Downtown Pampa was bustling in the mid-1900s

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It’s always interesting to find photos of Pampa’s past. The photos above range from the years 1940 to 1960, a time when the city’s population was at its peak and before the era of shopping malls. 

In the year 1960, the population of Pampa was at an all-time high of more than 24,000 people. As of 2020, the population of Pampa is estimated to be just over 17,000 people.   

Aside from Burnin’ the Bricks, it’s hard to imagine seeing so many cars lining the roads of Downtown Pampa on any given day. 

The first photo in the slideshow was taken at a Christmas parade in front of JC Penney Co.

“Judging by the fins on the cars, you are looking at the end of the 1950s or early 1960s,” Anita Gullet of White Deer Land Museum said. 

In the second photo, you can see that the movie “Story of Three Loves” was being played at the La Nora Theatre, which was released in March, 1953. However, the photo itself was probably taken in July, as it also seems to show people enjoying a 4th of July parade. 

The third photo shows cars that were produced in both the 1950s and 1960s, and the fourth photo features hatchbacks that were popular in the 1940s.

If you would like to see more photos of Pampa’s past, you can visit the White Deer Land Museum in Pampa or join the group Post Cards from the Panhandle on Facebook.