A uniquely Amarillo destination designed, operated by, and for the community — welcoming guests from around the world while giving residents new ways to experience the stories that made this city.
The Santa Fe Depot property in downtown Amarillo is a culturally rich community asset that has sat vacant long enough. In its heyday, it was the center of cultural life and the essential economic engine in the development of Amarillo.
Its operations provided unique opportunities for women and minorities while serving as a gathering place where the deals that built Amarillo happened. This historic property, essential to the development of the Panhandle, needs to be preserved and restored as a place where residents and visitors can once again gather.
The Santa Fe Historical Railway Museum is building a family-friendly historical destination that will combine the history of Amarillo's development with a vibrant new district supporting the Civic Center, the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, Hodgetown Stadium, and nearby hotels and restaurants.
It will become a place where residents and guests regularly gather to celebrate life's victories while enjoying some of Texas's best arts and culture experiences.
The railroad heritage of the Texas Panhandle is too important — and too personal — to be told by anyone other than the community that lived it.
In 2024, the Texas Historical Commission added the Santa Fe Depot to its list of Texas's Most Endangered Places — a recognition that this irreplaceable piece of Texas history demands urgent action. The Amarillo Depot project is the community's answer to that call.
Each element of the Amarillo Depot is designed to work together — creating a destination that rewards repeat visits and serves both residents and travelers.
Interactive displays and exhibits in the Depot building itself, showcasing the rich history of rail travel in the Texas Panhandle. Guests will explore a thoughtfully curated experience set in the early 1930s — from the first-floor common areas to the offices above the baggage area.
A railroad-themed boutique hotel with a range of room types — from cozy single rooms to family suites and luxury accommodations. Guests can stay in restored rail cars, private getaways, or communal outdoor living spaces that connect travelers with like-minded enthusiasts.
Dining inspired by the legendary Fred Harvey tradition that civilized the American West. The Eating House will honor the hospitality legacy of the Harvey system while showcasing the best of modern Texas Panhandle cuisine.
An intimate 200-seat outdoor performance space nestled in a natural courtyard with the active rails as a backdrop. Designed to shelter guests from the wind while hosting concerts, plays, lectures, weddings, and community events.
A gallery space in the former postal sorting facility showcasing the artistic legacy of the Santa Fe Railway — from depot architecture and dining car china to locomotive design. Rotating exhibitions will feature exceptional industrial design alongside work by talented local artists, adding depth and creativity to our STEAM education programs.
Restored Harvey House hotel dormitory rooms allow guests to see and feel what life was like for the pioneering young women who found independence working for the Fred Harvey Company. Retreats, seminars, and overnight stays in one of the few Harvey Houses built within a depot structure.
After more than fifty years, Amarillo residents will once again experience passenger travel by rail. Jazz trains, murder mystery dinners, seasonal offerings like the Polar Express — all supporting local musicians, actors, and educators who practice their craft aboard.
Amarillo residents are encouraged to take an active role in shaping this attraction to make it truly their own. The team welcomes your ideas and feedback and invites you to participate in upcoming public work sessions or join one of our working committees.
The museum's stories and how they are told should come from the Amarillo community. The people who lived this history — or whose families did — are the ones who should be entrusted with preserving and interpreting it.
When we move into the next phase, we will need to make choices about how to approach this vast subject. Our mission centers on how one industry enabled settlement and many other industries to thrive, while influencing the culture in ways that touch every aspect of Amarilloans' lives, even today.
Preserve the 1910 Santa Fe Depot so future generations can experience it — before it's too late. The building is on the Texas Historical Commission's Most Endangered Places list.
Build a place where artists of all types can develop their craft while earning a living and helping attract visitors from all over the world to the Texas Panhandle.
Create something that couldn't exist anywhere else — because it's rooted in this specific community's history, told by the people who know it best.
Support the downtown ecosystem — the Civic Center, Globe-News Center, Hodgetown, and local businesses — with a new anchor destination that drives foot traffic and tourism revenue year-round.
We're grateful to the organizations and individuals who share our commitment to preserving Amarillo's heritage.
