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.)