House & History Ep 1: How Portrait Artist Douglas Chandor Built Chandor Gardens in Weatherford, Texas
 
In this episode of House and History, we travel to Weatherford, Texas, to explore Chandor Gardens. Created by English portrait painter Douglas Granville Chandor and his wife Ina Kuteman Hill, this former cow pasture was transformed into a paradise originally named White Shadows.
 
Douglas Chandor painted world leaders including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Herbert Hoover. At home in Texas, he turned his artistic vision toward the physical landscape, designing interconnected outdoor rooms, Chinese grottos, and handcrafted stone structures.
 
Episode Highlights and Topics
 
We examine how Chandor adapted to bedrock limitations by turning a planned swimming pool into a dragon water feature. We detail the construction of Mount Cox, funded by former Ohio Governor James M. Cox, as well as the circular 1949 Moon Gate.
 
We tour the 1936 studio home designed by Fort Worth architect Joseph R. Pelich, featuring high ceilings and north facing windows tailored for painting. Finally, we discuss the preservation of the property, from Ina Chandor keeping the gardens open to the public, to its restoration by Melody and Chuck Bradford, and its acquisition by the City of Weatherford.
 
Resources and Links
 
City of Weatherford Chandor Gardens History 
Chandor Gardens Foundation 
Texas Historical Commission Marker
 
House and History explores remarkable homes, architecture, gardens, and the stories that give places their character.