History
In July 1922 the Amarillo Natatorium Company opened The Nat. Cella natatoriua -Latin for a swimming pool in it’s own building was designed by a native of the Texas High Plains region Guy Carlander. He was the principle architect for many of the most highly visible and important building in Amarillo. The owners wanted a pool where people could swim all year round and have a place for social gatherings. This proved to be a concept larger than they imagined in the beginning.
In 1926, the pool was bought by J.D. Tucker who had the pool covered with a maple hardwood flooring. The pool was left intact using large wooden beams and braces inside the pool to support the dance floor. Now there was a 10,000 square foot dance floor in place so that J.D. could open a "Dance Palace" that eventually becomes THE NAT. Each dance night would cost the patrons 5¢ and soon The Nat became one of the finest dance halls in the Southwest. After the crash of the stock market many different enticements were used to help attract people to its dance floor such as new cars and even cash hidden inside of balloons dropped onto the dance floor.
After the Great Depression of the 1930's, a rancher named H.D. Badger bought The Nat and had the facade of the building altered to the fortress like facing it has now. The Nat Café, that was located on the north end of the building, was attached and enclosed onto the building. This added an entrance directly off of old Route 66. This made The Nat a dine and dance venue that made it a one stop location for entertainment. A V.I.P. supper club was also introduced upstairs for Sunday night gatherings of the elite of Amarillo. It is also said that a gambling area was set aside on the second floor.
During World War II, Dr. W. A. Maddox purchased the building and struggled to keep the palace doors open. Not only did Dr. Maddox have to deal with slumping attendance due to the war but he also had many troubles with the local and state governments. His liquor license was revoked in October of 1956 for operating a dance hall with out a permit by the state liquor control board. The City of Amarillo had refused to issue him a permit for a dance hall for over two years. The city claimed that the Nat’s structure was a fire hazzard. Dr. Maddox infrequently uses the building for dances against the wishes of the city. Finally, in February 1958 the city took him to court for holding non-permitted dances in the building and one in particular on New Year’s Eve. Dr. Maddox was found not guilty by a jury in "Corporation Court". The Nat closed it’s doors to public dancing in 1960.
Since the opening of The Nat opened as a dance hall notable bands and singers have graced this grand building. The sounds of such stars as Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Bob Wills, Perry Como, Roy Orbison, Little Richard and even Ike and Tina Turner have danced around its walls. More recently, the Dixie Chicks, Joe Ely and Asleep at the Wheel have made appearances here. So diverse is The Nat, that it saw the beginning of Tejano greats Little Joe, Johnny Canales and Carlos Guzman.
Ike and Tina Bob Wills Roy Orbison Dixie Chicks Tommy Dorsey
So well known and popular during its hay days The Nat was added to the National Registry of Historic Places by the United Stated Department of Interior. Soon afterwards it was recorded as a Texas Historical Landmark in 1995. In December 1996, the Amarillo Planning and Zoning Commission changed the zoning for The Nat so as it can return to it’s glory days as a grand dance hall.
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