Attractions
Parker County Courthouse
By Shannon Gillette
Researching old records in Texas county courthouses can be a daunting experience. The majority of these depositories have been affected by fire damage to some degree during their history. This is very true in Parker County. Of the four courthouses that have served the county, two were destroyed by fire. The magnificent building that graces the public square today has survived since 1884.
In 1855, Isaac Parker petitioned the state to establish Parker County. The request was officially granted 12 December 1855 and Parker County was created from sections of Navarro and Bosque counties. The county was originally thirty miles square with 320 acres reserved for the county seat. Weatherford, named after Jefferson Weatherford, a senator from Dallas, was chosen as the county seat. The first order of business was setting up a location for official county business.
The first matters of the county were actually decided before a building was erected. In 1856, under a post oak tree on the Fort Worth Belknap Road, Judge Nathaniel M. Burford presided over the first court proceedings in the county. The first courthouse was completed in 1856 and was located on the north side of the town square. It was a small 20’ x 30’ wooden structure built of rough pine that was hauled in wagons about three hundred miles from Red River County. The judge’s bench and other furnishings were constructed from the same materials. The first case heard in the new facility concerned the sale of cattle, the second case was related to the killing of William Reynold’s son. This courthouse house served the community until a larger building was erected in 1858. To read more pick up the August 2015 issue of NTFR.
It’s already March and the smell of springtime parties and special events is in the air.
Everybody knows in order to have a great party, you’ve got to have the right music.
Well, that’s where my friend Katie Dieter comes to the rescue.
Katie, aka DJ KD “The Spinner,” has been spinning the right mix for parties and special events throughout North Texas for years now. Her passion for music helps to make your special event one your friends will never forget. Whether you’re planning a wedding, banquet, school event or just a backyard get-together with friends, DJ KD “The Spinner” is the right call for you.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Seems lately these days Texas is becoming the envy of musicians from around the world.
With the overwhelming response to “Yellowstone,” the television series, Texas once again finds itself under the microscope of the world, much like the late 1980’s TV series know to all around the globe as “Dallas.”
With that said, the musician population in Texas is beginning to grow as many aspiring performers turn their sights on Texas instead of Nashville. Meet my newly-found friend and fellow musician Grace Partridge. This youthful 19 year old has recently made Texas her new home. She began fiddling at age four in Rigby, Idaho. Grace worked her way through the National Fiddle championships in Weiser, Idaho, becoming a five-time national champion. She’s even played on the Grand Ole Opry. Still yet, her desire to become a true Texas Fiddler has brought her to the Lone Star State. I’m pretty sure we can thank Bob Wills for that.
To read more, pick up a copy of the January 2024 issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
On Nov. 4, 2023, the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra will present an evening of Texas Cowboy, Country and Western Swing with yours truly, Dave Alexander and the fabulous Quebe Sisters.
Enjoy the music of Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, Gene Autry and many more of your Texas Music favorites performed with a full symphony orchestra. We also will feature music from my latest CD, “From The Saddle To Symphony Hall,” along with some of my own compositions. It is guaranteed to be a night to remember.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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