July 8, 2021

July 8, 2021

After dinner, Aimee and I and her sister drove southeast from Amarillo. After thirty minutes the flat Texas Panhandle country abruptly gave way to a deep gash called Palo Duro Canyon. We were not the first amazed by this Grand Canyon of Texas. In the mid 1870’s another southern Illinois boy, Charles Goodnight, thought this the perfect spot to raise cattle. The canyon provided natural fencing (steep walls) and plentiful water. Goodnight went from cattle driver to baron. He is the fictional protagonist of our favorite Western novel, Lonesome Dove.

We are at Palo Duro Canyon State Park to attend a performance of the Texas Outdoor Musical. Pioneer Amphitheater is a great venue for this story of early Panhandle History. In the latter half of the 20th century, after the Comanches were pushed onto reservation and large ranches predominated, land use and range wars was the main issue. This history was woven through multiple love stories. I loved the line 'here you can look further and see less than anywhere'. That surely describes most of the Panhandle. The story plot finished suddenly with everybody happy (and married). The performance ended with patriotic songs and great fireworks. The finale was the best part of this nice show.