Weatherford (/ˈwɛðərfərd/)[5] is a city and the county seat of Parker County, Texas, United States. In 2020, its population was 30,854.[6] Weatherford is named after Thomas J. Weatherford, a State senator and advocate for Texas's secession to the Confederate States during the American Civil War.
Weatherford, Texas | |
|---|---|
 Parker County Courthouse, February 2022 | |
| Nickname(s): Cutting Horse Capital of the World, Peach Capital of Texas | |
 Location of Weatherford within Parker County, Texas. | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 32°45′33″N 97°47′6″W / 32.75917°N 97.78500°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Parker |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| Area | |
• Total | 28.94 sq mi (74.95 km2) |
| • Land | 27.12 sq mi (70.24 km2) |
| • Water | 1.82 sq mi (4.72 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,053 ft (321 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 30,854 |
| • Density | 1,100/sq mi (410/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 76085-76088 |
| Area code | 817 |
| FIPS code | 48-76864[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412199[4] |
| Website | www |
History
editBeginnings
editIn 1854, Methodist Reverend Pleasant Tackett led 15 pioneer families into a land they called "Goshen," which would later become part of Parker County, itself to be created the following year by the efforts of State Representative Isaac Parker and State Senator Thomas Jefferson Weatherford in the Texas State Legislature.[a] Evidence of a prior, failed attempt to colonize the region can be found in the abandoned cabin from 1852-53 located 6 miles (10 km) south of modern Weatherford on the J.H. Voorhies farm. In 1856[7]
The railroad arrived in June 1880. The Santa Fe Depot (which houses the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce) was built in 1908 under Jim Crow laws, with waiting rooms segregated and separated by the ticket office.
Geography
editWeatherford is located 25 miles (40 km) west of Fort Worth on Interstate 20. It is the county seat for Parker County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles (59 km2) of which 20.9 square miles (54 km2) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2) (7.86%) is water.
Climate
editThe climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen Climate System describes the weather as humid subtropical, and uses the abbreviation Cfa.[8]
| Climate data for Weatherford, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1902–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 90 (32) |
95 (35) |
97 (36) |
99 (37) |
105 (41) |
116 (47) |
110 (43) |
114 (46) |
109 (43) |
105 (41) |
92 (33) |
86 (30) |
116 (47) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 76.9 (24.9) |
80.5 (26.9) |
86.0 (30.0) |
89.7 (32.1) |
92.9 (33.8) |
96.7 (35.9) |
101.4 (38.6) |
101.8 (38.8) |
97.4 (36.3) |
90.9 (32.7) |
82.5 (28.1) |
76.9 (24.9) |
103.3 (39.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 56.2 (13.4) |
60.0 (15.6) |
67.9 (19.9) |
75.8 (24.3) |
82.4 (28.0) |
90.0 (32.2) |
94.6 (34.8) |
94.7 (34.8) |
87.7 (30.9) |
77.8 (25.4) |
66.2 (19.0) |
57.9 (14.4) |
75.9 (24.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 44.0 (6.7) |
47.8 (8.8) |
55.7 (13.2) |
63.6 (17.6) |
71.8 (22.1) |
79.7 (26.5) |
83.7 (28.7) |
83.3 (28.5) |
75.8 (24.3) |
65.1 (18.4) |
54.3 (12.4) |
45.8 (7.7) |
64.2 (17.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 31.8 (−0.1) |
35.5 (1.9) |
43.5 (6.4) |
51.4 (10.8) |
61.2 (16.2) |
69.4 (20.8) |
72.9 (22.7) |
72.0 (22.2) |
64.0 (17.8) |
52.5 (11.4) |
42.4 (5.8) |
33.7 (0.9) |
52.5 (11.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 15.7 (−9.1) |
19.5 (−6.9) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
33.6 (0.9) |
43.3 (6.3) |
57.9 (14.4) |
64.1 (17.8) |
61.7 (16.5) |
48.1 (8.9) |
35.0 (1.7) |
24.6 (−4.1) |
18.6 (−7.4) |
12.8 (−10.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −4 (−20) |
−3 (−19) |
7 (−14) |
24 (−4) |
32 (0) |
47 (8) |
54 (12) |
52 (11) |
34 (1) |
19 (−7) |
13 (−11) |
−10 (−23) |
−10 (−23) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.96 (50) |
2.55 (65) |
3.03 (77) |
2.69 (68) |
4.42 (112) |
3.93 (100) |
1.86 (47) |
2.59 (66) |
3.19 (81) |
3.76 (96) |
2.95 (75) |
2.25 (57) |
35.18 (894) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.7 | 6.3 | 7.1 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 5.9 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 70.5 |
| Source: NOAA[9][10] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 2,046 | — | |
| 1890 | 3,369 | 64.7% | |
| 1900 | 4,786 | 42.1% | |
| 1910 | 5,074 | 6.0% | |
| 1920 | 6,203 | 22.3% | |
| 1930 | 4,912 | −20.8% | |
| 1940 | 5,924 | 20.6% | |
| 1950 | 8,093 | 36.6% | |
| 1960 | 9,759 | 20.6% | |
| 1970 | 11,750 | 20.4% | |
| 1980 | 12,049 | 2.5% | |
| 1990 | 14,804 | 22.9% | |
| 2000 | 19,000 | 28.3% | |
| 2010 | 25,250 | 32.9% | |
| 2020 | 30,854 | 22.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 38,109 | 23.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11][failed verification] 2020[6] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 23,757 | 77.0% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 599 | 1.94% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 177 | 0.57% |
| Asian (NH) | 321 | 1.04% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 24 | 0.08% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 93 | 0.3% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,385 | 4.49% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,498 | 14.58% |
| Total | 30,854 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 30,854 people, 11,528 households, and 7,643 families residing in the city.
