Barfield Hotel Earns Historic Marker in Amarillo

One really cool thing about Amarillo is that we have all sorts of historical markers and buildings in the city. I mean, when you're as old as Amarillo is, there's a lot of history that goes into making it what it is.

Between that and national parks, Amarillo is the place to go if you're a history buff. Now, there's another historical landmark to add to the list.

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The Barfield Is Now A Historical Marker

On July 31, Amarillo added another to the historical marker registry, and the Barfield Hotel was bestowed the honor. This building has been the story of perseverance and tough times, and now, it gets its rightful place in the registry.

Now, the Barfield was previously placed in the National Register of Historic Places, so it already had a bit of a bookmark, but with this, it becomes one of more than 10,000 sites that carries the official designation.

Read More: Center City Amarillo Giving Historic Building Tours

History of The Barfield Hotel In Amarillo

Built back in 1927 by businesswoman Melissa Dora Oliver-Eakle, it has experienced its share of ups and downs. She financed the entire building on her own after her husband passed, and it quickly became a beacon of Amarillo.

However, it ultimately closed its doors and sat empty for a good 40 years. Beth Duke, executive director of Center City of Amarillo, said of the Barfield:

“It’s a story of patience, perseverance and preservation. It sat empty for 40 years. There were pigeons, squatters — and now it has new life."

When it reopened in 2021 after an extensive renovation, it became the centerpiece of downtown once again and was even featured in the show "Yellowstone". A well-deserved honor for the hotel.