Spanish
Amarillo
Texas (TX)est. 1887pop. 202,073/am-uh-RIL-oh/
The meaning
“Yellow”
How it got the name
Amarillo Creek ran through subsoil of yellow clay, edged in season with yellow wildflowers. The first town promoter leaned all the way in and had the company houses painted yellow. Locals softened the Spanish pronunciation to 'am-uh-RIL-oh,' and briefly the town was spelled Oneida before the yellow won.
Former names
- Oneida
- Ragtown
- Amarillo