To My Surprise This Amarillo Building Once Was Something Magical

I have lived in Amarillo for about thirty years and in the Texas Panhandle for nearly forty years so I have really seen some things. I love to drive around and just pay attention to my surroundings.

I like to discover something new every time I take a drive down the streets of the Panhandle. There is plenty to see. Recently when I was taking a drive I noticed a building. I thought there is no way this is what it was built to be. It was just an everyday business so I had to do some research.

The business name is APEX Technical Services and they are located at 211 SE 17th. It is a really cool older building. So I knew it was not built to be this business. No way. So upon closer look I had my answer.

This building was built back in 1917. It was the home of Wilson Elementary. It was build during World War I and named after President Woodrow Wilson. The school first opened up that same year.

When the school first opened it had ten rooms and was for children from first through fifth grade. In 1939 it became the largest elementary school in the downtown area. They added more students when Tyler Street School closed. They ended up adding nine more classrooms to accommodate the growth.

Wilson Elementary being one of the oldest elementary schools lasted until the 1970's. The addition of the I40 Exchange brought too much traffic near the school. The building does still stand with APEX and several other smaller businesses.

It's still nice to drive by and see this once flourishing elementary school in Amarillo.