Parker

Formed January 1, 1855 (100^th county)

Parker County (116,927), Weatherford (25,250)

One of the finer structures, the unique Second Empire courthouse was built in 1885.  It is situated on the square; in fact, the highways circle around it.  Fort Worth and Main streets are the city names at the intersection.  United States Highway 180 and Texas State Highway 171 are the highway designation for this intersection.  Interstate Highway 20 passes south of the center of the city.  The limestone building’s designer was Wesley C. Dodson & Dudley.  The building was restored in 2003.  Weatherford has always been the county seat since the county was formed on January 1, 1855 with 1856, 1858, 1878 and 1885 courthouses.  Parker County was part of Bosque and Navarro counties and the 100^th county.  The county was named for Isaac Parker, an early Texas legislator.  Weatherford got its name from Texas Senator Jefferson Weatherford. 

Parker County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  Two District Court Judges and Three County Court Judges serve Parker County.  The county is in north central Texas just west of Fort Worth, Texas.  The Brazos River cuts through the southwest corner of the county.  A fork of the Trinity River originates in the county.  The county center is in Weatherford .9 miles West-Southwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Wise, Tarrant, Johnson, Hood, Palo Pinto, and Jack counties. 

The area of the county is 910 square miles.  It is 146 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 36 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 128.49 persons per square mile making it 37 out of 254 in the state.  Parker County has 39.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 20 goes from Tarrant County on the east into Palo Pinto County on the west.  United States Highway 190 originates in Parker County and transits into Palo Pinto County to the west.  United States Highway 377 cuts the southeast tip from Tarrant County, east, to Johnson County, southeast.  A square shaped county has Weatherford right in the center.  Weatherford is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 21.6% of the county population.  This county is in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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