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Office: Armstrong County Emergency Management – Armstrong County Courthouse, 101 Trice St, Claude, TX 79019 | (806) 553-2860
Alert System: The county transitioned to a new mass-notification system, WENS (Wireless Emergency Notification System), effective October 1, 2025, replacing the previous CodeRED/i-INFO system. Residents should sign up for WENS directly and select both “Armstrong County Emergency Alerts” and “Armstrong County Community Notices” to receive full coverage – a signup under the old system will no longer deliver alerts.
Notes: A very small, sparsely populated county (pop. approx. 1,800) – the Claude Volunteer Fire Department, (806) 226-3331, also plays a central role in local emergency response.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-287 runs through Claude, the county seat, connecting toward Amarillo; SH-207 crosses the southern part of the county through Palo Duro Canyon
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county whether any current transit option serves residents
Notes: A large, sparsely populated Panhandle county – the northern half is level plains, the southern half largely occupied by Palo Duro Canyon; most residents rely on personal vehicles.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: No dedicated county building/permitting department was found in this search – for a county this small, building and floodplain permitting questions should go through the County Clerk’s office, (806) 553-2861, or the County Judge’s office
Within Claude: The City of Claude handles its own permitting for in-city construction – confirm current contact directly, as a specific city permitting line was not found in this search
Notes: This is a genuine gap this search could not fully resolve – call the County Clerk before assuming no permit is needed for an unincorporated-area project.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: No dedicated Armstrong County Veterans Service Officer was confirmed in this search – call the County Judge’s office, (806) 553-2860, to ask about current veterans service arrangements, which for a county this size are often handled regionally
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Claude Public Library – 100 Trice St, Claude, TX 79019 | (806) 226-7881
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, an approximately 28,000-acre Texas Parks and Wildlife Department park spanning Armstrong and Randall Counties – the second-largest canyon in the United States, with more than 30 miles of trails, camping, historic Civilian Conservation Corps-built cabins, and the long-running outdoor “TEXAS” musical performed each summer in the Pioneer Amphitheatre; the eastern portion of the park lies within Armstrong County; the historic Charles Goodnight Ranch home and the Armstrong County Museum in Claude are also notable local heritage sites
Notes: Palo Duro Canyon is a major, genuine draw – not filler – and this is one of relatively few Texas counties containing part of a landmark-scale state park. Confirm current park hours, camping reservations, and event schedules directly with Texas Parks and Wildlife, as reservations are recommended and the park often reaches capacity.
Facility/Enforcement: No dedicated county animal control department or shelter was found in this search
Notes: For a county this size, a stray or nuisance animal situation likely goes through the Armstrong County Sheriff’s Office – contact them directly at the courthouse to confirm current response options, since no separate animal control line could be confirmed.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Facility: Armstrong County Landfill – located approximately 4 miles south of Claude, west of US-207, 1.5 miles east of FM-294 | (806) 553-2860
Recycling: A used motor oil and filter recycling drop-off point is listed at 210 East Fourth Street, Claude, “always open to public”
Notes: Confirm current landfill hours, accepted materials, and any fees directly before hauling a load – this is a small rural facility and hours/policies can differ from larger county operations.
NOTES: Armstrong County is the second of this five-county batch. This is genuinely one of the smallest and most rural counties tackled so far – several sections (building permits, veterans services, public health, animal control) turned up real gaps rather than confirmed dedicated offices, and those are flagged honestly rather than papered over. What IS a real, substantial asset for this county is Palo Duro Canyon State Park, which earns its place in Section 12 on its own merits. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Armstrong County County
Armstrong County is the Texas Panhandle’s JA Ranch heritage and Palo Duro Canyon gateway county – Charles Goodnight’s legendary ranch that helped define Panhandle cattle culture and the dramatic red canyon that is the second largest in the United States give this sparsely populated shortgrass prairie county a historical and natural significance far exceeding its modest population.
Claude (the county seat, population ~1,200) is Armstrong County’s governmental hub, a small Texas Panhandle ranch town on US 287 serving the county’s cattle ranching communities in the canyon country between Amarillo and Clarendon.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Armstrong County Appraisal District at 300 N. Trice Street, Claude, TX 79019, phone 806-226-2081. TX appraised at 100% market value.
Courts & Legal
Armstrong County District Court at 300 N. Trice Street, Claude, TX 79019, phone 806-226-2081, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
100 South Trice St, Claude, TX 79019
(806) 226-4231
DISTRICT CLERK
100 South Trice St, Claude, TX 79019
(806) 226-4231
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Armstrong County District and County Clerk’s Office, Claude (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Armstrong County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
District and County Clerk, Armstrong County PO Box 309, Claude, TX 79019 (806) 553-2861
Armstrong County is in the Texas Panhandle, seated in Claude. Unusually, Armstrong County combines the District Clerk and County Clerk roles into a single office.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Texas probate law is governed by the Texas Estates Code. Probate jurisdiction in Texas is split between statutory probate courts (in larger metro counties) and county courts (in smaller counties like Armstrong, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Armstrong County, the combined District and County Clerk’s office handles probate matters through the County Court.
Small Estate Affidavit (Tex. Est. Code § 205.001) – available ONLY when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate), the estate (excluding homestead and exempt property) does not exceed $75,000, and assets exceed debts. At least 30 days must have passed since death. The affidavit must list every asset and debt, establish the family history showing who the heirs are, and be sworn to by the heirs and two disinterested witnesses; a judge then reviews and approves it under § 205.003.
Independent Administration – used when a will exists (or all heirs agree) and the estate has debts; minimal court supervision after the executor is appointed. This is the most common and efficient path in Texas when available.
Muniment of Title – available when a valid will exists, there are no unsecured debts (other than a mortgage), and there’s no other need for a full administration; transfers title without appointing an executor.
Dependent Administration – required for complex, contested, or disputed estates; involves ongoing court supervision and approval of most actions.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration, if intestate) with the Armstrong County District and County Clerk.
The original will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and information about heirs and the proposed executor are included with the application.
The court holds a hearing and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors and gathers, inventories, and appraises the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees in Texas typically run $250–$400 depending on the county; confirm current Armstrong County fees directly.
Texas law allows a statutory executor fee of 5% of all sums actually received and paid out in cash, with specific exceptions. The court may also approve reasonable attorney fees paid from the estate.
Small estate affidavits typically cost $600–$1,900 total when factoring in filing and related fees.
Texas does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
100 South Trice St, Claude, TX 79019
(806) 226-3211
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
100 South Trice St, Claude, TX 79019
(806) 226-4231
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
100 South Trice St, Claude, TX 79019
(806) 226-4231
HHSC Office
100 South Trice St, Claude, TX 79019
(806) 226-4231
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: No standalone Armstrong County health department was found in this search – for a county this small, public health services are commonly delivered through a regional Texas Department of State Health Services office or a neighboring county’s health district; confirm current arrangements directly with the County Judge’s office
Notes: This is a genuine gap rather than an oversight – flagged plainly so a reader knows to call ahead rather than assume a walk-in county health office exists.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Claude
Population: 1,900
Public Records
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