West DFW News

A monument of a Confederate soldier will remain on the Parker County Courthouse lawn in Weatherford after a unanimous vote by county commissioners to retain its location.

Parker County commissioners took action during commissioners court to retain the location of the monument that is owned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), according to a video of the court.

During a previous commissioners court, people voiced opinions for and against removal of the statue, with citizens such as Rebecca Hogan saying it represents to her “reprehensible bad behavior and people that wanted to tear this nation apart,” said the Weatherford Democrat. The statue of the Confederate soldier represents heritage and history to others, such as Gino Napoli, the Democrat reported.

Dorothy Norred, UDC’s Texas division president, told the commissioners before the vote that she received several phone calls, text messages, emails and Facebook messaging from Weatherford and Parker County citizens asking for her not to remove the monument, according to the video.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding because they think that I want to move it, which I don’t. This monument has been here over 100 years. This is its home,” Norred said. “I’ve had messages that if I don’t get rid of the statue that they will come after me, and I’ve had messages that if I don’t get rid of the statue that they will tie a rope around it, and they’ll drag it through the streets, and I don’t want to see that happen, either. The citizens of Weatherford are very vocal that they want it, and they want to keep it where it is.” 

Norred told the commissioners court that she was letting them make the final decision. Commissioner George Conley moved and Commissioner Larry Walden seconded the motion to leave the monument as it is. Tony Crawford, who opposed leaving the statue at its current location, told CBS DFW that the vote showed that the commissioners didn’t care about those who opposed the statue.

“We don’t matter. And we heard you,” Crawford said.