Donley County offers several clear themes for a trip: historic architecture and community history, the Saints' Roost Museum, and recreational destinations in the area. One distinctive feature is the Donley County Courthouse: It still serves as a courthouse, combining its present-day function with a long architectural history.
Courthouse, College and Churches
The Donley County Courthouse is the oldest courthouse still in operation in the Texas Panhandle. Its Romanesque Revival architecture combines distinctive towers with the contrast of red brick and rough-cut limestone. Donley County restored the building and rededicated it on July 4, 2003. Its continued use and restoration history come together in this building.
Clarendon College was founded in 1898 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is the oldest college in the Texas Panhandle. In 2015, it was described as a cultural center for Donley County and the region. The churches also offer a range of historical points of interest: First United Methodist Church of Clarendon is a large Classical Revival-style building constructed in 1910. St. Stephen's Baptist Church has been in existence for more than a century and is described as the first African American church in the Panhandle.
Museum History and Getting Around Clarendon
The Saints' Roost Museum is located in the former Adair Hospital in Clarendon. Cornelia Adair had the building constructed in 1910 for the cowboys of the JA Ranch and their families. The museum displays artifacts from Indigenous American cultures and materials from the Red River War. This brings together the building's former use and two distinct historical exhibition themes.
The Mulkey Theatre was built in 1946 and reopened in 2019 after extensive renovation. Clarendon's Visitor Center is located inside the historic theatre, downtown at 110 S. Kearney. The site combines a practical place to find your bearings with the history of a building that has changed over several decades.
Nature and Recreation in the Area
The Taylor Lakes Unit of the Playa Lakes WMA is in Donley County near Clarendon, adding a specific natural point of interest to the cultural and historical themes. Nearby, Greenbelt Reservoir has five developed boat ramps as well as numerous camping and picnic areas, many shaded by large trees. This means visitors can find both facilities for boating and places to spend time outdoors. Kincaid Park, also in the area, has a disc golf course.
For road travel orientation, there is an eastbound Donley County rest area on IH 40, an hour's drive east of Amarillo. This information refers to the rest area and should not be understood as the driving time to every place in the county.
An Annual Event Featuring Regional Food
The Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff at the Saints' Roost Museum takes place annually. At the 2025 cookoff, an authentic chuckwagon meal featuring chicken-fried steak was offered. If you are planning your trip specifically around the event, check the event date and the offerings in advance: Menus and ticketing may change.
Discover more destinations: Clarendon, Deaf Smith County, Winkler County, Aransas County, Gregg, Concho, Lamar County, Guadalupe
For the broader travel overview: Texas.
