A House for Amarillo

Dr.$Amy$Von$Lintel$Assistant$Professor$of$Art$History,$WTAMU$

The$architecture$of$my$home$town,$Kansas$City$

Memorial$to$the$Great$Famine$or$the$Irish$Potato$Famine$of$the$1840s,$Dublin$

Wood$engraving$of$immigrants$seeing$the$Statue$of$Liberty,$from$Frank&Leslie’s&Illustrated&Newspaper,$July$2,$1887,$pp.$324Q5$

•  Patrick$and$John$Landergin$born$in$the$1850s$to$a$family$of$Irish$immigrants$in$New$York$

Coffeyville,$Kansas$

•  Landergin$brothers$went$west$and$invested$in$herd$of$Longhorns,$grazing$them$along$the$Red$River,$before$driving$them$to$Coffeyville$

•  The$brothers$drove$their$1000Qplus$head$of$cattle$mainly$along$the$Chisholm$Trail$

Eureka,$Kansas$•  The$brothers$bought$a$2000Q

acre$ranch$in$Eureka,$Kansas$in$1879$

•  They$made$a$fortune$shipping$their$fattened$cattle$back$to$England$for$sale$

•  Patrick$married$his$English$wife$in$1886$

•  The$brothers$became$successful$ranchers$and$bankers$in$Kansas,$and$they$served$on$numerous$community$boards,$including$that$of$Fairmount$College,$which$is$now$Wichita$State$University$

Eugene$Boudin,$Beach&at&Honfleur,&1886,$oil$

on$canvas,$Hung$in$the$LanderginQHarrington$

House$until$it$was$gifted$to$the$Phoenix$Museum$of$Art$by$the$

Harringtons$

1881$–$Fort$Worth$&$Denver$City$RR$builds$north$from$Fort$Worth$and$arrives$in$Amarillo$by$1887$$1887$–$a$RR$construction$camp$called$“Ragtown”$is$set$up$on$the$future$Amarillo$site;$election$names$“Oneida”$the$county$seat,$renamed$Amarillo$$$1888$–$livestock$companies$from$Kansas$City,$Chicago,$and$St.$Louis$begin$operations$in$Amarillo;$soon$thousands$of$cattle$at$a$time$held$in$Amarillo$to$be$shipped$elsewhere$

!  1888$–$Sanborn$of$the$Frying$Pan$Ranch$built$the$Glidden$(of$the$barbed$wire$fortune)$and$Sanborn$Addition$in$Amarillo,$and$the$center$of$the$city$shifted$eastward$to$its$present$downtown$location$

!  1889$–$Santa$Fe$RR$system$reached$Amarillo$using$the$tracks$of$the$FW$&$DC$RR$

!  1890$–$Amarillo$becomes$one$of$the$largest$cattle$shipping$points$in$the$world$

$!  1890s$–$Period$of$boosterism$luring$Anglo$settlers$to$the$Panhandle$

!  1903$–$Rock$Island$RR$line$arrives$in$Amarillo$

QQBlue:$Fort$Worth$and$Denver$City$RR$$QQRed:$Santa$Fe$RR$$QQGreen:$Rock$Island$RR$

Amarillo$as$a$Crossroads:$

!  The$Great$American$Desert$(coined$by$Dr.$Edwin$James$c.$1820$during$the$American$geographic$survey$exploration)$became$the$“chosen$land,”$where$“perpetual$sunshine$shall$kiss$its$trees$and$vines,$and,$being$stored$in$luscious$fruits$and$compressed$into$ruddy$wine,$will$be$sent$to$the$four$points$of$the$compass$to$gladden$the$hearts$of$all$mankind;$and$this$shall$be$our$sanitarium,$a$huge$hospital$where$the$afflicted$of$all$lands$will$come$and$partake$of$Nature’s$own$remedies.$They$will$breathe$the$pure$and$bracing$air,$bask$in$the$healing$sunshine….Sickness$shall$be$vanquished.”$

!  Railroads$offered$discounts$to$settlers$to$ship$their$belongings,$and$the$response$was$overwhelming$

