the 60's
Photos collected from AmaChron files, newspaper clippings, postcards, private collections, high school annuals, and various Internet sources.
The view
Downtown on a busy Friday night in the early 60s
8th and Polk
9th and Polk
"Draggin' Polk" circa 1964:
view west toward 8th Ave and Polk St.
7th and Polk from atop the Fisk Building
looking south at 8th Ave and Polk St.
4th and Polk
Tri-State Fair Parade (in front of The Hub)
Amarillo National Bank 4th and Polk (1960)
7th and Polk (SW corner)
Christmas on Polk St. 1965
Christmas time at 7th and Polk 1967
Christmas night time at 7th and Polk 1967
Home of the Western Lines Division of the AT&SF RR
6th and Polk: Most astronomers now agree that this street sign is the exact Center of the Universe!
Carol Wilson's "Dragging Polk" story (1966)
The old City Auditorium (1926-1968) was replaced by the Civic Center.
Auditorium grounds at Christmas Time below.
David DeWald takes a look inside the old City Auditorium the day before demolition begins in 1968.
Pioneer Natural Gas Building topped by the blue flame
5th and Polk
Amarillo Hotel <> It was
imploded April 16, 1978. Click here to see it.
Marching in the Tri-State Fair Parade 1960 (3rd and Polk)
Western National Life Building 
Do you remember the WEATHER TOWER on top? (1964)
Greyhound Bus Depot 9th Ave and Taylor St
Continental Trailways Bus Depot 7th Ave and Tyler St.
GO LOW: the Baird family ran a fine record shop at 506 Polk St.
"Lady Cool Breeze" aka Ruby Lewis sells Judy Thigpen at record at the F. W. Woolworth store downtown.
Woolworth Lunch Counter 1966
Menu photo courtesy Dwain McMahan
No photo available of the historic Cooper & Melin Record Shop at 616 S. Polk.
Fedway 8th Ave. at Tyler St.
Heath Furniture store at 7th & Tyler St. The Chase Bank/SPS Tower is there today.
The Federal Building and Downtown U.S. Post Office
The Santa Fe Building and The First National Bank as seen from The Canyon E-Way in 1964
The original Amarillo High School on Polk
Price College later became Alamo High School
Palo Duro High School circa 1964
Caprock High School opened in '63
THE MOVIES
Paramount Theater (1936 - 1975) Polk Street
State Theater (1932 - 1978) Polk Street
Esquire Theater (1948-1982) S. Washington St.
Movie ads March 31, 1963
Western Plaza Cinema opened March 29, 1968
Western Plaza Cinema (1968-1993 in the mall)
Fox Theater (1968 - 1991) Wolflin Ave.
Victory Theater (1949 - 1976) Polk Street
State
Tascosa Drive In Theater (1952-1985 back screen reopened 1999) Dumas
E-way (This screen burned to the ground in the late '70s)
Twin Drive In Theater (1952 - 1985) Canyon E-Way
Sunset Drive In Theater (1954 - 1982) Old Route 66 West
The Palo Duro Drive In Theater (1949 - 1965) Canyon E-Way
The
Palo Duro and Twin Drive-Ins from high above.
The Wal-Mart Super Center on S. Georgia St. is now located here.
Not shown:
Rialto Theater (1940-1965 on Taylor St.)
Lyric Theater (1940-1962 in San Jacinto)
Star Theater (1946-1960 on N. Fillmore St.)
Skyway Drive In (1950-1962 on Dallas Highway)
Trail Drive In (1955-1977 on Amarillo Blvd. E.)
Cinema Twin (1975-1998 S. Western at 42nd)
Showplace 4 (1977 -2002 in Pucket Plaza)
Mann's Fox 4 (1979-1999 in Bell Plaza)
United Artists Cinema 6 (1980 -1998 I-40 W)
Rex Theater (1937-1960 on Old Rt 66 in San Jacinto)
and about a dozen other theaters which vanished before 1960
FAST FOOD BACK THEN
TWINGS Drive In (N. Fillmore St.)
TWINGS Menu circa 1964
Dino's Drive In (Wolflin Ave. & also a location on W. 6th Ave.)
Dino's Car Hop Lorretta Morales
The Double Dip Drive-In on Polk St. Downtown opened in 1931 and survived until 1971.
Ranger Drive In (Canyon E-way)
The Jolly Jung Drive Up (N. E. 15th Ave. at Mirror St.)
A & W Root Beer (N. E. 8th Ave. at Lake St.)
Griff's Burger Bar (N. E. 8th Ave)
1963 1968
Stanley's Drive (S. Georgia St.)
They were there in the '60s and still here today.
Would like to have a photo of Myers Fried Chicken here. Everyone loved it.