Weatherford, TX

Weatherford, Texas, the county seat of Parker County, is located just 20 minutes west of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Named the "Peach Capital of Texas" for its peach production, the city is currently home to more than 25,000 residents. The town was named for the State Senator for this district, Jefferson Weatherford of Dallas. According to some of his relatives, Senator Weatherford never set foot in the town.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

The city's civilian labor force is just more than 11,000. Industries doing business in Weatherford include the commercial, service, industrial, manufacturing and retail sectors. The city's industrial sector includes natural gas services, as the area is a producer of natural gas with wells located in the area. Weatherford's service sector also operates a number of call centers.

Another large industry in Weatherford is the equine-cutting horse industry. Hundreds of professional trainers and award-winning horses call the city home, with horses from across the country being sent to Weatherford for breeding and training.

Weatherford Regional Medical Center is a 99-bed hospital offering radiology, oncology, rehabilitation, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency services, and home health services. The hospital also maintains an active role in the community with its Senior Circle and Healthy Woman programs. Weatherford offers a variety of other healthcare services, including professional offices for physicians, dentists, optometrists and chiropractors, as well as surgery centers, nursing homes, hospice care, psychiatric hospitals and medical clinics.

Major private employers in Weatherford include JAMAK, a silicone and rubber manufacturer; Hobson Air Conditioning, a heating and air conditioning contractor; C.D. Hartnett, a wholesale grocer; and Wal-Mart.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

The city of Weatherford accommodates an urban population of more than 23,400 and a rural population of around 2,300. Neighborhoods and districts of Weatherford accommodate around 8,200 houses, out of which more than 7,400 are occupied. Of the occupied houses, more than 4,700 are owner-occupied, while renters occupy around 2,700 houses.

Downtown's historic shopping district is home to boutiques, antique shops and specialty stores. Also located downtown is the Weatherford Farmers Market, offering fresh, local produce, including Weatherford's famous peaches.

Visitors seeking a taste of the city's rich Western heritage can also take an historic driving tour of the area, featuring historic homes, Greenwood Cemetery and Pythian Home, Weatherford's own castle that today serves as foster housing for families in need. The area is also home to the nation's Grand Champion Pecan Tree, with its seven-foot-diameter trunk.

FAMILY FUN

Weatherford offers its residents a variety of recreation facilities and programs, including 400 acres of parkland, a community pool, youth recreational classes, adult athletic leagues and special events. The city maintains nine parks:

• Cartwright Park, set on 150 acres, this park features the 30-acre Sunshine Lake, a pavilion, playground and picnic areas.
• Cherry Park, home to the Cherry Park Pool, has playgrounds, picnic sites, two gazebos, an outdoor stage and a walking trail.
• Holland Lake Park, which is currently closed for construction, will soon feature adult softball fields and a paved walking trail around its lake, in addition to playgrounds, pavilions, a fishing pond and natural trails.
• Marshall Park, a neighborhood park, includes a playground, a sports field and a sand volleyball court.
• McGratton Park features a sports field, playground, skateboard park, basketball courts and a half-mile walking path.
• Miller Park has a playground, basketball court, walking trail and picnic areas.
• Love Street Park is a new park facility that includes playgrounds, a spray park, walking path, basketball court, pavilion, picnic areas, a fishing pond with a dock and lots of open space.
• Soldier Springs Park provides ball fields, tennis courts, a playground and a natural space with walking trail.
• Vine Street Park has a playground and a fenced play area.

Weatherford is also home to Chandor Gardens, a public 3.5-acre estate featuring gardens, a waterfall and fountains. Ornate Chinese architecture and elegant English gardens blend together here to create a beautiful setting. Chandor Gardens, including the 5,600-square-foot on-site mansion, is available for rental for weddings, parties and retreats.

GETTING AROUND

• Highways within Weatherford city limits include Interstate 20 and State Highways 80, 180, 171 and 51, making the city easily accessible by car.
• Located within Weatherford is the Parker County Airport, a privately owned airport that is open to the public.
• The commercial airport nearest to the city is Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, located about an hour away. Dallas-Fort Worth International is a full-service airport, with five terminals offering service by 20 airlines.

EDUCATION

Public education is available in Weatherford through the Weatherford Independent School District, which includes seven elementary schools, two middle schools and Weatherford High School. The district's schools offer a variety of classes, including advanced courses, gifted and talented courses, technology courses, programs for special needs students and English-as-a-second-language classes.

Weatherford College, an accredited junior college, offers associate degrees in nearly three dozen fields, as well as a number of technical and professional career programs. The college's 90-acre campus has an approximate enrollment of 4,000 students each semester and also offers classes at its education centers at Mineral Wells and Decatur.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Because of Weatherford's close proximity to Dallas, local sports fans can cheer for professional sports teams, including:

• Dallas Cowboys (NFL football)
• Dallas Mavericks (NBA basketball)
• Dallas Stars (NHL hockey)
• Texas Rangers (MLB baseball)
• FC Dallas (MLS soccer)