Who Looks Down On You From The Top Of Potter County Courthouse?
Ever find yourself walking around downtown Amarillo trying to clear your mind at 9AM, hoping to rediscover a bit of your soul that's been lost to the 9 to 5 grind? Just me? Well, on a recent 9 o'clock mind-cleanse I noticed something I've never really noticed before.
Someone is looking down on us from the top of the Potter County Courthouse.
The Historic Potter County Courthouse, Art Deco In All Its Glory
The Potter County Courthouse, if you didn't know, is widely celebrated for being a stunningly well maintained Art Deco building. It's one of the best of its kind in the whole Lone Star State. Just do a quick search on Google for "Potter County Courthouse" and see for yourself.
Architecture nerds love the Potter County Courthouse.
As I was standing awe struck, grasped by the Art Deco glory, I noticed something. Someone was looking down from the top of the Potter County Courthouse at me. Someone I had never really paid attention to before.
Do you see it?
The Two Watchful Individuals At The Top Of The Courthouse
When you're looking at the Potter County Courthouse, you'd be forgiven for glancing over the two individuals looking down on you. There's a lot to take in, and the top of the building is a long way up.
They're there though. Look closer.
See them? They're on either side of the windows.
I stared for longer than a normal person should at those two individuals. My mind began trying to figure out who they are. Surely the individuals must be of some great importance to be enshrined at the top of the Potter County Courthouse.
Who Are The People At The Top Of Potter County Courthouse?
I decided to check the historical marker near the courthouse. Surely there would be some story, or at least names, that I could look into.
No such luck.
So, I scoured the web. Nothing. Just references to the art and the history it represents.
No names.
The art featured in and around the courthouse is used to represent the history of this entire area. Everyone from the indigenous peoples who called this land home, to the many ranches that fill the panhandle's history are represented there.
The pioneer and the Indian at the top of the Potter County Courthouse are a part of that.
Between them, there are two more pieces. They appear to be wolves, howling at the panhandle sky. More accurately, they could well-fed coyotes. Either way, the top of the courthouse lends itself to the larger body of art honoring the history of the Texas panhandle, and Amarillo.
I might be completely wrong; I'm willing to accept that fact, if it is the case. However, I can't find anything anywhere that tells a different story.