Pampa is a Gray County town of around 16,000 people, built on wheat, cattle and the 1920s oil boom. Its handsome downtown has brick streets, a stately courthouse and the Combs-Worley Building, all with far more character than you might expect this far out on the plains.
Music fans come here because Woody Guthrie spent his teenage years in Pampa, working in a drugstore and picking up the guitar. Today the town remembers him at the Woody Guthrie Folk Music Center. Beyond town, quiet US-60 runs north-east through Miami towards the river town of Canadian.
Highlights
- Woody Guthrie Folk Music Center: the drugstore-era story of a folk legend.
- White Deer Land Museum: pioneer and ranch history in a fine old building.
- Downtown Pampa: brick streets and 1920s architecture.
- Gray County Courthouse: a stately Beaux-Arts centrepiece.
- US-60 to Miami: an empty, beautiful drive.
- Canadian: a pretty river town farther north-east.
Quick facts
| Where | About 55 miles north-east of Amarillo |
|---|---|
| Road | US-60 |
| Ideal stay | Half a day or 1 night |
| Best for | Music history, small towns |
| Getting around | Car; downtown is walkable |
| Time zone | US Central |
How long to stay & where to base yourself
A half-day stop works on a loop from Amarillo, or on the way to Route 66. Stay a night if you plan to continue to Canadian or Lake Meredith. Check museum hours before you come: small-town museums keep short ones.
