History of Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Potter County, Texas|Potter County.{{cite web | author =Texas State Library / U.S. Census Bureau | url = http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/popcity32000.html | title = 2000 Census: Population of Texas Cities | accessdate = 2006-11-22}} A portion of the city, the biggest in the Texas Panhandle, extends into Randall County, Texas|Randall County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 173,627 (though a July 1, 2005 estimate placed the city's population at 183,021). The Amarillo metropolitan area, however, has an estimated population of 236,113 in four counties.
Amarillo was originally named Oneida and it is situated in the Llano Estacado region.Rathjen, Fredrick W. The Texas Panhandle Frontier (1973). pg. 11. The University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-78007-9. The availability of the railroad and freight service provided by the Fort Worth and Denver Railway|Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad contributed the city's growth as a cattle marketing center in the late 19th century.{{Handbook of Texas|id=AA/hda2|name=Amarillo}}. Retrieved on 2007-January 25|01-25. Amarillo is the regional economical center for the Texas Panhandle as well as Eastern New Mexico|Eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Oklahoma Panhandle|Panhandle.{{cite web | author = United States Department of Transportation | url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/econdev/i27tx.htm | title = Economic Development History of Interstate 27 in Texas | accessdate = 2006-05-04}}
The city was once List of city nicknames in the United States|self-proclaimed as the "Helium Capital of the World" for having one of the country's most productive helium fields.{{cite web | publisher=Wired | title=A Helium Shortage? | url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.08/helium.html| date=August, 2000 | accessdate=4 February | accessyear=2007}} The city is also known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" and most recently "Rotor City, USA" for its V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft assembly plant.{{cite web | author = Amarillo Economic Development Corporation | url = http://www.amarilloedc.com/index.php?id=125 | title = What Is Rotor City, USA | accessdate = 2006-01-28}} Amarillo operates one of the largest Meat packing industry|meat packing areas in the United States. Pantex, the only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility in the country, is also a major employer. The attractions Cadillac Ranch and The Big Texan Steak Ranch|Big Texan Steak Ranch were located on the former U.S. Route 66, which passes through the city.
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