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Texas · Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex · #433 Most Populous County in the US
Parker County, Texas
Fort Worth's western suburban frontier - from Weatherford's historic courthouse and peach festival fame to Aledo's explosive residential growth, the equestrian communities of the Trinity River headwaters, and one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas as the DFW Metroplex expands westward along I-20 and US-180. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Parker County residents.
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Parker County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Parker County Office of Emergency Management – Coordinator Jason Lane | 215 Trinity St, Weatherford, TX 76086 | (817) 598-0969 | Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM (closed for lunch 12-1 PM)
Notes: OEM houses and operates the county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for all incorporated and unincorporated areas, using NIMS standards; personnel are subject to 24/7 activation. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-180 and I-20 serve Weatherford, the county seat, about 25 miles west of Fort Worth
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Notes: Parker County, created in 1855 and organized in 1856, is named for Isaac Parker, the Texas legislator who introduced the bill establishing the county; he later served in the Texas Brigade during the Civil War.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: City of Weatherford Building/Permits handles permits within city limits; for unincorporated Parker County, contact the County Judge’s office to confirm current requirements.
Notes: Founded in 1858, downtown Weatherford is a real National Historic District, anchored by an ornate Second Empire-style courthouse and more than 60 preserved Queen Anne, Victorian, and Greek Revival homes.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Parker County Veterans Service Office – Officer John Hale | 1112 Santa Fe Drive, Weatherford, TX 76086 | (817) 598-6153 | Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM; appointments not required; the Veterans Officer makes home visits to housebound applicants.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Weatherford Public Library – 1014 Charles Street, Weatherford, TX 76086 | (817) 598-4150 | Hours: Monday–Tuesday 10 AM–8 PM, Wednesday–Thursday 10 AM–6 PM, Friday–Saturday 10 AM–4 PM, closed Sunday; holds nearly 90,000 volumes and a well-regarded Genealogy Room and Local History Section. A bronze statue of Weatherford native Mary Martin stands outside the library, alongside a marker commemorating a WWII bomber crash in which all but two crew members survived.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Parker County is genuinely designated the “Peach Capital of Texas” by the Texas Legislature, celebrated each July at the Parker County Peach Festival – Weatherford’s largest single-day event, drawing roughly 35,000 visitors. Weatherford is also real, widely recognized as the “Cutting Horse Capital of the World,” home to numerous professional trainers and hall-of-fame horses, and headquarters to the National Snaffle Bit Association. Legendary real cattle drovers Oliver Loving and Bose Ikard – whose lives helped inspire Larry McMurtry’s novel “Lonesome Dove” alongside Charles Goodnight – are buried in Weatherford’s Greenwood Cemetery. Weatherford is also the genuine birthplace of Broadway star Mary Martin (famous for originating Peter Pan) and her son, actor Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing on “Dallas”), as well as former U.S. House Speaker Jim Wright; the Doss Heritage and Culture Center documents this legacy. Chandor Gardens, a downtown oasis blending English garden design with Chinese architecture, was created by artist Douglas Chandor, whose portraits of Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill hang in the Smithsonian. First Monday Trade Days, a real monthly antiques/arts/crafts event, grew out of the county’s historic “First Monday Stray Day Sale.”
Notes: This is genuine, richly documented Texas Western heritage, entertainment history, and horticultural distinction.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Parker County Appraisal District (PCAD) – 1108 Santa Fe Dr, Weatherford, TX 76086 | (817) 596-0077; property tax protests can be filed online.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: City of Weatherford Animal Shelter – staffed and operated by City of Weatherford employees; Parker County pays the City of Weatherford annually (roughly $370,000–$433,000 in recent budget years) for shelter services covering the county.
County animal control: Parker County directly employs animal control officers who respond to calls in unincorporated areas of the county (separate from the shelter itself, which is city-run).
Notes: A genuinely clear jurisdictional split worth explaining plainly – the county funds shelter capacity through the city, while its own officers handle field response outside city limits.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: City of Weatherford Solid Waste Services – confirm current collection schedules via weatherfordtx.gov; for unincorporated county areas, contact the County Judge’s office.
NOTES: Parker County is the fourth county in this batch (Orange, Palo Pinto, Panola, Parker, Parmer, Pecos, Polk). Weatherford’s genuine “Cutting Horse Capital” and “Peach Capital of Texas” distinctions, alongside its real Mary Martin/Larry Hagman heritage, make this one of the more colorful entertainment-history files in the project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Parker County
Parker County is one of Texas’s fastest-growing counties and the 433rd most populous in the United States, covering 904 square miles of the West Cross Timbers directly west of Fort Worth on I-20 and US-180.
Weatherford (the county seat, population ~35,000) is Parker County’s largest city and its historic center – a handsome county seat with a magnificently restored Parker County Courthouse (1884, Second Empire style, one of Texas’s finest historic courthouses) on the town square. Weatherford is known as the “Peach Capital of Texas” – the surrounding sandy soils and climate produce peaches of exceptional quality, and the annual Parker County Peach Festival is one of the state’s most beloved agricultural celebrations. Weatherford is also the birthplace of Mary Martin (actress) and the historic home of Butch Cassidy-era outlaw connections through the frontier cattle trade.
