Claude-Armstrong County

County Offices
101 Trice Street
Claude 806-553-2860
http://www.co.armstrong.tx.us/

Municipal Offices
115 Trice Street
Claude 806-337-0388 
https://www.claudetx.org

Chamber of Commerce
115 Trice Street
Claude 806-337-0388
https://www.claudetx.org

Located in the central Panhandle on the eastern edge of the High Plains, rural Armstrong County stretches over 907 square miles of level plains and canyonland. Second in size only to the Grand Canyon, Palo Duro Canyon extends its eastern end into the southern portion of the county. The county seat of Claude, just 30 miles from metropolitan Amarillo, serves as the region’s major population center and hub of healthcare, services, and commerce for residents of the surrounding rural area.

The economy of Armstrong County provides an insight into the region’s early settlement and continuing evolution. The ranching activity that once dominated the landscape is still active and strong. Through the centuries, massive ranches were repeatedly divided into smaller operations and some were sold off for farming activity dominated by wheat, milo, cotton, and hay. Major thoroughfares that serve this region include U.S. Highway 287 and Texas State Highway 207. The nearest commercial airline service is Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in metropolitan Amarillo.

Services

Access to state-of-the-art healthcare resources and facilities are only minutes from home in Amarillo, although most routine and day-to-day needs can be met locally at Claude Family Medical Clinic. The city of Claude also offers a veterinary hospital and the Palo Duro Nursing Home. Should a need for advanced or specialized care arise, Amarillo offers a wealth of resources under two highly respected regional healthcare systems. Northwest Texas Healthcare is a Top Performer in surgical care and care for heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia. Northwest Texas Hospital provides a full range of leading-edge services and has been designated as a Certified Primary Stroke Center and Center of Excellence for Women’s Health and Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care. Maintaining a Level III Trauma Center, the hospital’s emergency room treats more than 50,000 patients each year. BSA Health System, which includes Baptist St. Anthony’s Hospital and Harrington Cancer Center, is consistently recognized as having one of the nation’s Top 100 Hospitals for clinical excellence and exemplary customer service. With a medical staff of more than 450 physicians and 3,400 employees, BSA Health provides a full spectrum of acute-care services from state-of-the-art diagnostics to advanced hyperbaric wound care. Long-term acute care is the specialty of Vibra Hospital of Amarillo, dedicated to patients with critical or chronic illnesses. Another vital regional healthcare resource is the Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the flagship hospital for the Amarillo VA Health System.

Access to first-rate educational resources from kindergarten through postgraduate studies is equally impressive. Serving nearly all of Armstrong County, the Claude Independent School District combines small classes for personalized attention with a strong core curriculum and commitment to innovation. Well-equipped with computers and software to ready students for ever-changing technology demands, the district also offers fine arts programs, vocational and career education, dual credit courses through Clarendon and Amarillo colleges, and a full range of athletics and extra-curricular activities. Postgraduate opportunities include associate degree programs and career training at Amarillo College in Amarillo or Clarendon College in Clarendon—both less than 30 minutes from home. With its flagship campus in Lubbock, Texas Tech University Texas (TTU) maintains a strong presence in Amarillo. Joining scores of advanced healthcare institutions on the vast 430-acre Harrington Regional Medical Campus, the TTU Health Sciences Center includes the Jerry H. Lodge School of Pharmacy as well as the schools for medicine, nursing, health professions, and biomedical sciences. The private institution of Wayland Baptist University maintains a campus center in Amarillo, as does West Texas A&M University (WTAMU). With its flagship campus in nearby Canyon, WTAMU offers several nationally ranked programs along with a new state-of-the-art research facility for meat science and innovation.

Lifestyle

Chosen by the Texas Department of Agriculture as one of the state’s “Texas Yes! Hardworking Rural Communities,” the city of Claude and Armstrong County attract newcomers to simple country pleasures and small-town friendliness. Amarillo attractions and amenities may be minutes from home, but residents enjoy a surprisingly balanced quality of life in their own backyard. Connected by a passion for the land and a dedication to each other, they share a strong community spirit and active support for church, school, and organization programs. They also love to welcome visitors traveling to and from the spectacular Palo Duro Canyon State Park or those who arrive each July to celebrate the annual Caprock Roundup and Old Settlers Reunion. This colorful extravaganza features a parade and a free barbecue, the crowning of local royalty, vendors on the square, and theatrical performances at Gem Theater. The public is also invited to free tours of the historic treasures of Armstrong County Museum and Art Gallery. Following the exciting rodeo at Bert Wooldridge Arena, visitors and locals mix, mingle, and kick up their heels at the American Legon Hall dance pavilion. Another point of interest to visitors is the site of Old Goodnight Ranch, the first ranch established in the Texas Panhandle in 1876 by noted scout, trail blazer, and rancher Charles Goodnight.

An easy 30-minute drive to metropolitan Amarillo opens up a world of employment, dining, shopping, entertainment, and cultural enrichment opportunities. In addition to unique attractions like Cadillac Ranch or Historic Route 66, the city of Amarillo and the campus for West Texas A&M University in nearby Canyon offer several world-class museums for adults and families. The list includes Texas Air & Space Museum, the Amarillo Museum of Art on the Amarillo College campus, the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, and the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. Amarillo’s cultural scene includes star-studded concerts, spectacular events, and performances by Amarillo Opera, Amarillo Symphony, Lone Star Ballet, and Amarillo Little Theater. One of the region’s most famous events occurs in Palo Duro Canyon State Park at the Pioneer Amphitheater with nightly summer performances of the outdoor musical drama Texas. Featuring the largest canyon system after the Grand Canyon, Palo Duro Canyon State Park is nationally recognized as a premier mountain biking destination that is also popular for hiking, camping, biking, photography, and horseback riding. Metropolitan Amarillo offers hundreds of acres of parkland filled with attractions and amenities include the expansive Thompson Memorial Park, home to the Amarillo Zoo and Wonderland Amusement Park. The Don Harrington Discovery Center and Space Theater adds interactive exhibits and programs that engage visitors of all ages. Regional annual events fill the calendar with red letter days for extravaganzas like Will Rogers Range Riders Rodeo, Yellow City Sounds Music Festival, Good Times Celebration® Barbecue Cook-Off, Amarillo Farm & Ranch Show, and the Tri-State Rodeo & Fair. For the finest of rural living just beyond the urban bustle, discover all that the city of Claude and Armstrong County have to offer.