Wild Horse Lake

At various times this playa lake served as a reliable water source for buffalo, wild horses, nomadic native americans, explorers, cattle drivers, traders, and pioneers traversing the high plains. The lake area, also called Amarillo Lake, became the original townsite of Amarillo in 1887. Frequent flooding caused the town's relocation to higher ground one mile east of here by 1890. Amarillo developed there to become the cattle and agricultural railroad shipping center of the Texas high plains region. Modern development has diverted the lake's natural drainage system and reduced its size. (1994)

Wild Horse Lake is a historical marker in Amarillo, Potter County, dedicated in 1994. It is one of 48 historical markers documented in Potter County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 68 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 35.2139, -101.8559 near Amarillo. The nearest cataloged historic site is Northwest Texas Hospital School of Nursing (historical marker), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Route 66 in Amarillo, Amarillo Natatorium ("The Nat"), and The H.B. Sanborn House.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5375005810. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.