The old Amarillo Globe News building sits on the 900 block of south Harrison street downtown.

Google Maps (2012)
Google Maps (2012)
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The empty loading dock that faces 10th Street is a somber site for many Amarillo natives. For years, any time you passed the old Globe News, it would be abuzz with movement--trucks, workers, and staff alike could be seen milling about at any given moment.

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The History of the Newspaper & The Building

The heritage of Amarillo's daily newspaper is deeply rooted in the Panhandle's early history. In its early genesis in 1909, it was the product of a local Baptist deacon's push for prohibition publications. By 1926, the daily publication had transformed into a general newspaper called the Amarillo Daily News. Bought out by two ambitious business partners, it was then merged it with their Globe newspaper--it was then that the Amarillo Globe News took on its final form.

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Google Maps (2013)
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The newspaper moved into the building at 900 S. Harrison in 1949. Throughout its rich history, the newspaper received a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 1961 for its investigative expose on government corruption in Potter and Randall counties.

The angular brick structure on south Harrison street was where the newspaper flourished in its golden years.

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Google Maps (2022)
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The Fall of the Newspaper Industry

With the fall of the newspaper industry starting in the early 2010s, the Globe News was not immune. By 2017, Morris Communications had sold its holdings to another media conglomerate and in September 2018 the remnants of Amarillo's newspaper moved out of the building on Harrison street and into the FirstBank Southwest Tower just down the street.

The beloved brick building that once housed a robust daily newspaper has stood vacant and deathly silent on its corner since the doors closed in 2018.

Google Maps (2021)
Google Maps (2021)
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And in the wake of its sudden vacancy, the question has been often asked: what will happen to the old Globe News building? Can it possibly be saved?

Who Bought the Old Globe News Building?

When I heard someone say that the weathered "for sale" sign on the building had been taken down, I couldn't help but wonder who made the purchase. Or if such a purchase had even been made.

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Google Maps (2012)
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A quick search of the appraisal district database shows that a Warranty Deed was executed on February 21, 2022. The entity listed is Ridgewater, LLC. And while I've pinpointed the name of this company's president--I hesitate to release it until I receive a phone call back to confirm that the future of the building has indeed been secured.

But it seems like there is a shining hope that this beloved historic building will remain where it is--still proudly standing on 10th and Harrison street in the heart of Downtown Amarillo.

Downtown Amarillo Over The Years

Downtown Amarillo has seen an incredible metamorphosis. Take a look at the photos below to see just how much it's changed--you won't believe the difference.

Sixth Street Over The Years - WOW! What A Change!

Sixth Street in Amarillo looked incredibly different not too long ago. Have you forgotten what it looked like in 2007? Buckle up, the ride is incredible.

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