Potter County

County Offices
500 South Fillmore
Amarillo 806-379-2246
https://www.co.potter.tx.us/

Chamber of Commerce
1000 S Polk Street
Amarillo 806-373-7800
https://www.amarillo-chamber.org/

Situated on the High Plains of the Panhandle, rural Potter County is encompassed within the Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area approximately 110 miles north of Lubbock. Covering 922 square miles, this region benefits from a blend of traditional farming and ranching activity with thriving sectors for manufacturing, food processing technology, aerospace, education, healthcare, services, and tourism. More than 90 percent of the population reside in Amarillo, located in the southern part of the county bordering Randall County. Since part of the city of Amarillo spills across that border, Randall County also claims Amarillo as its largest municipality.

Both the city of Amarillo and Potter County are well-served by a strong network of major thoroughfares for efficient travel within and beyond the region. In addition to Interstates 27 and 40, the county is traversed by U.S. Highways 60, 66, 87, and 287 and Texas State Highways 136, 279, and Loop 335. Commercial airline service is available at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. Small residential communities like Bishop Hills and Bushland expand the opportunities for quiet country living under dark night skies, while metropolitan Amarillo makes it easy to find the home of your dreams in tree-lined neighborhoods or luxurious subdivisions.

Services

Residents of Potter County have access to some of the finest educational facilities and resources in Texas, from responsive local school districts to postgraduate opportunities in highly respected colleges and universities. Parents who are interested in exploring alternative educational environments will find a selection of private and religiously affiliated schools. Two-year associate transfer degrees, certificates, and career training are available locally at Amarillo College. Consistently rising to meet the future with investments in innovation, the college has most recently added a 12,000-square-foot STEM Research Center and greenhouse. Serving a student enrollment of 10,000, Amarillo College maintains four campus locations in metropolitan Amarillo and auxiliary centers in surrounding rural counties.Texas Tech University (TTU), with its architecturally stunning flagship campus in Lubbock, located its Health Sciences Center in Amarillo. Included on this campus are TTU’s schools for pharmacy, medicine, nursing, health professions, and biomedical sciences. The private institution of Wayland Baptist University maintains a campus center in Amarillo, as does West Texas A&M University (WTAMU). With its main campus in the nearby city of Canyon, WTAMU maintains a “Best of the West” reputation and several nationally ranked programs along with a new state-of-the-art research facility for meat science and innovation.

The caliber of healthcare available to Potter County residents is equally impressive, beginning with an array of acclaimed resources clustered on the 430-acre Harrington Regional Medical Campus (HRMC). Distinguished as the first designated city hospital district in Texas, HRMC is home to scores of leading-edge resources that include the city’s two premier hospitals and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Metropolitan Amarillo is well-served by two major healthcare systems, BSA Health System and Northwest Texas Healthcare. The latter is recognized for heart, emergency, stroke, and children’s care but also provides the lead trauma center for the top 26 Panhandle counties. Designated as a tertiary care academic institution for state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment, Northwest Texas Hospital ensures excellence in cardiac care through highly specialized services at the Heart Hospital at Northwest and its accredited Chest Pain Center. BSA Health System, which includes Baptist St. Anthony’s Hospital and Harrington Cancer Center, is consistently recognized as having one of the nation’s Top 100 Hospitals for clinical excellence and exemplary customer service. With a medical staff of more than 450 physicians and 3,400 employees, BSA Health provides comprehensive services that include 24-hour emergency care, neurology, nuclear medicine, oncology, pulmonology, rehabilitation, rheumatology, robotics, sleep disorders, a stroke center, and women’s services. Other specialized medical facilities in Amarillo include Vibra Hospital of Amarillo, dedicated to long-term acute care and skilled nursing. The city is also home to the Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the flagship hospital for the Amarillo VA Health System.