!  Amarillo’s$population$grew$from$1,442$in$1900$to$15,500$in$1920$$

!  1898$–$Donald$D.$Harrington$was$born$in$Illinois$

!  1899$–$Amarillo$was$permanently$incorporated$as$a$city$

Camille$Pissarro,$Landscape&of&Varengeville,&Gray&Weather,&1899,$oil$on$canvas.&Later$hung$in$the$LanderginQHarrington$House$before$it$was$gifted$to$the$Phoenix$Museum$of$Art$by$the$Harringtons$

•  1903$–$Patrick$Landergin$was$elected$to$the$Kansas$House$of$Representatives$on$the$Democratic$ticket$

•  A$strong$decline$in$the$cattle$market$pushed$them$to$expand$into$the$Texas$Panhandle$$$

•  1904$Q$Landergin$brothers$leased$to$own$a$portion$of$the$LS$Ranch$in$Oldham$County$

•  There$were$some$contested$sales$of$the$property$after$that$but$they$held$onto$their$portion$

!  Influx$of$cattle$ranching$investors$to$the$Panhandle$from$around$the$U.S.$and$Europe,$1870s$to$1910s$

!  JA$Ranch,$est.$1876,$by$Charles$Goodnight$of$Texas$and$Colorado$and$John$Adair$of$Ireland$(Palo$Duro$Canyon$lands)$

!  Quarter$Circle$T$Ranch,$est.$1876$by$Thomas$S.$Bugbee$of$Kansas$

!  LX$Ranch,$est.$by$two$Boston$millionaires$

!  Frying$Pan$Ranch,$est.$by$Harry$B.$Sanborn$of$New$York$and$Illinois$and$William$H.$Bush$of$Illinois$(Tecovas$Spring$area)$

!  XIT$Ranch$(near$the$TXQNM$border)$

•  1907$–$The$Landergin$brothers$had$purchased$the$92,000Qacre$LS$Ranch$in$full,$and$settled$at$Alamosa$Creek$

$•  1908$–$Patrick$became$director$

of$Vega$Town$Company,$which$included$their$property.$The$brothers$helped$to$found$Vega.$They$established$and$resided$over$the$First$State$Bank$at$Vega,$where$Patrick$was$President$$$

•  1908$–$Sybil$Buckingham$was$born$in$Amarillo$

•  Amarillo$boasted$brick$and$stone$structures,$brick$streets,$and$concrete$sidewalks$on$Polk$Street,$as$well$as$telephone$service,$electricity,$gas,$water$and$sewage$systems,$a$library,$an$opera$house,$a$streetcar$system,$and$three$new$railroad$depots,$one$of$with$linked$with$a$transcontinental$rail$line$

•  Railroad$links$were$key$for$bringing$luxury$goods,$materials,$and$specialist$designers$to$the$city$

•  The$Landergin$brothers$took$on$a$5$year$lease$on$100,000$acres$of$land$on$the$XIT$ranch$in$Deafsmith$and$Oldham$Counties$

•  Soon$they$had$bought$this$land,$then$continued$expansion$of$their$properties$into$Arizona$and$New$Mexico$

•  The$brothers$relocated$from$their$ranch$headquarters$at$Alamosa$Creek$to$Amarillo$

•  They$began$construction$of$their$new$home$at$1600$Polk$St.,$which$according$to$some$sources$cost$$250,000$at$the$time$

•  They$became$active$in$regional$and$AmarilloQbased$associations$for$cattlemen$

LanderginQHarrington$House,$1600$S.$Polk,$Shepard,$Farrar,$and$Wiser$of$Kansas$City,$1912Q4$$


Claude$Monet,$Flowering&Arches,&oil$on$canvas,$1913.$Painted$in$Giverny,$France.$Later$acquired$by$the$Harringtons$and$hung$in$the$LanderginQHarrington$House$before$it$was$gifted$to$the$Phoenix$Museum$of$Art$

•  It$was$a$bold$move$in$a$brand$new$town$to$build$a$neoQclassical$house$that$drew$on$elite$traditions$of$English$country$houses$

