Armstrong County, Texas

County in Texas, United States

County in Texas

Armstrong County

County

The Armstrong County Courthouse in Claude

Location within the U.S. state of Texas

Texas's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 34°58′N 101°21′W﻿ / ﻿34.97°N 101.35°W﻿ / 34.97; -101.35
Country|  United States
State|  Texas
Founded| 1890
Seat| Claude
Largest city| Claude
Area

• Total

| 914 sq mi (2,370 km2)
• Land| 909 sq mi (2,350 km2)
• Water| 4.7 sq mi (12 km2)  0.5%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 1,848
• Density| 2.0/sq mi (0.78/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 13th
Website| www.co.armstrong.tx.us

Armstrong County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population of Armstrong County was 1,848. It is in the Texas Panhandle and its county seat is Claude.[1]

As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,848.[2][3] Armstrong County is included in the Amarillo metropolitan area.

The county was formed in 1876 and later organized in 1890.[4] It was named for one of several Texas pioneer families named Armstrong.

## History

[edit]

### Native Americans

[edit]

Paleo-Indians first inhabitants as far back as 10,000 BC. Apachean cultures roamed the county until Comanche dominated around 1700. The Comanches were defeated by the United States Army in the Red River War of 1874. Later tribes include Kiowa and Cheyenne.[5]

### County established and growth

[edit]

In 1876, the Texas Legislature established Armstrong County from portions of Bexar County, and it organized in 1890 with Claude as the county seat.[5][4]

In 1876, Charles Goodnight brought a herd of 1,600 cattle into the Palo Duro Canyon, and he and John George Adair established ranching in the county. The JA Ranch encompassed over a million acres (4,000 km2), spread over Armstrong County and five adjoining counties. The county land use was primarily ranch-related, even after the trickling in of homesteaders, for the remainder of the 19th century.[6]

In 1887, the JA Ranch split up, giving way to a terminus for the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway. The first town from the ranch was Goodnight.[7] Landowner Robert E. Montgomery platted the town of Washburn, named after railroad executive D.W. Washburn.[8]

The next year, railroad lines turned Washburn into a boom town. In the same year, Armstrong City was renamed Claude in honor of railroad engineer Claude Ayers.[9] In 1890, the two towns competed for the county seat, with Claude winning.

At the beginning of the 20th century, ranching began to share the land with cotton and wheat crops, although ranching remained the leading industry. The Great Depression had a severe effect on the county's economy, and recovery took years. Ranches still occupied about 68% of the land in the county in 2005.[5]

Many scenes of the 1963 Paul Newman film Hud were filmed at Goodnight and Claude.[10][11][12]

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 914 square miles (2,370 km2), of which 4.7 sq mi (12 km2) (0.5%) are covered by water.[13]

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 287
* State Highway 207

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Carson County (north)
* Gray County (northeast)
* Donley County (east)
* Briscoe County (south)
* Swisher County (southwest)
* Randall County (west)
* Potter County (northwest)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1880| 31| | —
1890| 944| | 2,945.2%
1900| 1,205| | 27.6%
1910| 2,682| | 122.6%
1920| 2,816| | 5.0%
1930| 3,329| | 18.2%
1940| 2,495| | −25.1%
1950| 2,215| | −11.2%
1960| 1,966| | −11.2%
1970| 1,895| | −3.6%
1980| 1,994| | 5.2%
1990| 2,021| | 1.4%
2000| 2,148| | 6.3%
2010| 1,901| | −11.5%
2020| 1,848| | −2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1850–2010[15] 2010[16] 2020[17]
Armstrong County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[18] | Pop 2010[16] | Pop 2020[17] | % 2000  | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 2,008  | 1,725  | 1,593  | 93.48%  | 90.74%  | 86.20%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 4  | 11  | 6  | 0.19%  | 0.58%  | 0.32%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 7  | 13  | 17  | 0.33%  | 0.68%  | 0.92%
Asian alone (NH)  | 0  | 0  | 10  | 0.00%  | 0.00%  | 0.54%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0.00%  | 0.00%  | 0.00%
Other race alone (NH)  | 1  | 11  | 2  | 0.05%  | 0.58%  | 0.11%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)  | 12  | 17  | 76  | 0.56%  | 0.89%  | 4.11%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 116  | 124  | 144  | 5.40%  | 6.52%  | 7.79%
Total | 2,148 | 1,901 | 1,848 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%

As of the census[19] of 2000, 2,148 people, 802 households, and 612 families resided in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). The 920 housing units averaged 1 units per square mile (0.39/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.44% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.65% Native American, 2.79% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. About 5.40% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 802 households, 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.20% were married couples living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.60% were non-families. About 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was distributed as 26.00% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,194, and for a family was $43,894. Males had a median income of $30,114 versus $21,786 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,151. About 7.90% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.80% of those under age 18 and 11.60% of those age 65 or over.

## Education

[edit]

The Claude Independent School District serves almost all of Armstrong County.

Three school districts headquartered in surrounding counties, Clarendon Consolidated Independent School District, Groom Independent School District, and Happy Independent School District, include small unincorporated portions of Armstrong County.

## Communities

[edit]

### City

[edit]

* Claude (county seat)
* Washburn

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Fairview
* Goodnight
* Malden
* Paloduro
* Wayside

## Government

[edit]

### Law enforcement

[edit]

The current sheriff of Armstrong County is Melissa Anderson.[20] She is assisted by three full time deputies. The Armstrong Sheriff's Office no longer operates a county jail, as it was closed in April 2022.

