Canyon, Texas is an area was originally all about cattle and ranching. The first ranch, the JA Ranch, was started in Northwest Texas in 1876, by Colonel Charles Goodnight when he moved his herd from Colorado to Palo Duro Canyon. Goodnight slowly built the ranch up to more than one million acres and 100,000 head of cattle.
The city of Canyon was founded on Christmas Day 1887, when cattle rancher Lincoln Guy Conner settled on the site. In 1888, Conner bought the land from the state of Texas for $3 an acre.
Conner laid out the town site and used his home as the post office and general store and post office. Conner’s vision was to have a town populated with law abiding, religious and educated citizens. The first official act was to decide on a name for the town. Several people suggested naming the town after Conner, however Conner was very modest and did not like the idea. The second choice was to name the town after the nearby Palo Duro Canyon and that idea stuck. Canyon City was formed.
As a way to attract more settlers to Canyon City (the town’s original name), Conner offered to give a town lot to anyone who was willing to build a home or business. In 1889, Randall County was formed and Canyon City was chosen as the county seat.
The arrival of the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway in 1898 made Canyon City a major shipping point for cattle and cotton. It was also a receiving center for important items such as coal and lumber. Acres of cattle pens on land donated by Conner, a wagon yard and several saloons provided services for the arrival of freighters and cattlemen. By 1902 Canyon had become the biggest shipping point in the United States.
Canyon City’s population had increased to 504 by 1904. Also in 1904 was the big opening of the Stockman’s National Bank, later the First National Bank of Canyon.
In 1910, the city changed its name to Canyon. And also in 1910, West Texas State Normal College (now West Texas A&M University) opened its doors to students. L. G. Conner donated the land that the college was built on. Georgia O’Keefe, the famous painter, taught at WTSNC from 1916 to 1918.
From 1911 to 1920, there was a big drought, but after that Canyon experienced a building boom. A new Santa Fe depot, houses, schools, churches, and businesses were built. The highways and street of Canyon were paved. Street lights were installed and natural gas was piped in from Panhandle gas fields. The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in Texas, was established in 1932.
In 2002, Canyon was chosen as a Texas Main Street City. Today, there are twenty-four historical markers in Canyon and the town continues to grow and prosper. Canyon is a thriving small city well located between Amarillo Texas and Lubbock Texas. Canyon is home to several excellent tourist attractions and has strong education system with the highlight being West Texas A & M University.
Some of the more popular tourist attractions are Palo Dura Canyon State Park. Visitors can camp, bike, hike, horseback ride, or even enjoy the incredible views while having breakfast on the canyon’s rim.
Also, in Palo Dura Canyon one can see “TEXAS”, the musical drama. It will take you back in time with romance, song, dance and creative technology to tell a tale of Texas history. Since 1965, Paul Green’s Musical Drama TEXAS has been performing making it the most attended outdoor drama in the United States.
The largest history museum in the state of Texas is located in Canyon, The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum. Visitors can revisit the time of the dinosaurs or get a view of the Panhandle oil boom days. There are displays and exhibits dedicated to art, paleontology, petroleum, transportation and western heritage.
Beyond these cultural events and natural wonders, Canyon also offers shopping, dining, golfing and much more.
Canyon Texas is a great place to visit and also a wonderful place to live. Friendly people and a welcoming and bustling atmosphere make it enjoyable to live in Canyon. Some of the best apartments due to their central location, charm, value, and excellent rental price are the Avalon Apartments and the Chalet Apartments. If you’d like to learn more about apartments in Canyon Tx visit: http://www.apartmentscanyontx.com.