•  Between$1912$and$1914,$Georgia$O’Keeffe$was$living$down$the$street$from$the$Landergin$House$in$the$Magnolia$Hotel$


View$of$Polk$Street$in$Amarillo,$c.$1923,$with$the$Magnolia$Hotel$on$the$lower$right.$Image$from$Georgia&O’Keeffe&in&Texas,&p.$10$


Map$from$Georgia&O’Keeffe&in&Texas,&p.$8$

Andrea$Palladio,$Villa$La$Rotonda,$Vicenza,$Italy,$1570$$

Robert$Adam$and$Matthew$Brettingham,$Kedleston$Hall,$Derbyshire,$England,$18th$century$

Henry$B.$Thompson,$GreerQMcCutcheon$House,$Dallas,$1914Q16.$Designed$for$George$Greer,$President$of$Magnolia$Petroleum$Company$

Grant$Wood,$American&Gothic,&oil$on$beaverboard,$1930$

Polk$Street$in$Amarillo$c.$1910$

Shepard$and$Farrar,$Edgar$W.$Clark$House,$Kansas$City,$1909$

Shepard,$Farrar,$and$Wiser,$House$of$Harry$Colvin,$Kansas$City,$1912$

•  The$Landergins$hired$the$reputed$Kansas$City$architectural$firm$of$Shepard,$Farrar,$and$Wiser$

!  Charles$E.$Shepard$(1868Q1932)$–$born$in$Iowa,$educated$at$the$University$of$Iowa,$moved$to$Kansas$City$in$1887$during$a$building$boom$in$the$city;$he$built$over$600$residences$in$KC$areas$of$Hyde$Park,$Mission$Hills,$and$the$Country$Club$District$


!  Shepard$worked$with$various$partners$between$1887$and$1931,$but$he$was$the$principal$designer$


!  Shepard$worked$with$various$partners$between$1887$and$1931,$but$he$was$the$principal$designer$

!  The$firm$completed$dozens$of$houses,$several$hotels,$banks,$and$other$civic$buildings$in$Kansas$City$and$the$state$of$Kansas$$$

The&Cement&Era,&vol.$XIV,$no.$12$(Dec.$1916):$26Q7.$&$ Shepard,$Farrar,$and$Wiser,$House$of$Harry$Colvin,$Kansas$City,$1912$

•  What$is$style$best$describes$these$two$houses?$$

!  NeoQClassical?$



!  NeoQClassical?$!  Georgian$Revival?$



!  NeoQClassical?$!  Georgian$Revival?$!  Colonial$Revival?$



!  NeoQClassical?$!  Georgian$Revival?$!  Colonial$Revival?$

!  Renaissance$Revival?$


•  What$messages$does$this$style$send$to$its$viewers$in$$1912?$

Shepard$Farrar$&$Wiser,$home$of$William$C.$Bowman,$Kansas$City,$1911$

•  William$C.$Bowman$was$the$President$of$BowmanQHicks$Lumber$Company$

•  The$Bowman$house$had$7$bedrooms,$4$bathrooms,$and$5$fireplaces.$All$the$wood$trim$in$the$house,$including$the$basement,$is$mahogany$$


•  How$does$this$compare$to$the$Harrington$House?$


•  How$does$this$compare$to$the$Harrington$House?$15,000$square$feet$of$floor$space,$20$rooms,$8$bathrooms,$and$7$fireplaces$on$4$levels.$$

Shepard$and$Farrar,$Edgar$W.$Clark$House,$Kansas$City,$1909$

•  Edgar$W.$Clark$was$president$of$the$Clark$&$Bates$Lumber$Company$

•  What$style$does$the$Clark$house$represent?$

•  John$W.$Jenkins$was$President$of$J.W.$Jenkins$and$Sons$Music$Company$

Shepard,$Farrar,$&$Wiser,$John$W.$Jenkins$House,$1916Q17,$Kansas$City$

Shepard,$Farrar,$&$Wiser,$House$of$Mrs.$A.H.$Glasner,$1912Q13,$Kansas$City$

•  A.$H.$Glasner$was$Vice$President$of$Glasner$&$Barzen$Distilling$and$Importing$Co.$The$house$cost$around$$70,000;$it$had$6,500$sq$ft$with$23$rooms,$6$bedrooms,$2$sleeping$porches,$glass$enclosed$solarium,$and$4$fireplaces.$The$moldings$on$the$first$floor$are$Honduran$mahogany$$

