August 13th, 2021 … Summer of Fun continues! Day 17 Route 66 Caravan – Amarillo, TX

Today was a full day to explore Amarillo and the surrounding area. Here is a bit of history on early Amarillo. Spanish conquistador Francisco Coronado is the first European to reach the area in 1541. By 1786, a portion of El Camino Real (The King's Highway) from Santa Fe, NM, to San Antonio, TX, included the Amarillo area and was widely used for exploration and trade. In the late 1870’s, the first and second battle of Palo Duro, between US troops and the Indians, started the demise of the Native American in the area. The buffalo was replaced by the Longhorn, the LX Ranch was established, and the Frying Pan was the first of the large ranches to be fenced in with barbed wire. In 1887, Amarillo became a county seat and the first railroad freight service came to the area. Natural gas was discovered in the Texas Panhandle in 1918. By 1921, oil was discovered in the area. Amarillo was built around Route 66; it was one of the first residential and commercial areas in the town. 

Some of the caravanners headed to Palo Duro Canyon. Palo Duro Canyon (from the Spanish meaning "hard stick") has been named "The Grand Canyon of Texas" both for its size and for its dramatic geological features, including the multicolored layers of rock and steep mesa walls, which are similar to those in the Grand Canyon. The canyon was formed by the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River, which initially winds along the level surface of the Llano Estacado of West Texas, then suddenly and dramatically runs off the Caprock Escarpment. Water erosion over the millennia has shaped the canyon's geological formations. Notable canyon formations include caves and hoodoos. One of the best-known and the major signature feature of the canyon is the Lighthouse Rock.

A United States military team under Captain Randolph B. Marcy mapped the canyon in 1852 during their search for the headwaters of the Red River. The land remained under American Indian control until a military expedition led by Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie was sent in 1874 to remove the Indians to reservations in Oklahoma. The Mackenzie expedition captured about 1,200 of the Indians' horses and slaughtered them in nearby Tule Canyon during the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon. The Comanche and Kiowa conceded and left the area. Soon after, in 1876, Charles Goodnight and a wealthy Ulster Scot named John Adair established the JA Ranch in Palo Duro Canyon. Col. Goodnight helped manage the ranch until 1890. Over the next half-century, the canyon remained in private hands but was an increasingly popular tourist spot for local residents. Charles N. Gould made a geologic map of the canyon and named the formations in 1905.

In 1931, a major landowner signed a two-year contract with the local chamber of commerce to allow public access to the canyon. The upper section of the canyon was purchased by the State of Texas in 1934 and turned into the 20,000-acre (8,100 ha) Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Amarillo is the largest city near Palo Duro Canyon State Park, but the smaller city of Canyon is nearer. In 1976, Palo Duro Canyon State Park was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. Seven units of the Civilian Conservation Corps developed the park from 1933 until 1937. Four groups of veterans, two groups of African Americans, and one junior group, took part in various construction projects, starting with the construction of Park Road 5, a two-lane road from the rim to the floor of the canyon. Other projects included the headquarters building, culverts, low-water crossings, bridges, Spring House, Well House, the Coronado Lodge interpretive center, 4 overnight cabins known as Cow Camp, and the 3 rim cabins. In addition, picnic and camping areas were built, complete with tables, seats, fireplaces and garbage receptacles.

Charlie and I did a route recon with Rod & Helen. They wanted breakfast and we wanted to see the mid-point of Route 66. So, we combined our events and did both … plus a little more! We went to Vega and had breakfast at a little family café, Hickory Inn Café. The Pitmans recently purchased the Hickory Inn Cafe from the Proaps family who have operated it for the past 16 years. We each enjoyed some of our favorite breakfast items!

  

I had a Vega Omelet, Charlie & Helen had a smoked sausage breakfast and Rod had pancakes. The waitress was super friendly and the food was excellent.

Did I mention that Rod found John Wayne, there?

When we finished breakfast, we went to a great interactive museum with a lot of local history. The Milburn-Price Culture Museum sits a half-block from Route 66 and a half-block from the Old Magnolia Station, also on the Mother Road.

