Historical Sites

Historical Sites

The Canyon News – 1500 5th Ave The first city newspaper "Echo", was printed in 1889.
City of Canyon – 300 16th St. Canyon incorporated in 1906 at the urging of Jasper N. Haney, Lawyer, who was elected first mayor.
Site of Conner Dugout – 1500 9th St. First home in Canyon. A half dug-out with windows at ground level.
Early barbed wire fence in the Panhandle – 1 mile east of courthouse on SH 217 The T Anchor, owned by Jot Gunter and WM B. Munson, real estate investor from Grayson County, built a line of fence on this site in 1881, inclosing a 240,000 acre horse pasture.
First Baptist Church – 1717 4th Ave Organized in December 21, 1890 was 7 charter members. Present structure began in 1929, was finished after national depression of the 1930's.
First National Bank – 1401 4th Ave In 1909, two years after the Santa Fe Railroad extended it tracks from Amarillo to Canyon City, rancher and banker L.T. Lester established the Stockman's National Bank; it became First National Bank of Canyon City in 1909.
Charles Goodnight Memorial Trail – 2401 4th Ave The highway from this museum to Palo Duro State Park (12 miles E) approximates course used by Charles Goodnight, outstanding cowman and trail blazer, when he trailed 1,600 cattle from Colorado to found first ranch on the stake plains of Texas in 1876.
JA Ranch - Palo Duro Canyon In 1876, veteran Texas cattleman Charles Goodnight entered Palo Duro Canyon by the way of an old Comanche Indian Trail near here, to establish the first ranch in this area.
Randall County – 1.5 miles north of US 87 and SH 217, west side Created in 1876; named for Confederate General Horace Randal.
Randall County – US 60, 15.5 miles west Created in 1876; named for Confederate General Horace Randal.
Randall County – Road Side Park South of Canyon U.S. 87 Created in 1876; named for Confederate General Horace Randal.
Randall County– 2 Miles West of Umbarger Road Side Park U.S. 60 Created in 1876; named for Confederate General Horace Randal.
Randall County – 2 Miles West of Umbarger Road Side Park U.S. 60 Created in 1876; named for Confederate General Horace Randal.
Randall County Courthouse – Courthouse Square 15th St. & 4th Ave Randall County Courthouse. Second for County created in 1909, organized in 1889.
Site of Wagon Yard – 1702 5th Ave Ranchman's headquarters in town. Slept in bedroll in his wagon or in a room above the office. Cooked over campfire in yard.
T Anchor Ranch Headquarters - Panhandle Plains Historical Museum Oldest surviving house in Canyon (1877).
First Methodist Church of Canyon – 1818 4th Ave Earliest religious service in Canyon was in 1889.
W.F. Heller – 15th Ave. & 8th St. Native Texan, Civil War Vetern (1861-1865); settled here in 1887. Was first to farm area successfully.
Old Main Building – WTAMU Campus, 4th Ave & 22nd St.
World War I Memorial – NW Corner of Courthouse Square In memory of the men of Randall County who gave their lives for their country in World War I.
World War II Memorial – Connor Park 19th St. & 11th Ave In memory of the men of Randall County who gave their lives for their country in World War II.
The Smith Building (Palace Hotel) – 420 15th St. J. Frank Smith constructed this commercial building in 1906.
Presbyterian Church – 1319 5th Ave Constructed in 1926 for Canyon's growing Presbyterian congregation.
Civil War Reunion Site – Connor Park 19th St. & 12th Ave Celebration annually in Canyon 1900- 1910, this reunions were a focal point of social life.
L.T. Lester Home – 310 8th St. Built in 1904. Site for policital, social, and church gatherings
Hudspeth House – 1905 4th Ave Built in 1909 by Thomas P. Turk, this home was originally located at 402 Palo Duro Street.
Co. F. National Guard 3000 Block of 4 th Ave., Canyon, TX The 36th Division of the U.S. Army served with distinction in World War II.
Georgia O'Keeffe In front of Old Main WTAMU Campus Canyon, TX O'Keeffe returned to Texas in 1916 as a faculty member of West Texas State Normal College, now West Texas A&M University, where she held classes in Old Main.
Battle of Palo Duro Canyon Palo Duro Canyon State Park (turnaround) One of the most significant battles of 1874-75.
Site of Old Happy N. Side of Happy on US 87, Happy, TX The Hugh Currie family "Happy Hollow" was for many years the only house on the Amarillo-Tulia freight and stage lines.
Sam Wood Cabin Panhandle Plains Historical Museum 204 4 th Ave., Canyon, TX Sam Wood Cabin built in 1887 in Hog Town (now a ghost town in Hemphill County).
Col. John I. Gregg 1872 Battle Site E. Access Road U.S. 87 South of Kimbrough Stadium Canyon, TX August 16, 1872 Colonel John I. Gregg and his troops skimered here with Kiowas.
Umbarger, TX U.S. Hwy 60 10 Miles West of Canyon The site became known as Umbarger when the Pecos Valley Railroad, built in 1898, named a rail switch after S.G. Umbarger.