Armstrong County

Armstrong County, in the central Panhandle on the eastern edge of the Texas High Plains, is bounded on the east by Donley County, on the north by Carson County, on the west by Randall County, and on the south by Swisher and Briscoe counties. It is named for one of several pioneer Texas families named Armstrong, though the sources are unclear about which one. The center of the county lies approximately at 34°58' north latitude and 101°20' west longitude. Claude, the county seat, is in the north central part of the county thirty miles east of Amarillo. Armstrong County occupies 907 square miles of level plains and canyons. The northern half is generally level, as is the far southwest corner. The rest of the southern half of the county is covered by the great Palo Duro Canyon. The eastern end of Palo Duro Canyon State Scenic Park is in Armstrong County. The soil surface of rich deep gray and chocolate loams supports abundant native grasses as well as wheat and grain sorghums in some areas. The county is crossed by three streams, the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River in Palo Duro Canyon, the Salt Fork of the Red River, and Mulberry Creek, all of which run year-round to some degree. Elevation ranges from 2,300 to 3,500 feet, and the average rainfall is 19.98 inches per year. The average minimum temperature is 19°F in January, and the average maximum is 92° in July. The growing season averages 213 days per year.

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.