Arts and culture
editWeatherford is within the Bible Belt.
The Weatherford area is a large peach producer, and was named "Peach Capital of Texas" by the Texas Legislature. 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.[citation needed]
Weatherford has been described as the "cutting horse capital of the world".[15]
The headquarters of the National Snaffle Bit Association, an equestrian organization, is located in Weatherford.
Historic buildings
editSeveral homes of the Queen Anne and Victorian styles were built at the turn of the 20th century; some are open for tours, arranged by the Parker County Heritage Society. The Parker County Courthouse is of the Second Empire style.[citation needed]
Government
editPhil King represents Weatherford in the Texas House of Representatives.
Education
editWeatherford is served by the Weatherford Independent School District.
Weatherford College is a 150-year-old community college, with more than 35 study areas and 19 professional/technical programs. The college was originally built by Masons and was one of the first in Texas.[citation needed]
Media
editThe Weatherford Democrat has been publishing since 1895. The Weatherford Telegram began publishing as a weekly newspaper in 2006.
Notable people
edit- Zach Britton, Major League Baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees
- Mary Couts Burnett (1856–1924), philanthropist
- Douglas Chandor (1897–1953), British-born portrait painter and garden designer, Chandor Gardens in Weatherford
- Thomas Stevenson Drew, the third governor of Arkansas, lived for a time in Weatherford
- Joe B. Frantz, historian on the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin
- Phil King, politician
- Bob Kingsley, radio personality
- Edwin Lanham, author; was reared in Weatherford
- Kapron Lewis-Moore, defensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens[16]
- Mary Martin, Broadway star, known for her portrayal of Peter Pan.
- Ted Minor, racing driver
- Jack Porter, U.S. Senate candidate in 1948
- Taylor Sheridan, American screenwriter
- William Hood Simpson lieutenant general during World War II
- Bob Tallman, nationally known rodeo announcer, operates a ranch in Parker County
- Hippo Vaughn, Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs 1913–1921
- Jim Wright, Former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; grew up in Weatherford
Sports
editBaseball
editNotes
edit- ^ Parker was the uncle of Cynthia Ann Parker, a little girl who was stolen from her home by Comanche 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 recognized her as his long-lost niece. Thomas Jefferson Weatherford, from Dallas, is alleged by his cousin to have never set foot in the town.
- ^ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[13][14]
References
edit- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
- ^ United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Weatherford, Texas
- ^ Weatherford. Dictionary.com.
- ^ a b c "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
- ^ Newberry & Aiken 1999, p. 7.
- ^ "Climate Summary for Weatherford, Texas".
- ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
- ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved 2015-06-04.
- ^ Bureau, US Census. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023". Census.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ https://www.census.gov/ [not specific enough to verify]
- ^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
- ^ "Cutting Horse Capital of the World". experienceweatherford.com. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
- ^ "Kapron Lewis-Moore". Pro-Football-Reference.co. September 28, 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
- Newberry, Barbara Y.; Aiken, David W. (1999). Weatherford, Texas. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-0110-7.
- United States Census Bureau. QuickFacts: Weatherford city, Texas (Census data). Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
External links
edit- City of Weatherford
- Weatherford Chamber of Commerce
- View Historic photos of Weatherford from the Weatherford College Library, hosted by the Portal to Texas History