However, the biggest antique on Sixth Street, the one with the most stories to tell, is The Nat Ballroom. The dance hall, which started out as a swimming pool, spanned the Roaring 20s, the Big Band era and the early days of rock 'n' roll -- and has always been a prime example of whimsical roadway architecture.

The Nat, located at 6th and Georgia, was originally called The Natatorium, opening as a swimming pool in July 1922.

The swim season was cut short in 1926 when J.D. Tucker purchased the pool and converted it into a dance palace. The pool was boarded over with what some say is still one of the finest dance floors in the Southwest.

The Depression era brought many changes to the nation and to The Nat. Harry Badger, a well-grounded Amarillo business person, became proprietor of the ballroom. It was at this time that the fortress-like facade was added to the building. In 1935, The Nat became a dine and dance palace with the addition of The Nat Cafe. Attached to the north side, it provided an entrance from Route 66 to the dance floor.

Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys stomped at The Nat, as well as Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Harry James, Sally Rand and Benny Goodman.

Kay Kyser, Rudy Vallee, Ozzie Nelson, Guy Lombardo, Duke Ellington, the Ink Spots, Gene Krupa and Perry Como gigged there, too.

At its prime, the ballroom employed a staff of 52 people to help manufacture fun and serve The Nat's clientele.

Many of the same youngsters who learned to swim at The Nat later recalled attending Friday night dances when the spot catered exclusively to the youth of Amarillo.

Today, the pool is still in place, hidden under the maple-hardwood floor. The hall has been meticulously renovated and restored to house a unique antique mall, and The Nat continues to evolve and offer up a host of musical celebrities such as The Dixie Chicks, Joe Ely, Asleep at the Wheel and Cooder Graw.