Hampton Inn & Suites Amarillo / West, TX

17 miles NE of Stinnet, TX is...

by Boozoo

17 miles NE of Stinnet, TX is the site of Adobe Walls - a major historical landmark in the Panhandle region.

There were two battles with regional tribes at Adobe Walls, the first on November 25th, 1864 included Kit Carson in its company, but it was the second that made the name 'Adobe Walls' a fixture in Panhandle History

In the 1870's, white hunters in the mid and northern plains had wiped out the monstrous herds of roving buffalo - something I always half felt our government had instigated and maybe even encouraged. As go the buffalo, so go the Plains Indian tribes... After the decimation of the primary herds, the buffalo hunters moved south and west into land previously set aside for the southern plains Indians (primarily Kwahadi and Kiowa).

Where there's people, there will be settlements; in June of 1874, there was a small settlement near the site of the old trading post (~1845) to service the needs of the buffalo hunters with some 28 or 29 people in taking up residence there.

Quanah and his band had been led by their medicine man Isatai (Coyote Droppings) to believe that the white man's bullets would not harm them and had been wreaking havoc on any hunters they found along their way. At dawn on June 27th, 1874, Quanah's band swept across the plains, intent on erasing the existence of Adobe Walls.

The initial attack almost carried the day; the Indians were in close enough to pound on the doors and windows of the buildings with their rifle butts, but the majority of the settlers had managed to take cover and began to return fire. The lack of total surprise infuriated Quanah, and the Indians rode out of range trying to decide how to handle the situation.

The second day after the initial attack, Billy Dixon, already renowned as a crack shot, took aim with a 'Big Fifty' Sharps and cleanly dropped a warrior from atop his horse nearly a mile away. The Indians completely lost faith in the medicine of Isatai, who claimed that his medicine had been ruined by warriors along the way who killed a skunk against his express warnings.... but the result was the same as the attackers melted back into the endless expanse of the LLano Estacado. Quanah Parker and his band would lead US Army troops all over the Panhandle for another three years before finally submitting to reservation life in Oklahoma.

Not much remains, but directions on how to get there can be found at Borger's Website for the insatiable history buff.

Amarillo

by OaktownC

"Good restaurants..."

I've lived in Amarillo for about six years now. A good job as a field editor for a Quarter Horse racing magazine is what brought me here from California -- and, frankly, that's what's keeping me here.
Amarillo is represented by just about every fast food and chain restaurant around, but there are some very good locally owned options here, places which I like to call "oases in a chicken-fried steak desert." :-)
One of my favorite restaurants is Macaroni Joe's, which is a locally owned pasta house. Their menu is varied and there's something for everyone, from meat lovers to vegetarians. The wine list is extensive and the atmosphere is European. My favorite dish is Confetti Spaghetti, which consists of pasta with artichokes, garlic, fresh herbs, tomatoes and olives tossed in a light olive oil sauce. It's located off of Interstate 40, so if you're just passing through town on your way to somewhere else, stop by for something different.
Another place I like is Tacos Garcia. It is also located off of I-40, and has excellent homemade Mexican food. For something different, try the "naked" chili relleno, which is a steamed green chile (not breaded or fried), stuffed with ground beef. Their blue corn green chile enchiladas are prepared New Mexico-style, and are smothered in cheese and green chiles.
Excellent coffee and bakery favorites can be found at Wolflin Village at Roasters and the Village Bakery and Cafe, respectively. Both places are locally owned and the quality is as good as you'll find in any larger city. Roasters has an antique coffee roaster in the middle of the store, and its employees are well-trained baristas who know their customers and know the difference between good and bad coffee. Village Bakery and Cafe has excellent baked goods, including fresh fruit tarts and scones (the maple oatmeal scone is my favorite).
Try these restaurants next time you're in town and you'll see that Amarillo is more than just meat and potatoes!