The Texas Panhandle is made up of 26 counties that form the northernmost region of the state. Known for its wide-open plains, rich history, and strong agricultural roots, the Panhandle has played a unique role in shaping Texas’ identity. Each county contributes its own heritage, people, and stories to this distinct and rugged landscape.
Featured County
Donley County, located in the Texas Panhandle, was officially established in 1876 and organized in 1882. Named after Stockton P. Donley, a Texas Supreme Court justice, the county played a key role in early frontier life. Settlers were drawn to the area for its ranching opportunities, particularly along the Red River. Clarendon, the county seat, was founded in 1878 by Methodist clergyman Lewis Henry Carhart as a religous and educational center. The arrival of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway in the 1880s spurred growth and helped shape the county's economy, which continues to be rooted in agriculture and ranching today.
Notable ranches with land extending into Donley County include the Goodnight Ranch, and the historic JA Ranch which was established in 1876 by John Adair and Charles Goodnight, with headquarters located in neighboring Armstrong County. Also located in Donley County is the RO Ranch, originally founded in 1882 by Alfred Rowe and later sold to W.J. and Vera Lewis in 1917.
Did you know?
Alfred Rowe was born in 1853 in Lima, Peru to English parents and educated at the Royal Agricultural College in England. He moved to the United States in 1878 and later purchased significant land holdings along Skillet and Glenwood Creeks on the Red River in Donley County, Texas. By 1900, the RO Ranch spanned some 100,000 acres and supported 15,000 head of cattle.
In 1910, Rowe and his family moved back to England, continuing to return to Texas regularly. On one such trip, he sailed aboard the steamship Titanic in April 1912, where he died after refusing a lifeboat until others were aboard. The Rowe family maintained the ranch until 1917, when it was sold to W.J. Lewis. Rowe's legacy continues in Donley County today, with various named places remaining, including several historic ranch buildings and the Rowe Cemetery located outside Hedley, Texas.
Top Right: Donley County
Courthouse, 2024
Clarendon, Texas
Left: Mural by artist
Malcolm Byars, 2024
Hwy 287 in Clarendon, Texas
Pictured left to right:
Mrs. Cornelia W. Ritchie Adair
John Adair, various cowboys,
Alfred Rowe, and Charles
Goodnight
Photos courtesy of Laura Ann Owens
A Short History Lesson...
The Panhandle of Texas owes its borders to the Compromise of 1850 - but its story stretches far beyond political lines. Human presence in the region dates back much further than you might expect. Discover the full history here.
The Panhandle Counties were officially established in 1876 as part of the Bexar District. However, a few current day counties - Childress, Collingsworth, Hall, Hartley, Swisher, and Wheeler - were originally included in either the Bexar or Young Districts.
| |
COUNTIES
|
DATE ORGANIZED |
County Seat
|
| 18 |
Armstrong |
1890 |
Claude |
| 24 |
Briscoe |
1892 |
Silverton |
| 13 |
Carson |
1888 |
Panhandle |
| 22 |
Castro |
1891 |
Dimmitt |
| 26 |
Childress |
1887 |
Childress |
| 20 |
Colllingsworth |
1890 |
Wellington |
| 1 |
Dallam |
1891 |
Dalhart |
| 16 |
Deaf Smith |
1890 |
Hereford |
| 19 |
Donley |
1882 |
Clarendon |
| 14 |
Gray |
1902 |
Pampa |
| 25 |
Hall |
1890 |
Memphis |
| 3 |
Hansford |
1889 |
Spearman |
| 6 |
Hartley |
1891 |
Channing |
| 10 |
Hemphill |
1887 |
Canadian |
| 8 |
Hutchinson |
1901 |
Stinnett |
| 5 |
Lipscomb |
1887 |
Lipscomb |
| 7 |
Moore |
1892 |
Dumas |
| 4 |
Ochiltree |
1889 |
Perryton |
| 11 |
Oldham |
1880 |
Vega |
| 21 |
Parmer |
1907 |
Farwell |
| 12 |
Potter |
1887 |
Amarillo |
| 17 |
Randall |
1889 |
Canyon |
| 9 |
Roberts |
1889 |
Miami |
| 2 |
Sherman |
1889 |
Stratford |
| 23 |
Swisher |
1890 |
Tulia |
| 15 |
Wheeler |
1879 |
Wheeler |
