To see a map of District 61, click here. [0]

Rural farms and ranches. Lakes, streams and valleys. Booming suburbs. Small towns where people still know your name and care how you’re doing.

District 61, comprised of Parker and Wise Counties, is all of this and more, and Phil King is honored to serve the interests of this district in Austin.

PARKER COUNTY

With tasty peaches, horse farms, rolling hills and booming bedroom communities set among the trees and plains, Parker County has something for everyone. Named after Isaac Parker, the state legislator who introduced the bill establishing the county, Parker County continues to grow by leaps and bounds. In fact, the county now tops the 100,000 population mark, growing from 88,495 in 2000 to 104,458 as of July 1, 2006.

The county has quick access to both Interstates 20 and 30 into Ft. Worth as well as abundant recreational opportunities at Mineral Wells State Park and Lake Weatherford. Officially declared “The Peach Capital of Texas” by the Texas Legislature, the area hosts the annual Parker County Peach Festival every summer which draws people from across the State of Texas.

The county seat is Weatherford, an historic community full of small-town charm. Weatherford not only is home to Weatherford College, but also draws acclaim as the Cutting Horse Capital of the World, housing dozens of professional trainers and hall-of-fame horses. Recently, Parker County has begun to see drilling activity by tapping into the Barnett Shale natural gas field.

In the late 1800’s, three railroads were built which expanded the county’s overall economy and population. The Texas and Pacific Railway extended its tracks through Weatherford in 1879, and in 1887 the town became the northern terminus of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe. The Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern completed its construction by 1891.

While linking the area to national markets, the railroads also attracted newcomers and led to the establishment of new farms and communities. By 1900, Parker County had over 25,000 residents. Historically, much of the county's agricultural income has been derived from livestock and livestock products: dairy products, hay, oats, wheat, peanuts, sorghum, watermelons, and of course peaches.

In the 1960s, Interstate Highway 20 was built through the area, and the county population grew from 22,881 in 1960 to 33,888 in 1970. During the 1970s and 1980s, new industries created new job opportunities and the number of workers employed in light industries climbed from 2,836 in 1970 to 5,917 in 1980. Over the next two decades, more Ft. Worth residents took advantage of a short commute and the high quality of life available in Parker County. Population swelled to 44,609 by 1980 and 64,785 by 1990.

The county seat and largest town is Weatherford, population 25,000. Other communities include Adell-Whitt, Advance, Agnes, Aledo, Annetta, Authon, Azle, Baker, Bennett, Bethel, Briar, Brock, Brock Junction, Buckner, Carter, Cool, Dicey, Earls, Fox, Garner, Goshen, Greenwood, Harmony, Highland Addition, Hudson Oaks, Iona, La Junta, Lemley, Maxwell Crossing, Millsap, Mineral Wells, Poolville, Powell Crossing, Preble, Reno, Sabathany, Springtown, Stephens Crossing, Tin Top, Wampler, Whitt, Willow Park (2,328), Wright.

WISE COUNTY

With the growth of the Dallas Ft. Worth metroplex and the ongoing natural gas boom in the Barnett Shale, Wise County continues to grow and prosper. The county offers small town charms and a rural lifestyle within a short drive of major employment centers in Ft. Worth. In Wise County, you can even live in Paradise! (population 459).

Wise County was named in honor of Henry A. Wise, a United States Congressman from Virginia, who, during the 1840s, supported the annexation of Texas. Wise County became officially established by legislative act on January 23, 1856.

During the antebellum period, Decatur was a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from St. Louis, Missouri, to San Francisco, California. Between 1866 and 1886 the Eastern Cattle Trail to Abilene, Kansas crossed Wise County east of Decatur. The coming of the railroads eventually provided a more convenient and cheaper means of transportation for crops and livestock. In the 1880s and 1890s two railroads were built through the county. The Fort Worth and Denver City passed through Decatur and the Rock Island, crossed through the City of Bridgeport.

In 1870, Wise County had a population of 1,450. By 1900 the county had grown to over 27,000, and in 1990 over 34,000. The estimated population in 2006 was almost 56,000.

In the early 1980s most residents still lived in rural communities, and agriculture continued to be a significant component of the local economy. The most important products were grains, peanuts, dairy products, poultry and beef. Local factories manufactured glass, clothing, carbon and graphite products, oil and gas, limestone and gravel. In the early twenty-first century, significant growth was experienced when Wise County was one of the first to tap into the Barnett Shale gas field, which stretches over 15 North Texas counties. Its 5,000-square-mile reservoir is already the second-largest-producing land-based domestic natural gas field.

In 2002 the county had 2,696 farms and ranches. Beef, cattle, dairy operations, horses, sheep, and goats were among the chief agricultural products, while crops such as hay, wheat, peanuts, and pecans were also grown.

Wise County's largest towns include: Decatur (2006 population, 5,201), the county's seat of government and largest town, Allison, Alvord, Annaville, Aurora, Balsora, Bluett, Boonsville, Boyd, Briar, Bridgeport, Bryan, Chico, Crafton, Cottondale, Draco, Fairview, Greenwood, Herman, Keeter, Lake Bridgeport, Lucky Ridge, Newark, Newark Beach, Paradise, Park Springs, Rhome, Runaway Bay, Slidell, Sycamore, , Willow Point. The county’s largest employers are the Wise County Regional Hospital, Decatur ISD, Wal-mart Super Center, and Poco Graphite.