Canyon, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Canyon, Texas
City
Aerial view of Canyon, Texas
Nickname(s):  Gateway to Palo Duro Canyon
Motto(s):  "Feels like home..."
Location in the state of Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Randall
Area
• Total	7.88 sq mi (20.40 km2)
• Land	7.85 sq mi (20.34 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation	3,511 ft (1,070 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,836
• Density	1,882.74/sq mi (727.25/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	79015-79016
Area code	806
FIPS code	48-12532
GNIS feature ID	2409978
Website	canyontx.com

Downtown Canyon

Canyon is a city in Randall County, Texas, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it is the main town where the county government is located. In 2020, about 14,836 people lived there. Canyon is part of the larger Amarillo, Texas area. It is known for the Panhandle–Plains Historical Museum and the outdoor musical show called Texas.

History of Canyon

Canyon was started by a person named L. G. Conner. The famous JA Ranch is located to the east of Canyon.

A very tall cowboy statue, called Tex Randall, stands next to U.S. Route 60. It is about 47 feet (14 meters) tall. This statue was built in 1959. In 2017, it was officially named an important landmark for Canyon.

Geography of Canyon

Canyon covers an area of about 4.9 square miles (12.7 square kilometers). All of this area is land. The city is in a valley. This valley eventually leads to the famous Palo Duro Canyon to the east.

People of Canyon

The Randall County Courthouse in downtown Canyon, Texas

Canyon has grown quite a bit over the years. Here is how the population has changed:

In 2020, there were 14,836 people living in Canyon. There were 5,189 households and 3,444 families.

In 2010, the city had 13,303 people. About 21.4% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 25 years. The city is home to people from many different backgrounds.

Education in Canyon

Canyon High School

The public schools in Canyon are part of the Canyon Independent School District. The main high school is Canyon High School. Their school mascot is an Eagle.

Many students in Canyon play soccer at the Brown Road Soccer Complex. This complex is on the west side of town.

Students playing soccer at Brown Road Soccer Complex in Canyon

Canyon is also where West Texas A&M University is located. This is a large university.

Interesting Places to See

• The tallest wind turbine in the United States is near Canyon. It is a huge wind turbine that helps make electricity. It stands about 199.2 meters (654 feet) tall.

Famous People from Canyon

Many interesting people have connections to Canyon:

• Houston Bright was a composer who taught music at West Texas A&M University.
• Harold Dow Bugbee was a Western artist. He used to be in charge of the Panhandle-Plains Museum.
• Terry Funk is a well-known professional wrestler and actor.
• Blair Garner is a radio host whose shows are heard across the country.
• Bryan A. Garner is an important editor and writer of law books.
• Margaret Pease Harper was an educator and musician. She created the famous Texas musical.
• Mark Lair is a Hall of Fame bridge player.
• Georgia O'Keeffe was a famous artist. She lived in Canyon from 1916 to 1918. The beautiful Palo Duro Canyon inspired her art.
• Jake Rogers is a baseball catcher who plays for the Detroit Tigers.
• Brandon Schneider is a women's basketball coach at the University of Kansas. He was born in Canyon.
• Candi Whitaker is a women's basketball coach at Texas Tech. She was also born in Canyon.

See also

In Spanish: Canyon (Texas) para niños