The nonprofit museum's goal is to educate the public about the history and culture of the Oldham county area. This 100-year old building once housed the Lumber yard, After being vacant for years, the director of the made-for-TV show, "What Matters Most," used it as a "bus stop" in the movie. In May of 2014, the owner, Wanda-Price Milburn, deeded the land and lots to be used for the Milburn-Price Culture Museum. Greg and Karen Conn stepped up to serve as curators, hard workers, gardeners, and directors. It’s also a place that we can get our Route 66 Passport stamped.

The museum had a beautiful complete wall mural on one of the exterior walls. Local artists Joshua Finley and Valerie Doshier completed this mural in 2014, along with 3 other murals in Vega. 

In the museum there was a magazine article about a local Vega couple that had a photo taken in 1974, when the Cadillac’s were planted in the ground. On their 67^th wedding anniversary, they went back and recreated the picture! How cool is that!

The museum is also home to the world's largest branding iron. This 22-foot-long, 3,000-lb length of steel with an XIT logo on its branding side commemorates the ranch's history in Vega. It all started in 1885 when three million acres of land were used to raise 150,000 head of cattle over the next three decades.

In Vega, Texas we also found a 1924 Gas Station. The Historic Magnolia Service Station was built in 1924 and served Route 66 and closed in the 1970s when I-40 was opened. The Magnolia Station was the second service station built in the small town. The old gas station was vacant for decades, but was restored in 2004 with a grant from the National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program.

  

We started to run into rain, after we left Vega. Adrian is a tiny rural community in West Texas that just happens to have a giant claim to fame. It is the halfway point of US 66. It is 1,139 miles west of Chicago and 1,139 miles east of Santa Monica. The Midpoint Café is a great place to grab a bite to eat and get a souvenir. It has been continually open since 1928, which is the record for restaurants along Route 66 between Amarillo, Texas and Tucumcari, New Mexico.

           

We enjoyed pie and coffee while we were at the Mid-Point Café. I will tell you more about the café tomorrow, but know that the pie was delicious!

    

Helen tried hard to get us reservations at the Big Texan Steakhouse in Amarillo. But, no matter what she did, she was not successful. So, we found the number one BBQ joint in Amarillo. In 2013, Tyler's of Amarillo makes the list of ‘The 50 Best BBQ Joints in the World.” Helen was able to get us an early dinner there for all 40 of us! The atmosphere was perfect and the food was delicious! The servers and all the staff were friendly and helpful!

After dinner, some of us ventured to the Starlight Ranch Event Center to see a Bosephus Tribute Band. ‘Sons of Bosephus’ is America’s Premier Hank Williams Jr Tribute Band. The band members grew up in the South and there are a few things they were born and raised to love! Football, the great outdoors, and Hank Williams Jr! They were raised on the southern rocking country sounds of Family Tradition, Country Boy Can Survive, Born to Boogie, My Name is Bocephus, and all the other great songs they play tribute to at each concert. What originally was tossed around as an idea to do a tribute to Southern Rock quickly became the idea of being a tribute to the one and only Bocephus himself!

The road was not easy, as breaking into the tribute scene in Dallas/Ft Worth isn’t the easiest thing in the world. After making some great contacts with an agent, they gigs started rolling in. It wasn’t long before the other venues in the Dallas Fort Worth started to take notice!  Gigs at some of the area’s hottest venues started rolling in and the Sons Of Bosephus (SOBs) were becoming one of the most well-known tribute acts in the area headlining area venues. They traveled to Amarillo to help support this benefit concert for the local food bank.

Since 1960, The Big Texan Steak Ranch has been serving up Texas culture to millions of guests from all over the world. We’re known as a world famous Route 66 Landmark and home of the legendary 72oz Steak Challenge. Now, they are excited to take entertainment and family fun to a whole new level with The Big Texan Starlight Ranch. 

It’s a one of a kind experience that brings together the best in entertainment and Big Texan hospitality. Great family activities for all ages including; beer gardens, playgrounds and yard games. We enjoyed our time at the venue, although I am not sure any of us really enjoyed the band! LOL

Another great day on our #Route66RVcaravan with #yankeeRVtours