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Life in Armstrong County Tx 1800s to 1950

 

Armstrong County, Texas from 1800's to 1950 as pictured in archived government photographs, vintage postcards, old school yearbooks family albums and newspapers in Claude, Washburn, Fairview, Goodnight, Maiden, Paloduro and Wayside. Click on photos to view larger.

 

Click on the photos below to see full size images
Horse and Buggy in Claude Texas in 1920Horse and Buggy in Claude in 1920

A horse waits patiently with his buggy for his owner to return in Claude Texas in 1920 in this unsent post card. Someone had written 'Sarah, Elizabeth Campbell, Claude Texas

Campbell House in Claude Texas 1920sCampbell House in Claude Texas 1920s

Photo of a man and woman posing in front. of a house in Claude Texas in 1920s.  Written on the back of this un-sent post card someone wrote in script 'Mrs. Robert Campbell Claude Texas'

Playing Croquet in Claude Texas in 1910Playing Croquet in Claude Texas in 1910

In 1910 a group of men played Croquet in Claude Texas with the First National Bank of Claude in the background

Goodnight Mercantile Company in 1888Goodnight Mercantile Company in 1900

In 1900 the proprietor and two of his staff posed for this rare photo of the Goodnight Mercantile Company and Post Office in Goodnight Texas

Lone Star SchoolLone Star School

Lone Star School in early 1900s located midway between Claude and Panhandle Texas

JA Ranch Cowboys in 1915JA Ranch Cowboys in 1915

Five JA Ranch cowboys including a little boy on horseback posed with a calf they were working in Armstrong County Texas in 1915

JA Cowboys Eating Dinner in 1904JA Cowboys Eating Dinner 1904

Twelve cowboys from the JA ranch eating dinner at the chuckwagon in 1904

JA Ranch Headquarters in 1907JA Ranch Headquarters  in 1907

Great photo of the JA Ranch headquarters taken from a hill by famous photographer Erwin E. Smith in 1907

Cowboys Packing BeddingCowboys Packing Bedding

Cowboys packing up their bedding on the JA Ranch in 1904

Harvesting Kaffir Corn Near Claude in 1910Harvesting Kaffir Corn Near Claude in 1910

In 1910 a farmer near Claude Texas stopped his 4-mule team and posed for this photo of the kaffir corn harvest

North Side of Square in Claude in 1910North Side of Square in Claude in 1910

The dirt streets are empty in front of the H. M. Kight & Bros store except for one horse-drawn buggy  in this photo of the north side of the square in Claude Texas in 1910

Claude Texas in 1911Claude Texas in 1911

West Side of Square in Claude Texas in 1911 when the streets were dirt and the main means of transportation was horses and horse drawn buggies.

Downtown Claude Texas in 1914Downtown Claude Texas in 1914

The dirt street in front of the H.M. Kight & Bro dry goods store in downtown Claude Texas was crowded with horse drawn wagons in 1914

Scarborough Saloon Claude Texas 1890Blackie the Bear Drinking Beer from a bottle outside the Scarborough Saloon in Claude Texas in 1890
Farm Scene in Armstrong County Texas 1909Farm Scene Near Claude Texas in 1909

Two horse team pulls harrow in this scene from Armstrong County in 1909

 

Fishing Main Street in Claude Texas in 1910Fishing Main Street in Claude Texas in 1910

After a rare rain in Claude Texas in 1910, Armstrong County pioneers posed as if they were fishing the muddy street on the West side of the courthouse square for this postcard. . . Look closer

First Class of the Goodnight College 1898First Class of the Goodnight College 1898

Students: John McDonald, Herbert Jones, Joe Kesterson, D. Vaugher, Roy Vineyard, John Mackelhaney, Charley McClaren, Bess and Clyde Norvell, Ella and Minnie Dyer, Bill and Maggie Burns, Georgie Caperton, Relan and Annie Vaughn, Flora Hunter, Lou Goodnight . . .

Goodnight Baptist Academy Football Team 1900Goodnight Baptist Academy Football Team c1900
Goodnight College staff and families - 1901Goodnight College Staff and Families in 1901
Goodnight College Boys Dorm - 1901Goodnight College Boys Dorm - 1901

Earl Payne and Bill Hill are identified in this old photo. Can you identify others?

Goodnight College Girls Dorm - 1901Goodnight College Girls Dorm in 1901

In 1901 the girls in the Goodnight College girl's dorm appeared on the balcony and at the fence for this large old photograph. Note the ladders that served as fire escapes for the third floor.

Wayside School, Wayside Texas in 1914Wayside School, Wayside Texas in 1914

Three teachers and 22 students posed in front of their school in Wayside Texas in 1914 in this huge detailed photo

Buffalo Hunt on Goodnight Ranch in 1916Buffalo Hunt on Goodnight Ranch in 1916

Charles Goodnight leads the way on foot and mounted Kiowa follow behind him as they prepare to recreate a buffalo hunt on the Goodnight Ranch in 1916. This momentary show of what was once the common life of the plains read more and see it full size

Molly and Charles Goodnight Molly and Charles Goodnight

Mary Ann Dyer "Molly" Goodnight married Charles in 1870. Molly died in 1926. Charles Goodnight died three years later in 1929

Armstrong County Courthouse in 1950sArmstrong County Courthouse in 1950s

 

PLPerson Land Motorcade Claude Texas 1909 PLPerson Land Motorcade Claude Texas 1909

On January 15, 1909, the P. L. Person Land Company organized a motorcade in Claude Texas to attract new settlers to Armstrong County, one of the least populated counties in Texas even today.

Resources:

West Texas History & Memories (Face Book Group)

Early Life in Texas County by County

Books about Texas People and Places

Famous People from Texas County by County

Texas History in the 19th Century (Amazon)

Texas History by Category and Event

You know you are from Claude Texas if...

Postcards from the Panhandle (Facebook)

Armstrong County Unclaimed Estates

Armstrong County Unclaimed Estates

These Deceased Residents of Armstrong County Left a total $4,022 in Unclaimed Money for their heirs. Know the Heirs? . . . See the list

Books about Armstrong County People and Places

 Books about Armstrong County Texas People and PlacesBooks about People and Places in Armstrong County Texas

Famous People from Armstrong County Texas
Life in Armstrong County Texas 1890-1950Life in Claude Texas 1890 - 1950
Life in Childress County Texas 1800-1950Early Life in Childress County
 

What's your Favorite Book about a Texas County, Town, Person or Place? Here's our best reads list County by County

 

Mysterious TexasTrue Stories of Amazing People and Places in Texas
 Loneliest, Least Populated Counties in Texas
Texas Cowboy HistoryBooks about Texas People County by County
 
 

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