PART 5
THE AMARILLO HELIUM PLANT, operated by the United States Bureau of Mines, was the first to produce helium from the extensive helium resources in the Texas Panhandle. From 1929 until 1943, it furnished almost all of the world's supply of helium. | TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
PHILIP HOLLAND of Dumas, Texas, who worked at the Amarillo Helium Plant from 1974 to its closure in 1998, was thrilled to see the site come back to life. | TEXAS SPUR
NEW HELIUM PLANT OWNERS Daniel and Megan Rosenbach (at right) have invested a year of sweat equity—and cash and ingenuity—in repurposing the industrial facility. | TEXAS SPUR
MULTIPLE GENERATIONS of the Helium Heights family contributed to its opening weekend June 5–6, with Megan Rosenbach’s parents, Tracy and Nancy Heaton of Fort Morgan, Colorado (above), exhibiting nature and industrial photography and daughters Madison and Kendra helping in numerous ways. | TEXAS SPUR
OPERATINGROUNDTHECLOCK, the plant once extracted helium by liquefying the natural gas and separating helium from it at temperatures 300 degrees below zero. | TEXAS SPUR
YELLOW CITY CIDER was one of several adult beverages available for sampling and purchase at the first Helium Heights Route 66 Centennial Market June 6. | TEXAS SPUR
A Mother Road landmark that was lighter than air
Along the Mother Road’s 2,448 (give or take) miles are hundreds—maybe thousands—of pull-overworthy sites and sights.Think how many you’ve seen in posts if not in person: the world’s second largest rocking chair, in Fanning, Illinois; the Blue Whale in Catoosa, Oklahoma; Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch in Oro Grande, California, to name a few.The vast majorit...
