The Center City Arches Are Gone…For Now At Least

From its murals all over the city, to the random art and signs we've seen via Stanley Marsh 3, Amarillo certainly has some very recognizable landmarks. One of them so famous, Cadillac Ranch, that people will come from far and wide to see it.

The Hoodoo Mural Festival makes Amarillo colorful every year, and the giant leg that stands alone is always a talking point for those who come in from out of town.

One thing that I know I recognized almost immediately after moving to Amarillo was the gateway arches as you entered downtown Amarillo. No one in my family was aware of them, nor did we have any idea what "Center City" stood for at the time.

All I know is that it was instantly attention-grabbing to us and thought it was kind of cool.

Over the weekend though, those arches disappeared. It kind of felt like McDonald's replacing their arches with something else. So why did the gateway arches to the city have to come down? It was part of our identity as a city.

Well, no need to panic. The removal of the arches is just temporary. It's all part of Center City Amarillo's "Gateway Restoration Project."

The arches are simply getting a makeover, and once they're back up, it'll stand out even more than it already had. They are installing some LED lights on the arches that will exude a ton of light and allow you to see the arches from quite a distance.

One of the cooler things we'll be able to do now is change the color scheme on them depending on what's happening. For example, they'll be emblazoned with red, white, and blue around the 4th of July, and most likely some green and red during Christmas.

So no need to fret Amarillo, the arches will return in due time, and I can't wait to see them all lit up.