Clarendon, TX

Sitting roughly an hour east of Amarillo along Highway 287, Clarendon is a classic Panhandle town with deep roots and a relaxed pace. It was founded in 1878 as a dry, church-centered settlement, which quickly earned it the nickname 'Saints' Roost' from neighboring ranch hands. When the railroad bypassed the original site a decade later, the entire community packed up their houses and storefronts and relocated six miles south right to the tracks.

ATTREric Friedebach / CC BY 2.0

These days, Clarendon offers a comfortable, close-knit environment with a few standout local anchors. Clarendon College, the oldest college in the Panhandle, brings steady activity and community events into town. Residents can spend weekends fishing and boating at nearby Greenbelt Lake, explore pioneer history at the Saints' Roost Museum, or head into Amarillo for bigger shopping trips. It is an easygoing, historic courthouse town that offers quiet rural living with a strong sense of community.