Clarendon, Texas
Clarendon is a city of 1,859 people in Donley County, Texas, founded in 1878.
Why visit Clarendon
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 9 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Mulkey Theatre, Sandell Drive-In and Donley County Courthouse and Jail.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 95°F; January lows average 24°F.
Weather in Clarendon
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Clarendon
Clarendon is a city in Donley County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,877 at the 2020 census. The county seat of Donley County, Clarendon is located on U.S. Highway 287 in the Texas Panhandle, 60 miles (97 km) east of Amarillo.
From the Wikipedia article Clarendon, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks12
Donley County Courthouse and Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic place in Clarendon, Donley County, Texas
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes9
Stocking Ice Cream Parlor
Ice cream
116 South Kearney Street, Clarendon
Tu-Sa 14:00-21:00; Su 15:00-20:00
Jinda Cafe
Restaurant · Thai, Lao
700 West 2nd Street, Clarendon
History
Clarendon, established in 1878, was one of the three original Panhandle settlements, the other two being Mobeetie and Tascosa. Clarendon was relocated after its original location was bypassed by the Fort Worth and Denver Railway.
The town founder was a Methodist clergyman, L. H. Carhart, who envisioned a "sobriety settlement" in contrast to typical boomtowns of that era. Clarendon acquired the sobriquet "Saints Roost" from local cowboys, hence the unusual name of the Clarendon museum, the Saints' Roost Museum.
The town was hit by two tornadoes simultaneously on March 13, 2021. The first tornado caused minor damage west of town before strengthening and causing EF2 damage on the north side of town. The other tornado damaged several homes and sheds in the town at EF0 strength.
From the History section of Clarendon, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship5
First Assembly of God
Church · Assemblies Of God · 0.7 mi
301 South Orpe Street, Clarendon
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.4 mi
3276 US Highway 287, Clarendon
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
Map of Clarendon
47 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 24°F | 0.8 in | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 56°F | 27°F | 0.7 in | 0.8 in |
| Mar | 65°F | 34°F | 1.4 in | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 43°F | 2.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 82°F | 53°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 63°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 95°F | 67°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 65°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 58°F | 2.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 45°F | 2.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 62°F | 33°F | 0.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 25°F | 0.8 in | 0.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Clarendon (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Donley County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-03-15: Corner Pocket Fire (Fire)
- 2026-02-18: 8 Ball Fire (Fire)
- 2025-03-14: Rest Area Fire (Fire)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Perry Lefors Field (PPA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 47 miles away.
- Howardwick 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Hedley 14 mi east, about 23 min by car
- Groom 22 mi northwest, about 36 min by car
- Memphis 25 mi southeast, about 40 min by car
- McLean 26 mi northeast, about 42 min by car
- Claude 29 mi northwest, about 47 min by car
- Lefors 35 mi north, about 56 min by car
- Wellington 39 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Panhandle 40 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Pampa 42 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- City Hall, Clarendon, Texas, Eric Friedebach, CC BY 2.0
- Library IMG 0655, Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Donley Courthouse IMG 0667, The original uploader was Billy Hathorn at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.