Aledo (population ~5,000 incorporated; the broader Aledo area community is significantly larger) has become one of the most sought-after addresses in the DFW Metroplex – the Aledo ISD consistently ranks among Texas’s top school districts, and the community’s combination of rural character, new residential development, and Fort Worth commutability has driven extraordinary appreciation.
Willow Park and Hudson Oaks are planned suburban communities along US-180 east of Weatherford that have grown rapidly with master-planned residential development serving the Fort Worth metro.
Parker County’s equestrian culture is significant – the county’s Cross Timbers terrain, rural acreage, and proximity to Fort Worth’s horse show and rodeo culture have made it a destination for horse property ownership.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
The Parker County Appraisal District (PCAD) at 1108 Santa Fe Drive, Weatherford, TX 76086, phone 817-596-0077, appraises all property at 100% of market value.
The protest process: File by May 15 (or 30 days after notice). Homestead exemption: Apply with PCAD – $100,000 school tax reduction plus applicable senior/veteran exemptions. No TX estate or inheritance tax.
OWNWELL CTA: PCAD protest deadline: May 15. Aledo school district premium and Willow Park/Hudson Oaks growth driving extraordinary appreciation. No TX estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the protest with no upfront cost.
Recommended
PCAD protest deadline: May 15. Aledo school district premium and Willow Park/Hudson Oaks growth driving extraordinary appreciation. No TX estate or inheritance tax. Ownwell manages the protest with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
District Court (Probate): Parker County’s District Courts (43rd, 415th) at 117 Fort Worth Highway, Weatherford, TX 76086, phone 817-594-7461, handle probate and all civil and criminal matters.
County Clerk: The Parker County Clerk at 117 Fort Worth Highway maintains deed records, probate records, and marriage licenses. Land records searchable online.
Senior Services
The Parker County Senior Citizens, Inc. at 310 S. Palo Pinto Street, Weatherford, TX 76086, phone 817-594-8716, serves the county’s senior population with nutrition programs and transportation. Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Weatherford provides significant healthcare.
Recommended
Assisted living, memory care, and independent living across Parker County - from Weatherford and Aledo to Willow Park, Hudson Oaks, and the equestrian communities.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
1 Courthouse Sq, Weatherford, TX 76086
(817) 598-6120
DISTRICT CLERK
1 Courthouse Sq, Weatherford, TX 76086
(817) 598-6114
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Parker County Clerk’s Office, Weatherford (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Parker County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
County Clerk, Parker County 1112 Santa Fe Drive, Weatherford, TX 76086 (817) 594-7461
Parker County was created in 1855, organized in 1856, named for Isaac Parker, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, seated in Weatherford – “Cutting Horse Capital of the World” and “Peach Capital of Texas.”
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Texas probate law is governed by the Texas Estates Code. Probate jurisdiction in Texas is split between statutory probate courts (in larger metro counties) and county courts (in smaller counties, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Parker County, probate matters are heard in County Court or a County Court at Law.
Small Estate Affidavit (Tex. Est. Code § 205.001) – available ONLY when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate), the estate (excluding homestead and exempt property) does not exceed $75,000, and assets exceed debts. At least 30 days must have passed since death. The affidavit must list every asset and debt, establish the family history showing who the heirs are, and be sworn to by the heirs and two disinterested witnesses; a judge then reviews and approves it under § 205.003.
Independent Administration – used when a will exists (or all heirs agree) and the estate has debts; minimal court supervision after the executor is appointed. This is the most common and efficient path in Texas when available.
Muniment of Title – available when a valid will exists, there are no unsecured debts (other than a mortgage), and there’s no other need for a full administration; transfers title without appointing an executor.
Dependent Administration – required for complex, contested, or disputed estates; involves ongoing court supervision and approval of most actions.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration, if intestate) with the Parker County Clerk.
The original will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and information about heirs and the proposed executor are included with the application.
The court holds a hearing and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors and gathers, inventories, and appraises the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees in Texas typically run $250–$400 depending on the county; confirm current Parker County fees directly.
Texas law allows a statutory executor fee of 5% of all sums actually received and paid out in cash, with specific exceptions. The court may also approve reasonable attorney fees paid from the estate.
Small estate affidavits typically cost $600–$1,900 total when factoring in filing and related fees.
Texas does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1113 Santa Fe Dr, Weatherford, TX 76086
(817) 594-8845
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
1112 Santa Fe Dr, Weatherford, TX 76086
(817) 598-6149
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health Department
1400 Santa Fe Dr, Weatherford, TX 76086
(817) 598-4130
HHSC Office
209 South Bowie Dr, Weatherford, TX 76086
(817) 594-9451
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Resource: Texas Health and Human Services – 1950 Clear Lake Rd, Weatherford, TX 76086 | (817) 596-7502.
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