Shepard,$Farrar,$&$Wiser,$House$of$Ralph$E.$Bryne,$1912,$Kansas$City$

•  John$M.$Bryne$built$this$house$as$a$wedding$present$for$his$son$Ralph.$The$living$and$dining$room$areas$are$in$cherry,$other$rooms$are$in$oak,$and$there$is$diamondQleaded$glass$in$the$windows$of$the$foyer,$dining$room,$and$second$floor$master$bath.$

Shepard,$Farrar,$&$Wiser,$House$of$Charles$S.$Keith,$1913,$Kansas$City.$Later$purchased$in$1920$by$the$real$estate$developer$J.$C.$Nichols.$

•  The$house$has$22$rooms,$6$full$bathrooms.$Exterior$features$originally$include$the$3Qacre$grounds,$multiple$pergolas,$a$large$carriage$house,$formal$gardens,$a$lily$pool,$and$vegetable$plot.$

Shepard,$Farrar,$&$Wiser,$House$of$Charles$S.$Keith,$1913,$Kansas$City.$Later$purchased$in$1920$by$the$real$estate$developer$J.$C.$Nichols.$

The$Plaza$outdoor$shopping$center$in$Kansas$City$Missouri$,$planned$by$J.C.$Nichols,$produced$a$faithful$copy$of$$La$Giralda$in$Seville,$Spain$in$1922$

J.$C.$Nichols$Fountain,$on$the$Country$Club$Plaza,$Kansas$City,$Missouri$

Shepard,$Farrar,$and$Wiser,$J.$D.$Shuford$House,$1608$Polk$St.,$Amarillo,$1913.$Shuford$was$the$general$livestock$agent$for$the$Fort$Worth$and$Denver$City$Railroad.$

Shepard$and$Wiser,$Central$Presbyterian$Church,$1100$S.$Harrison,$1926Q7.$Later$addition$in$1960s$by$another$firm.$

Shepard$&$Wiser,$President$Hotel,$Kansas$City,$1925$

Shepard$&$Wiser,$Eldridge$Hotel,$Lawrence,$Kansas,$1925Q28$ Shepard$&$Wiser,$President$Hotel,$

Kansas$City,$1925$

Guy$A.$Carlander,$Fisk$Medical$and$Professional$Building,$1926Q7,$now$the$Courtyard$Marriott,$Amarillo$

Guy$A.$Carlander,$Fisk$Medical$and$Professional$Building,$1926Q7,$now$the$Courtyard$Marriott,$Amarillo$

Blueprint$drawing$by$Carlander,$c.$1926,$now$in$the$PPHM$Research$Center,$Canyon,$Texas$

•  What$messages$about$urban$Amarillo$do$these$objects$send$to$viewers?$

“Amarillo,$Texas:$Ideal$Location$for$Capital$$and$Industries,”$July$1925.$Design$by$Guy$A.$Carlander.$Now$in$the$PPHM$Research$Center,$Canyon,$Texas.$

Shepard$and$Wiser,$The$Amarillo$Building,$301$S.$Polk,$Amarillo,$1925Q6$

Shepard$and$Wiser,$Herring$Hotel,$$3rd$and$Pierce$St.$Amarillo,$1926Q8.$Cornelius$Taylor$Herring$was$a$cattleman,$oilman,$and$banker,$who$owned$98,000$acres$of$the$LS$Ranch$in$1907$

Shepard$and$Wiser,$Rule$Building,$cross$streets$of$3rd$and$Polk,$1927.$W.$S.$Rule$was$from$Tennessee$and$became$an$employee$of$the$LX$Ranch$and$the$Estate$Manager$for$H.$B.$Sanborn$