The old Armstrong County Jail, located in Claude, Texas was erected in 1953 with the designs of Lawrence A. Kerr and Clayton B. Shiver. It was built with stone quarried 14 miles to the south of Claude in Palo Duro Canyon that was recycled from the demolition of the former jail built in 1893. The jail housed inmates on the second floor and the first floor formerly served as the home of the Sheriff, though it was converted in to office space. The jail was also the location of the county's public-safety answering point (PSAP) and dispatch center.[citation needed]

## Politics

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Armstrong County, Texas[21] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 1,029  | 92.79% | 77  | 6.94%  | 3  | 0.27%
2020 | 1,035  | 93.08% | 75  | 6.74%  | 2  | 0.18%
2016 | 924  | 90.50% | 70  | 6.86%  | 27  | 2.64%
2012 | 828  | 88.56% | 98  | 10.48%  | 9  | 0.96%
2008 | 856  | 86.46% | 128  | 12.93%  | 6  | 0.61%
2004 | 830  | 82.67% | 170  | 16.93%  | 4  | 0.40%
2000 | 772  | 82.30% | 150  | 15.99%  | 16  | 1.71%
1996 | 582  | 62.18% | 272  | 29.06%  | 82  | 8.76%
1992 | 561  | 54.57% | 278  | 27.04%  | 189  | 18.39%
1988 | 720  | 69.23% | 314  | 30.19%  | 6  | 0.58%
1984 | 791  | 76.50% | 238  | 23.02%  | 5  | 0.48%
1980 | 709  | 66.57% | 333  | 31.27%  | 23  | 2.16%
1976 | 506  | 49.27%  | 513  | 49.95% | 8  | 0.78%
1972 | 768  | 80.76% | 177  | 18.61%  | 6  | 0.63%
1968 | 434  | 46.12% | 301  | 31.99%  | 206  | 21.89%
1964 | 365  | 40.15%  | 544  | 59.85% | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 488  | 56.74% | 365  | 42.44%  | 7  | 0.81%
1956 | 372  | 46.62%  | 422  | 52.88% | 4  | 0.50%
1952 | 562  | 56.43% | 425  | 42.67%  | 9  | 0.90%
1948 | 97  | 11.89%  | 686  | 84.07% | 33  | 4.04%
1944 | 132  | 16.50%  | 623  | 77.88% | 45  | 5.63%
1940 | 82  | 8.42%  | 891  | 91.48% | 1  | 0.10%
1936 | 33  | 3.54%  | 897  | 96.14% | 3  | 0.32%
1932 | 63  | 7.18%  | 813  | 92.70% | 1  | 0.11%
1928 | 316  | 45.80%  | 373  | 54.06% | 1  | 0.14%
1924 | 106  | 19.06%  | 426  | 76.62% | 24  | 4.32%
1920 | 87  | 17.51%  | 405  | 81.49% | 5  | 1.01%
1916 | 43  | 10.57%  | 353  | 86.73% | 11  | 2.70%
1912 | 32  | 9.38%  | 274  | 80.35% | 35  | 10.26%
United States Senate election results for Armstrong County, Texas1[22] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 1,001  | 90.02% | 97  | 8.72%  | 14  | 1.26%

## See also

[edit]

* List of museums in the Texas Panhandle
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Armstrong County, Texas
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Armstrong County

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
2. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Armstrong County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
3. ^ "Armstrong County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
4. ^ a b "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
5. ^ a b c Abbe, Donald R. "Armstrong County". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on December 21, 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
6. ^ Hagen, William Thomas (2007). "Launching the JA Ranch 1877-1880". Charles Goodnight: Father of the Texas Panhandle. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 45–60\. ISBN 978-0-8061-3827-5.
7. ^ "Goodnight, Texas and Charles Goodnight". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Archived from the original on December 21, 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
8. ^ "Washburn, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
9. ^ "Claude, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
10. ^ Dingus, Anne (July 1991). "Texas Movies". Texas Monthly: 92.
11. ^ Baker, T. Lindsay (2005). More Ghost Towns of Texas. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 68–69\. ISBN 978-0-8061-3724-7.
12. ^ Jackson, Carlton (1994). Picking Up the Tab: The Life and Movies of Martin Ritt. Popular Press 1. p. 70\. ISBN 978-0-87972-672-0.
13. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
14. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
15. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
16. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Armstrong County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
17. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Armstrong County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
18. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Armstrong County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
19. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
20. ^ "Armstrong County - Sheriff". Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
21. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
22. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Armstrong County
* Armstrong County, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
* Armstrong County from the Texas Almanac
* Armstrong County from the TXGenWeb Project
* Armstrong County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties
* Interactive Texas Map
* Texas Map Collection Archived May 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Armstrong County, Texas

| Potter County | Carson County | Gray County

|
|

|  |
Randall County |

Armstrong County, Texas

| Donley County
|  |
Swisher County | Briscoe County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Armstrong County, Texas, United States

County seat: Claude

City|

* Claude

Armstrong County map

CDP|

* Washburn

Other
communities|

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* Paloduro
* Wayside

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34°58′N 101°21′W﻿ / ﻿34.97°N 101.35°W﻿ / 34.97; -101.35
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