Tom Christian is the very definition of a Texas Panhandle pioneer.
A lifelong resident of the Texas Panhandle, Christian, 86, has helped pioneer and preserve the entire Texas Panhandle, including his hometown of Claude. Christian has served meals on his Figure 3 Ranch, has appeared in movies, has served in the Texas Legislature and has always worked to serve his community.
Christian knows that his roots run deep in the Texas Panhandle community and he recalls his connections to his father.
"I was born in 1931," Christian said. "I was born in the same house that my dad was born in."
Christian says that he and his family were farmers and ranchers his whole life. Christian then left the farm to go to college on a football scholarship. However, Christian would go many miles further away from the Texas Panhandle. Christian went to Washington, D.C. and served in the ceremonial guard for President Dwight D. Eisenhower's inauguration.
After completing his education, Christian came back to the Texas Panhandle to teach school in Canadian. While in Canadian, Christian says that he made many friends and some of those friendships continue to last to this day.
"While I was in Canadian I made friends with Malouf Abraham," Christian said. "We ended up serving in the Texas Legislature together."
In 1968, Christian was elected as a Republican to the Texas Legislature. His race also has a significance for this area of the state.
"I was the first Republican to beat an incumbent Democrat in a state race," Christian said. "Then I served for two years and my district was redrawn to put me in all of the Democratic counties. My big county was Randall County."
After coming back from the Texas Legislature, Christian says he then went on to start Cowboy Morning. At Cowboy Morning, Christian would serve breakfast to visitors at his ranch near Palo Duro Canyon.
Today, Christian still spends his day in the Texas Panhandle and is the true definition of a Texas Panhandle pioneer. And, although he has had a rich life, he has no regrets about keeping his roots right here in the Panhandle.
"It's been important to me for a long time," Christian says.
Photo by State Preservation Board