LUBBOCK , the largest city in the Panhandle, has long been the center of its commerce and transportation, roughly one hundred miles northwest of Abilene and the same distance south of Amarillo. At first this was cattle-grazing land, but the discovery of copious underground water made agriculture profitable.

The prosperity of the city was built on cotton. In recent years, while farmers have been perpetually plagued by economic struggles, the town's economy now also relies on manufacturing and retail outlets; you may, however, still see solitary cottonfields standing defiantly on the outskirts, where farmers have refused to sell out.

With its fields, farms, lumpen bungalows and faceless block buildings, Lubbock is relentlessly ordinary-looking, its muted downtown area dotted with fading 1950s shopfronts. Which is not to say that it's dull; though Southern Baptism has left its mark, Lubbock has a uniquely Texan sense of fun, clearly evident in its love of music, rodeos, and having a good time

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The Town

Lubbock

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