Weatherford, Texas
Encyclopedia
Weatherford is a city in Parker County
, Texas
, United States
, and a western suburb of Fort Worth
. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census
. It is the county seat
of Parker County
and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles (58.8 km²), of which, 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) of it is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) of it (7.86%) is water.
The average income per household was $50,924, in the year 2007. The estimated 2007 city capita was $26,380.
According to the 1999 census, 25.0% of the population is under the age of 18, 10.6% is 18 to 24, 26.3% is 25 to 44, 21.8% is 45 to 64, and 16.4% is 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years.
and Weatherford College
.
is a 140-year-old community college. There are more than 35 study areas and 19 professional/technical programs. Financial aid packages and scholarships are also available. The College was originally built by Masons
and was one of the first in Texas.
, a little girl who was stolen from her home by Indians during the Texas Revolution. Cynthia Ann lived among the Comanche and became the mother of Chief Quanah Parker
. Later, when she was overtaken in flight with an Indian raiding party, Isaac Parker who recognized her as his long-lost niece.
The Town of Weatherford was named for the State Senator for this district, Thomas Jefferson Weatherford (1811-1867) of Dallas. According to his cousin, Senator Weatherford never set foot in the town.
The first settlers had arrived less than ten years earlier. They were many Native American
attacks between the years of 1846 and 1874. There are several headstones in Parker County that read "Killed by Indians."
The railroad arrived in June 1880. The Santa Fe Depot (which today houses the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce) was built in 1908 under Jim Crow laws, with waiting rooms segregated and separated by the ticket office.
In 1895, the town’s still existing daily newspaper, the Weatherford Democrat, began publication. The Weatherford Telegram began publishing as a weekly newspaper in 2006.
is buried in Weatherford’s Greenwood Cemetery. After being attacked by Indians in New Mexico in 1867, Loving’s dying wish to his friend, Charles Goodnight
, was to be buried in his home, Parker County. Goodnight brought the body back six hundred miles by wagon for burial. The story is the inspiration behind Texas author Larry McMurtry
’s novel
, Lonesome Dove
.
A year earlier, Goodnight had invented the first chuckwagon
which catered to cowboys on a cattle drive that would later become known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail.
Boze Ikard, who served with Goodnight and for whom the McMurtry character “Deets” was modeled, was also laid to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery.
". As such, it is home to churches of several Christian
denominations including (among others) Baptist, Methodist
, Presbyterian
, Lutheran
, Mormon
and Roman Catholic. There are no worship centers for any other major religions within the city limits, with practitioners of those religions commonly traveling to nearby Fort Worth
to attend religious services.
as the Peach
Capital of Texas due to the peaches produced by area growers. As such, the peach is celebrated each year at the Parker County Peach Festival
, which is Weatherford’s largest event and one of the best-attended festivals in Texas.
, and other architecturally significant homes built at the turn of the 20th century sit along the tree-lined avenues. Several of these homes are open for tours, arranged by the Parker County Heritage Society, during the Christmas season.
Another landmark is the Second Empire style Parker County Courthouse
, which is located in the geographical center of the county in downtown Weatherford. The building is surrounded by buildings which served other purposes at the turn of the 20th century, including saloons and cat-houses. In recent years, both the interior and exterior of the courthouse structure have been restored to its original character and attractiveness.
since 1985 by two Republicans
, Richard F. "Ric" Williamson
(1952–2007) and Phillip Stephen King
. Originally a Democrat
, Williamson switched parties and served until 1999, when he was succeeded by King, one of the more conservative members of the legislature. Williamson's old friend and former legislative colleague, Governor Rick Perry
, appointed him to the Texas Transportation Commission, of which he became the chairman in 2004. Williamson died of a third heart attack on December 30, 2007. He had been a champion of Perry's controversial Trans-Texas Corridor
toll road
project.
Parker County, Texas
As of the census of 2003, there were 98,495 people, 31,131 households, and 24,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile . There were 34,084 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and a western suburb of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Parker County
Parker County, Texas
As of the census of 2003, there were 98,495 people, 31,131 households, and 24,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile . There were 34,084 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Geography
Weatherford is located 25 miles (40.2 km) west of Fort Worth on Interstate 20. It is the county seat for Parker County.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles (58.8 km²), of which, 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) of it is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) of it (7.86%) is water.
