County Courthouse is one of the best-preserved and most outstanding examples of Art Deco buildings in Texas. For anyone interested in architecture, it offers a tangible connection to the state’s architectural heritage. Cadillac Ranch, west of Amarillo, provides a different artistic impression: the installation consists of ten vintage Cadillacs buried nose-down in a field. Their striking arrangement is very different from the murals on buildings in Amarillo’s historic Route 66 district.

The history of the county seat is also connected to Amarillo. The town was established in 1887, when about 60 cowboys were granted plots of land in Oneida (Amarillo). The Fort Worth & Denver Railway and the Santa Fe Railway met there. This historic railroad connection offers a different perspective on the town’s origins from the art and architecture that are among the region’s themes today.

Museums, Railroads and Culture

The Amarillo Railroad Museum combines its model railroad layout with the railroad heritage of the Texas Panhandle. The layout depicts the Santa Fe Railroad from 1952 through the 1970s. The museum also preserves railroad equipment and artifacts, keeping the region’s heritage alive through model railroading. The museum thus focuses both on a specific railroad and its era, and on preserving railroad history.

The Amarillo Museum of Art’s permanent collection includes more than 2,000 objects. The American Quarter Horse Heritage Center & Museum in Amarillo tells the story of the American Quarter Horse. The Texas Air & Space Museum lists a B-24 Liberator named Miss Potter County among its aircraft. Those interested in different kinds of collections will find art, horse history, and aviation here as clearly distinct subjects.

The Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian is housed in a replica of a Pueblo-style Indigenous kiva, an underground ceremonial chamber. The building itself is therefore part of the cultural subject reflected in the museum’s name. The Amarillo Symphony Orchestra offers another facet of cultural life, presenting orchestral performances in the Texas Panhandle for more than a century.

Route 66 and Regional Cuisine

Route 66 connections can also be found in local dining. The GoldenLight Café is the longest continuously operating restaurant on Route 66. The Big Texan’s 72-ounce steak challenge includes a shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad, roll, and butter along with the steak. If you’re considering the challenge, check the menu items again before your trip.

Gardens, Trails and Landscape

The Old Soncy Trail is three miles long and paved. It runs from W. Amarillo Blvd. and S. Soncy Rd. to the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center. As trail conditions should be checked before use, it’s a good idea to check them while planning. The Amarillo Botanical Gardens offer educational programs lasting one to two hours, with a specially designed program, an activity, and a guided tour of the gardens. Availability depends on the current program schedule.

The Amarillo Zoo and Sanctuary has provided education about wildlife and family entertainment in the Texas Panhandle since 1955. Potter County is also characterized by a rural setting where stars are still visible. Together, these themes contrast with the museums and town history: you can consider both culture and collections, as well as landscape and wildlife, when planning your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Amarillo: Amarillo, Andrews County, Harris, Scurry County, Calhoun County, Hardeman, Parker, Hall County.

For the main travel overview: Texas.