Hello Texas - We're Back

We arrived back in Texas on October 16.

Canyon, a small town south of Amarillo, was home for a week.

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

Fifty miles northeast of Amarillo is the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument located on the shore of Lake Meredith National Recreation Area. This area is where the Alibates flint was quarried some 13,000 years ago up to 1450 AD. Points made from the Alibates flint were found embedded in skeletons of mammoths unearthed in New Mexico. About a thousand shallow pits where flint was mined dot the National Monument.

Visitor Center and Museum

A one-mile guided nature hike is the only way to see the quarry and is available twice daily.

An example of Alibates Flint

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

We hadn't been to Palo Duro in over 30 years. This is considered the "Grand Canyon of Texas", the second largest canyon in North America. The Palo Duro State Park, opened in 1934, consists of over 27,000 acres. The canyon is approximately 120 miles long, and is 600 to 800 feet deep.

Palo Duro Canyon is home to the musical "TEXAS" which has been performed since 1966.

Pioneer Amphitheater

Carving of Chief Quannah Parker

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum in Amarillo

The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum showcases the colorful history and modern activities of the world's most popular breed of horse and the people who have played a major role in its history.

As you approach the museum you are surrounded by beautiful larger than life bronze statues.

The entrance hall has a beautiful bronze statue of the ideal American quarter horse.

The Grand Hall is home to plaques of all the Hall of Fame Inductees.

Jack Sisemore RV Museum

We spent over two hours at this most interesting and nostalgic RV museum. All of the RVs were open for viewing inside and were stocked with many interesting camping items we recognized from days gone by such as Coleman coolers, stoves, lanterns, stools, maps and all sorts of related gear.   

This 1948 Flxible Bus was used by the Gornike Family in the Robin Williams Movie "RV"

The inside of the Flxible Bus

This 1975 Itasca was the first Itasca ever built.

This is the world's oldest Airstream, the 1935 Torpedo.

Panhandle Plains Historical Museum

Located on the campus of West Texas A & M University, in Canyon, the Panhandle Plains Museum is the largest history museum in Texas. The museum houses extensive art collections, antique automobiles, geology and rocks, windmills, paleontology, weapons, as well as a Pioneer Town. The town was constructed with some of the actual buildings scaled down to fit inside the museum, including a hotel, blacksmith shop, stables, saloon, log cabin, undertaker, school, jail, bank, and even a Chinese Laundry.  

1931 Pierce Arrow Seven Passenger Sedan

The Panhandle Petroleum Story is one of the permanent exhibits. The displays start with the discovery of oil at Spindletop through modern oil production today.

We spent the entire afternoon at this extensive and well designed Texas museum.