Demographics
The 2008 census for the population of the City of Weatherford, Texas is 26,686 with a population density of 1,175.59 people per square mile. The population grew by 40.5% from 2000 to 2008. The racial makeup of the city in 2008 is 85.50% White, 10.20% Hispanic, 2.10% Black, 1.30% American Indian, 0.70% Asian, 4.10% other. Weatherford's average household size is 2.5.The average income per household was $50,924, in the year 2007. The estimated 2007 city capita was $26,380.
According to the 1999 census, 25.0% of the population is under the age of 18, 10.6% is 18 to 24, 26.3% is 25 to 44, 21.8% is 45 to 64, and 16.4% is 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years.
Education
The City of Weatherford is served by the Weatherford Independent School DistrictWeatherford Independent School District
Weatherford Independent School District is a public school district based in Weatherford, Texas .In addition to Weatherford, the district serves most of Hudson Oaks as well as portions of Willow Park and Annetta North....
and Weatherford College
Weatherford College
Weatherford College is a community college located in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas, with branch campuses in nearby Decatur and Mineral Wells...
.
Weatherford ISD
Weatherford ISD has classes from pre-kindergarten through high school serving 7,200 students throughout 254 square miles (657.9 km²) at 11 campuses.Weatherford College
Weatherford CollegeWeatherford College
Weatherford College is a community college located in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas, with branch campuses in nearby Decatur and Mineral Wells...
is a 140-year-old community college. There are more than 35 study areas and 19 professional/technical programs. Financial aid packages and scholarships are also available. The College was originally built by Masons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
and was one of the first in Texas.
Beginnings
In 1855, Parker County was created by the Texas State Legislature and named for pioneer and State Representative Isaac Parker. Parker was the uncle of Cynthia Ann ParkerCynthia Ann Parker
Cynthia Ann Parker, or Naduah , was an American woman of old colonial stock of Scots-Irish descent who was captured and kidnapped at the age of nine by a American Indian band which massacred her family and...
, a little girl who was stolen from her home by Indians during the Texas Revolution. Cynthia Ann lived among the Comanche and became the mother of Chief Quanah Parker
Quanah Parker
Quanah Parker was a Comanche chief, a leader in the Native American Church, and the last leader of the powerful Quahadi band before they surrendered their battle of the Great Plains and went to a reservation in Indian Territory...
. Later, when she was overtaken in flight with an Indian raiding party, Isaac Parker who recognized her as his long-lost niece.
The Town of Weatherford was named for the State Senator for this district, Thomas Jefferson Weatherford (1811-1867) of Dallas. According to his cousin, Senator Weatherford never set foot in the town.
The first settlers had arrived less than ten years earlier. They were many Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
attacks between the years of 1846 and 1874. There are several headstones in Parker County that read "Killed by Indians."
The railroad arrived in June 1880. The Santa Fe Depot (which today houses the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce) was built in 1908 under Jim Crow laws, with waiting rooms segregated and separated by the ticket office.
In 1895, the town’s still existing daily newspaper, the Weatherford Democrat, began publication. The Weatherford Telegram began publishing as a weekly newspaper in 2006.
Western Heritage
Cattle drover Oliver LovingOliver Loving
Oliver Loving was a cattle rancher and pioneer of the cattle drive who with Charles Goodnight developed the Goodnight-Loving Trail. He was mortally wounded by Indians while on a cattle drive. Loving County, the smallest county in the United States in population, is named in his honor.Loving was...
is buried in Weatherford’s Greenwood Cemetery. After being attacked by Indians in New Mexico in 1867, Loving’s dying wish to his friend, Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight, also known as Charlie Goodnight , was a cattle rancher in the American West, perhaps the best known rancher in Texas. He is sometimes known as the "father of the Texas Panhandle." Essayist and historian J...
, was to be buried in his home, Parker County. Goodnight brought the body back six hundred miles by wagon for burial. The story is the inspiration behind Texas author Larry McMurtry
Larry McMurtry
Larry Jeff McMurtry is an American novelist, essayist, bookseller and screenwriter whose work is predominantly set in either the old West or in contemporary Texas...
