Claude Independent School District (CISD) is located in rural Armstrong County, Texas. Armstrong County is located in the Texas Panhandle which is bordered by New Mexico and Oklahoma. The county encompasses 907 square miles with a population of 2148 and was first settled in the early 1870’s. The county seat of Armstrong County is the city of Claude which has a population of 1313 at the last census count. 

Agriculture formed the early economic base for the Panhandle area, and remains a major factor in today’s economy. The major industry in Armstrong County is ranching and farming devoted to wheat, milo, cotton, and hay cash crops. The Panhandle is the Cattle Feeding Capital of the World, producing more than 30 percent of the nation’s supply. The Panhandle is currently home to a diverse economy, including oil and gas production, precious metals refining, aircraft production, and growing dairy and swine industry. Bell Helicopter Textron selected Amarillo as the site for its Tiltrotor Assembly Center. 

Educational Opportunities

Area educational opportunities are plentiful with Amarillo College’s four Amarillo campuses, including the Amarillo Technical Center that provides courses in diverse technical fields. West Texas A&M University is located in Canyon, Texas and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a broad range of major fields. The Texas Tech Health Sciences Center includes the School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy, and School of Allied Health for medical students. There is also a branch of Wayland Baptist University in Amarillo. Clarendon College is located to the East and offers quality associates degree opportunities.

Arts and Culture

Access to art and culture is available to Armstrong County area through many organizations including the Armstrong County Museum, The Charles Goodnight House, Gem Theater, Amarillo Symphony, Lone Star Ballet, Amarillo Opera, Amarillo Little Theater, The Don Herrington Discovery Center, Amarillo Museum of Art, and Texas’ largest History, the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum (located in Canyon, Texas), the Black Historical Cultural Center, the Globe News Center for the Performing Arts, and the American Quarter Horse Museum. Area Boy Scout organizations sponsor the Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum and Event Center.

Recreation

Recreation and tourist attractions include the pioneer Goodnight Ranch Home and the Old Settlers Reunion and Caprock Roundup Rodeo held in July. The Armstrong County area also is in close proximity to numerous and varied recreational areas. More than 60 parks and five golf courses provide nature trails and facilities for basketball, swimming, soccer, softball, tennis, golf, jogging, and hiking. Claude is conveniently located within one to four hours of recreational areas known for snow skiing, water skiing, fishing, camping, and hunting in the Texas Panhandle and surrounding New Mexico and Colorado. Palo Duro Canyon and State Park is 45 miles Southwest of CISD and includes more than 18,000 acres of prime outdoor activity.

Health Services

Routine and emergency health services are provided to Claude and the surrounding area by the Claude Medical Clinic. The Amarillo area is home to what is considered to be a cutting edge regional health center with the 410 acre Herrington Regional Medical Center providing a wide range of medical specialists and facilities.