Shepard$and$Wiser,$Herring$Hotel,$$3rd$and$Pierce$St.$Amarillo,$1926Q8.$$

Shepard$&$Wiser,$President$Hotel,$Kansas$City,$1925$

President$Hotel$in$Kansas$City$restored$

•  1921$–$Another$cattle$recession$occurred$and$the$Landergin$brothers$began$incurring$debts$from$XIT$lands.$They$expanded$into$oil,$and$helped$form$the$Amarillo$Oil$Company$that$found$the$first$well$in$the$region.$But$they$found$little$oil$on$their$own$property,$and$gained$little$personal$profit$from$their$oil$projects.$Next,$they$tried$sheep$farming,$which$also$yielded$little,$and$they$began$selling$off$their$property$

•  1923$–$John$Landergin$died$

•  1929$–$Patrick$Landergin$died$

•  1921$–Don$Harrington$was$studying$engineering$at$Washington$University$in$St.$Louis$

•  1926$–$He$arrives$in$Amarillo$working$as$the$landman$for$Marland$Oil$Company,$when$he$began$to$invest$successfully$in$oil$and$gas$

•  Landergin$house$falls$into$disrepair$during$these$years$

•  A$parallel$commission$from$Carlander$falls$through$in$the$same$decade$as$well$

Carlander,$original$blueprints$for$Storm$house,$1929$

C.W.$Brott,$original$blueprints$for$Storm$house,$1931$

Storm$house$before$(R)$and$after$(L)$recent$renovations$by$the$Horsley/Fortunato$family$

•  Don$Harrington$weds$Sybil$Buckingham$in$1935$

•  The$newly$married$Harringtons$buy$the$Landergin$House$in$1940,$when$it$was$auctioned$for$back$taxes$

Edouard$Vuillard,$Interior&of&a&Bedroom,&1908,$oil$on$canvas.&Formerly$hung$in$the$Harrington$House.$Now$at$the$Phoenix$Museum$of$Art$

Odilon$Redon,$Flowers&in&a&Vase,&1910,$oil$on$canvas.$Formerly$hung$in$the$Harrington$House.$Now$at$the$Phoenix$Museum$of$Art&$

!  Huntington$House$Website:$http://www.harringtonhousehistorichome.org/$!  Amarillo&Historic&Building&Survey&and&Preservation&Program&Recommendation,$

1981.$!  H.$Allen$Anderson,$"LANDERGIN$BROTHERS,"$Handbook&of&Texas&Online$

(http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fla79).$!  A&Study&to&Determine&the&National&Register&Eligibility&of&Properties&in&the&

Country&Side&Neighborhood&East&Kansas&City,&Missouri,&September$2009.$http://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/survey/JAAS049QR.pdf$

!  “Hyde$Park:$Kansas$City,$Missouri.”$Hyde$Park$Neighborhood$Association,$2010.$http://history.hydeparkkc.org/$

!  Stafford$Landmarks.$Henderson$House$Inn$&$Retreat$Center.$Stafford,$KS:$Claremont$Enterprises,$2010:http://www.hendersonbandb.com/Old_Farmers_National_Bank.htm$

!  Henry,$Jay$C.$&Architecture&in&Texas,&1895U1945.&Austin:$University$of$Texas$Press,$1993$$

!  File$on$Shepard,$Farrar$&$Wiser.$Kansas$City$Public$Library.$Missouri$Valley$Special$Collections.$Item$no.$105797.$

!  Paul$H.$Carlson$and$John$T.$Becker,$Georgia&O’Keeffe&in&Texas:&A&Guide.&Buffalo$Gap,$TX:$State$Press$House,$2012.$

!  Paul$H.$Carlson,$Amarillo:&The&Story&of&a&Western&Town.&Lubbock:$Texas$Tech$University$Press,$2006.$

!  Phoenix$Museum$of$Art$Website:$http://www.phxart.org/$!  Carlander$Files,$PanhandleQPlains$Historical$Museum$Research$Center.$

Canyon,$TX.$

A House for Amarillo

Documents

Transcript of A House for Amarillo