’s novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, Lonesome Dove
Lonesome Dove
Lonesome Dove is a 1985 Pulitzer Prize–winning western novel written by Larry McMurtry. It is the first published book of the Lonesome Dove series, but the third installment in the series chronologically...
.
A year earlier, Goodnight had invented the first chuckwagon
Chuckwagon
A chuckwagon or chuck wagon is a type of wagon historically used to carry food and cooking equipment on the prairies of the United States and Canada. Such wagons would form part of a wagon train of settlers or feed traveling workers such as cowboys or loggers.In modern times, chuckwagons feature...
which catered to cowboys on a cattle drive that would later become known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail.
Boze Ikard, who served with Goodnight and for whom the McMurtry character “Deets” was modeled, was also laid to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery.
Religion
Weatherford lies in the geographic region commonly referred to as the "Bible BeltBible Belt
Bible Belt is an informal term for a region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average.The...
". As such, it is home to churches of several Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denominations including (among others) Baptist, Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
, Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
, Mormon
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
and Roman Catholic. There are no worship centers for any other major religions within the city limits, with practitioners of those religions commonly traveling to nearby Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
to attend religious services.
Peach Capital of Texas
The city was named by the Texas LegislatureTexas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
as the Peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
Capital of Texas due to the peaches produced by area growers. As such, the peach is celebrated each year at the Parker County Peach Festival
Parker County Peach Festival
The Parker County Peach Festival is an annual event held every July in Weatherford, Texas. In addition to celebrating the peach crop from local growers, the festival also showcases local arts and crafts vendors. It is capable of drawing thousands of attendees.. During the festival, vendors set up...
, which is Weatherford’s largest event and one of the best-attended festivals in Texas.
Cutting Horse Capital of the World
Weatherford is known as the Cutting Horse Capital of the World.Historic buildings
Weatherford also has a number of historic homes and buildings. More than 60 Queen Anne, VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
, and other architecturally significant homes built at the turn of the 20th century sit along the tree-lined avenues. Several of these homes are open for tours, arranged by the Parker County Heritage Society, during the Christmas season.
Another landmark is the Second Empire style Parker County Courthouse
Parker County Courthouse
The Parker County Courthouse is an historic building located at Courthouse Square in Weatherford, Texas, the seat of Parker County. It was constructed in 1884 in the Second Empire style....
, which is located in the geographical center of the county in downtown Weatherford. The building is surrounded by buildings which served other purposes at the turn of the 20th century, including saloons and cat-houses. In recent years, both the interior and exterior of the courthouse structure have been restored to its original character and attractiveness.
Notable people
- Major League Baseball pitcher Hippo VaughnHippo VaughnJames Leslie "Hippo" Vaughn was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs during the 1910s...
. - Major League Baseball Pitcher Zach BrittonZach BrittonZachary Grant "Zach" Britton is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles.-Early years:Britton, the youngest of three brothers, was raised in Santa Clarita, California...
(currently pitching for the Baltimore Orioles).
- Thomas Stevenson DrewThomas Stevenson DrewThomas Stevenson Drew was the third governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Though Drew was the third to be elected governor, he was the fourth in office because his predecessor, Samuel Adams, had served as acting governor during much of 1844, having gained the office through the previous...
, the third governor of Arkansas, lived for a time in Weatherford before he relocated to Hood County, Texas. - Lieutenant General William Hood SimpsonWilliam Hood SimpsonGeneral William Hood Simpson was a distinguished U.S. Army officer who commanded the U.S. Ninth Army in northern Europe, during World War II, among other roles....
(May 18, 1888 – August 15, 1980) was a U.S. Army officer who commanded the U.S. Ninth Army in northern Europe, during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, among other roles. - Texas author Edwin LanhamEdwin LanhamEdwin Moultrie Lanham was born in Weatherford, Texas on October 11, 1904, in the north central part of Texas where his family settled in the 1868. His family included his grandfather S. W. T. Lanham, the former Governor of Texas...
was reared in Weatherford, the slightly-veiled setting for his most critically acclaimed work "The Wind Blew West." - Weatherford is also the birthplace and was the home of Mary MartinMary MartinMary Virginia Martin was an American actress and singer. She originated many roles over her career including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Maria in The Sound of Music. She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989...
