Cal Farley called by some "America's Greatest Foster Father,"http://www.oklahomamarathon.org/cal%20farley%20bio.htm founded in 1939 the residential childcare facility known as Boys Ranch, located near Old Tascosa, a largely otherwise abandoned community in Oldham County north of Amarillo

Amarillo, Texas

Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...

 in the Texas Panhandle

Texas Panhandle

The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...

.

Farley was honored by the United States Postal Service

United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...

 with a Great Americans series

Great Americans series

The Great Americans series is a set of definitive stamps issued by the United States Postal Service, starting on December 27, 1980 with the 19¢ stamp depicting Sequoyah, and continuing through 2002, the final stamp being the 78¢ Alice Paul self-adhesive stamp. The series, noted for its simplicity...

 32¢ postage stamp. In 1989, the City of Amarillo renamed the Amarillo Civic Center

Amarillo Civic Center

The Amarillo Civic Center is a multi-purpose convention center in Amarillo, Texas. Built in 1964, it consists of multiple facilities including:* A 2,848-seat auditorium with 2,324 permanent seats and used for concerts, Broadway shows and other events....

 coliseum for him.

Farley also founded Girlstown, U.S.A. near Whiteface

Whiteface, Texas

Whiteface is a town in Cochran County, Texas, United States. The population was 465 at the 2000 census. The name was derived from ranches in the town named after whiteface cattle.- History :...

 some forty-five miles west of Lubbock

Lubbock, Texas

Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...

.

In 1944, Farley launched the annual Boys Ranch and Girlstown rodeo

Rodeo

Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...

 held over the Labor Day

Labor Day

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...

 weekend.

The facilities have a strong spiritual program, with nondenominational Sunday morning chapel

Chapel

A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...

 services and weekly Bible

Bible

The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

 studies offered. The children are encouraged to participate in music

Music

Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...

 ministry, read scripture, offer prayers, and serve as ushers. Education is provided by Boys Ranch Independent School District

Boys Ranch Independent School District

Boys Ranch Independent School District is a public school district in Oldham County, Texas .The district is a "special purpose" school district which serves Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, a facility for at-risk youth...

.

External links

• Cal Farley's Boys Ranch (The public is invited to tour the facilities with prior arrangements encouraged.)
• Handbook of Texas Online
• Ridin' for the Ranch
• Cal Farley's Boys Ranch brochure, 2008
• Cal Farley videos at YouTube