Famous People

Charles Goodnight, Oliver Loving and Bose Ikard

Photo Courtesy:
Charles Goodnight, photograph, Date Unknown; (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth44851/m1/1/: accessed November 30, 2016), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Cattle Raisers Museum.

Weatherford has a rich western heritage filled with colorful characters and personalities. Legendary cattle drivers Oliver Loving, Charles Goodnight, and Bose Ikard are just a few of the notorious cowboys that make up Weatherford's history. Both Loving and Goodnight served as the inspiration for Texas author Larry McMurtry's novel Lonesome Dove. Because of this heritage, "Western" events abound throughout the year. The Goodnight Loving Festival offers a wide variety of western arts, crafts, and activities. The Parker County Frontier Days and Sheriff s Posse Rodeo, is one of the largest in Texas and provides fun for the entire family.

Mary Martin and Larry Hagman

Photo Courtesy:
[Mary Martin with son, Larry Hagman], photograph, Date Unknown; (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth18204/m1/1/?q=mary%20martin: accessed November 30, 2016), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Weatherford College.

Mary Martin, internationally known Broadway star, renowned for her portrayal of Peter Pan. Her son, Larry Hagman, became forever immortalized as the villainous J .R. Ewing, of the television melodrama, Dallas.

Douglas Chandor

Portrait artist Douglas Chandor moved to Weatherford and married Weatherford native Ina Kuteman. Known internationally for his portraits of the rich and famous including Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill, Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, he designed and built a beautiful botanical garden which is now owned and operated by the City of Weatherford.

Jim Wright

Photo Courtesy:
[Portrait of Jim Wright], photograph, Date Unknown; (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth18262/m1/1/?q=jim%20wright: accessed November 30, 2016), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Weatherford College.

Former U.S. Speaker of the House Jim Wright grew up in Weatherford and served as the 48th U.S. Speaker of the House from 1987-1989. He represented Texas's 12th congressional district as a Democrat from 1955 to 1989. After leaving Congress, Wright became a college professor. He passed away in Fort Worth in 2015.