, a Broadway star, known for her portrayal of Peter PanPeter PanPeter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
. Her son, Larry HagmanLarry HagmanLarry Martin Hagman is an American film and television actor, producer and director known for playing J.R. Ewing in the 1980s primetime television soap opera Dallas and Major Anthony "Tony" Nelson in the 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.-Early life and career:Hagman was born in Fort Worth, Texas...
, became a TV star, best known as J.R. EwingJ.R. EwingJohn Ross Ewing, Jr., more commonly known as J. R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was a central, nefarious figure on the hit CBS television series Dallas . J. R...
on the television melodrama Dallas. Hagman still makes appearances for special occasions and to assist many Weatherford charities as his brother still lives in Weatherford. - Former U.S. Speaker of the House Jim WrightJim WrightJames Claude Wright, Jr. , usually known as Jim Wright, is a former Democratic U.S. Congressman from Texas who served 34 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and was the Speaker of the House from 1987 to 1989.-Early life:...
grew up in Weatherford and wrote a book about his youth, Weatherford Days…a Time of Learning. - Nationally-known rodeoRodeoRodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
announcer Bob TallmanBob TallmanRobert Mathew "Bob" Tallman is an American rodeo announcer from Weatherford, Texas, once called "the greatest announcer that ever lived. He's just got a God-given talent."-Early years:...
operates a ranchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
in Parker County near Weatherford. - Bob Kingsley, host of radio's nationally-syndicated "Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40" has studios in Weatherford, and also owns and operates Blue Stem Ranch southwest of Weatherford.
- Portrait artist Douglas Chandor moved to Weatherford to be with the love of his life, Weatherford native, Ina Kuteman. Known for his portraits of the rich and famous including Queen Elizabeth II, Winston ChurchillWinston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, and U.S. President Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, Chandor created gardens that are now open to the public.
- The international oil services corporation now known as Weatherford InternationalWeatherford InternationalWeatherford International Oil Field Services Ltd is one of the largest international oil and natural gas service companies. The company provides products and services for drilling, evaluation, completion, production and intervention of oil and natural gas wells, along with pipeline construction...
was founded in 1941 in Weatherford, Texas as the Weatherford Spring Company by Jesse E. Hall Sr., a prolific inventor as well as businessman. Weatherford International now employs 43,000 persons and operates in more than 100 countries.
- Col. John E. Krebs maintained temporary residence in Weatherford from 1942 until 1991 through his stepfather and mother, Joe and Ennis Barnett. Col. Krebs was a highly decorated tank captain during World War II serving in the U.S. Army, 760th Tank Battalion, B Company. He experienced dramatic action serving as a key leader in the Battle for Montecassino, arguably the most dramatic battle in Italy for that strategic location's importance for the capture of Rome. Col. Krebs has published an account of his experiences, To Rome and Beyond, Trafford Publishing, 2007.
Two state representatives
Parker County has been represented in the Texas State HouseTexas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
since 1985 by two Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Richard F. "Ric" Williamson
Ric Williamson
Richard F. Williamson was the chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission and a former Democrat-turned-Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives...
(1952–2007) and Phillip Stephen King
Phil King (Texas politician)
Phillip Stephen "Phil" King is a Weatherford, Texas, attorney who has been a conservative Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives since 1999. He represents District 61, which encompasses Parker and Wise counties to the west of Fort Worth.-Conservative legislator:King was named...
. Originally a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Williamson switched parties and served until 1999, when he was succeeded by King, one of the more conservative members of the legislature. Williamson's old friend and former legislative colleague, Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
, appointed him to the Texas Transportation Commission, of which he became the chairman in 2004. Williamson died of a third heart attack on December 30, 2007. He had been a champion of Perry's controversial Trans-Texas Corridor
Trans-Texas Corridor
The Trans-Texas Corridor was a transportation network that was discontinued in the planning and early construction stages in the U.S. State of Texas. The network, as originally envisioned, would have been composed of a network of supercorridors up to wide to carry parallel links of tollways,...
toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
project.
External links
- City of Weatherford
- Weatherford Chamber of Commerce
- Weatherford Real Estate
- View Historic photos of Weatherford from the Weatherford College Library, hosted by the Portal to Texas History