Lifestyle

From picturesque farmland and sprawling ranches to the world-class attractions in metropolitan Amarillo, Potter County offers a world of adventure waiting to be explored. Historic Route 66 invites residents and visitors to travel back in time to early America along Amarillo’s first commercial district. Lined with eateries and lively nightspots, the strip also features The NAT, where yesterday’s ballroom dance floor now hosts more than 100 vendors. The crown jewel of cultural enrichment is the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, a stunning architectural masterpiece that hosts big-name entertainment including performances by its resident companies: Amarillo Opera, Amarillo Symphony, and Lone Star Ballet. Those who appreciate the finest in community theater will enjoy the talented players of Amarillo Little Theatre, founded in 1927 and distinguished as one of the nation’s oldest operating community theaters. One of the most famous regional cultural attractions is held at the Pioneer Amphitheater in nearby Palo Duro Canyon State Park, where the outdoor musical drama Texas plays nightly all summer. This area is also home to exceptional museums that include Texas Air & Space Museum, the Amarillo Museum of Art on the Amarillo College campus, the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum on the campus of West Texas A&M University, Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian, and Amarillo Railroad Museum.

Families in Potter County are never at a loss for year-round activities, including a trip to Cadillac Ranch where visitors can pick up a spray can and add their own flourishes to old Cadillacs. The expansive Thompson Memorial Park in Amarillo offers a frisbee golf course, the Amarillo Zoo, and Wonderland Amusement Park—attracting 200,000 annual visitors. With a mission to make science exciting and relevant, the Don Harrington Discovery Center and Space Theater features interactive exhibits and programs that actively engage children, adolescents, and families. One of the most surprising jewels in this relatively flat, wind-swept region is the spectacular Palo Duro Canyon State Park, second only in size to the Grand Canyon. Known as a premier biking destination, the park offers a scenic wonderland for hiking, camping, biking, photography, and horseback riding. Other regional sites for outdoor adventure include the stunningly beautiful Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway, Lake Meredith National Recreational Area for fishing and boating, and Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument. Spectator sports fans will find plenty to cheer, from football, baseball, soccer, and hockey teams to a full slate of NCAA Division II competition at nearby West Texas A&M University. Lively annual events keep the calendar filled with red-letter days like the Will Rogers Range Riders Rodeo and fireworks extravaganza, Yellow City Sounds Music Festival, Good Times Celebration® Barbecue Cook-Off, Amarillo Farm & Ranch Show, and the Tri-State Expo. Newcomers to Potter County will find a pleasing selection of homes in every price range and equally varied settings from country to urban and suburban. Regardless of where you choose to settle, the most treasured discovery will be the strong sense of community and the friendliness of your new neighbors.

 

COMMUNITIES

Amarillo

Municipal Offices
806-378-3000
https://www.amarillo.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
806-373-7800
https://www.amarillo-chamber.org/

Serving as the seat of government and center of healthcare, education, commerce, and population for Potter and Randall counties, the city of Amarillo shines brightly as a mecca of culture and entertainment. The Route 66-Sixth street Historic District with its Art Deco and Spanish Revival architecture stands as a tribute to the best of yesterday while it plays host to some of the city’s liveliest venues for great food, good times, and antique treasures. Modern Amarillo is a city known for its youthful attitude, business-friendly environment, and fertile ground for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Along with leading regional healthcare resources, the city is home to Amarillo College and campus centers for major public and private universities. More than 50 city parks dot the landscape with recreational facilities, amenities, and greenspace, including the vast attraction-filled expanse of Thompson Memorial Park. Many of Amarillo’s events and attractions honor the cowboy and Texas culture, from the Tri-State Fair & Rodeo to the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum. The city also serves as the gateway to the spectacular Palo Duro Canyon State Park, adding opportunities for mountain biking, hiking, and camping to the exhaustive list of recreational opportunities close to home. Rich in history, colorful in culture, and progressive in attitude, the vibrant city of Amarillo stands in a class of its own.