Parker County Courthouse
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Why it's listed
Parker County Courthouse in Weatherford, Texas, is a limestone government building completed in 1884-1886 at a cost of $55,555.55. It rises three stories, with fourth-story attics and a central tower adding three more stories. The square plan has four identical facades, each divided into five bays. Convex mansard roofs with pedimented dormers cap the end pavilions, and clock faces crown the tower. Architect W. C. Dodson designed it, then in partnership with a man named Dudley. It is the county's fourth courthouse; the first was rough pine, the second burned in 1874, and the third burned in 1884. Dodson later used the same tower design at the Hill and Hood county courthouses, both built in 1890. The nomination describes the building as a naive and charming version of French Second Empire architecture. Weatherford was once the last settlement on the western frontier between Fort Worth and El Paso. The courthouse was recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1965 and remains in public use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the courthouse is significant for its architecture, describing it as a naive and charming version of the French Second Empire style. It is the fourth courthouse on the site, built after earlier ones were lost or burned, and its tower design was repeated in the Hill and Hood county courthouses.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 71000957, listed June 21, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Courthouse Sq., Weatherford |
|---|---|
| County | Parker County |
| Listed | June 21, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000957 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1884-1886 |
| Architect / builder | W. C. Dodson |
| Architectural style | French Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, altered, on its original site, and occupied and in government use. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Weatherford Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.75904, -97.79736 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 71000957.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q46999372
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.