Inner City Blight in Amarillo

Lately, I have observed the exodus of businesses from the Olsen and Paramount area. Ruby T's and Michaels both have moved to other areas. Other businesses have closed and moved. More and more buildings and strip mall spaces are vacant along Olsen. As these businesses move out of the Olsen/Paramount area the same old thing is happening in Amarillo that city planners have struggled with for ages. This town is sprawling, sprawling, and sprawling with no fill in. People here want "new" and they replace with "new" leaving the old to rot. We have got to have some urban infill or we will end up a city that has at it's core, blighted areas for miles. Many of the core neighborhoods in Amarillo used to be lovely, family oriented, neat neighborhoods. I mean no disrespect to these areas at all, but the current shabbiness is sad and it has come about because neighborhood after neighborhood has been abandoned by those who are "moving up". This is what is happening to the Olsen/Paramount area. Frankly, I am getting tired of driving to the extreme southwest side of town for everything. I prefer Wolflin, Olsen, and Paramount because it is more central to Amarillo. I purposely look for businesses in the center of Amarillo to patronize. These businesses uproot and move to the edge of the sprawl to stay alive. If we patronize them, they can stay in business where they are and our city won't deteriorate at the core.

Amarillo's Historic Wolflin District

Located in the center of the city of Amarillo is the Wolfin Historic District. The origin of the Wolflin Historic District was the purchase of a raw section of prairie in 1897 by Charles Oldham Wolflin and the subsequent development by his family. The dreams of his son Charles A. Wolflin during the years of the Great Depression and World War II came true when in 1991 the District was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The central location, historic qualities of the homes, and the beauty of the tree lined brick streets makes the Wolflin Historic District an attractive place to live. There are many styles of homes, but the flow of the neighborhood is not broken by the randomness of unique styles because brick streets and stately elm trees provide continuity throughout the subdivision. The shady avenues attract charitable walks in the warmer months. In the winter time the neighborhood has been a Christmas wonderland for many residents of Amarillo who visit in automobiles, wagons, and carriages. The magnificent Christmas lighting at many of the homes, and United States flags flying to commemorate the Fourth of July and Memorial Day are just some of the neighborhood displays of community involvement.Often, residents of the Wolfin Historic District have been the movers and shakers in Amarillo, bringing industry, fine arts, and capital to the city. The allure of the Wolflin Historic District is more than its charm and elegance. The spirit of the Wolflin Historic District is a reflection of the pioneer spirit of Amarillo. (Portions of the above were excerpted from the the newly published book "Amarillo's Historic Wolflin District" by Christine Wyly and the author’s previous blog “Amarillo Hometown” articles dated March 19, 2008 and June 18, 2008 at www.christinewyly.blogspot.com.)

"Amarillo's Historic Wolflin District" Book Release Date

"Amarillo's Historic Wolflin District" will be available September 6, 2010. The book can be purchased at Arcadia Publishing's wesite, Amazon.com, and other venues. Please watch the news media for information about book signings.

Unkempt Highway Right-of-Ways

I am disturbed by the appearance of Interstate 40 and other major highways and interstates in Amarillo. The shrubbery is not being maintained, plantings have died causing erosion of dirt onto the roadways, and the weeds and grass are knee-high in places. I had heard mowing and other maintenance was going to be scaled back due to lack of funding. However, isn't an unkempt appearance an incentive for travelers to just keep on traveling if our city has an untidy uninviting atmosphere? I would think, that is a loss of revenue for our city. Isn't lack of pride in our city's appearance self defeating?

New Book on the Wolflin Historic District

I have authored the book "Amarillo's Historic Wolflin District." It tells the story of one of Amarillo's premier residential areas as well as the history of Amarillo, Texas. Release date by Arcadia Publishing is September 6, 2010. We will have further announcements with more details.

National Flood Insurance Program Expiration

Congress let the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) expire. Until Congress extends it there can be no new or renewal flood policies issued. Thousands of residential & commercial transactions are on hold wiithout the flood insurance coverage provided by
NFIP. Many of the contracts for these properties were written by April 30, so buyers could get the homebuyer tax credit. If the transactions don't close by June 30, they will lose the credit. Please call your congressmen.

Helping Senior Citizens to Sell their Homes

Working with a senior citizen who is selling their home can be a joyful, educational experience. It can also be heart rending. The most important thing to remember is to LISTEN to them during the listing appointment and throughout the transaction. Often, senior citizens are lonely and uncertain about the future but won't directly convey those emotions to their REALTOR. If we as real estate professionals really listen; we will hear such things as "I raised my children here", "my husband and I bought this home new", or "I have lived here forty years."
All of those statements and similar revelations are so important! They have much more meaning attached to them, such as "there are so many memories here", "this is a familiar, secure place for me", and "I don't know any other life." We must be sensitive to these feelings of our older clients and respond with compassion, reassurance, and understanding. By doing so we ease their paths into the new lives and homes they have chosen.

The Wolfin Historical District Amarillo, Texas

My book entitled "The Wolflin Historical District Amarillo, Texas will be published in the fall of 2010. The book is to be published by Arcadia Publishing as part of the images of America series. I have taken a sabbatical from posting to my blog to be able to work on the book. If you find this blog and are interested in the history of Amarillo, please check back for information on the release date of the book.
Christine Wyly