Governor W. Lee O'Daniel (1981)

(March 11, 1890 - May 11, 1969) A native of Ohio, Wilbert Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel grew up in Kansas. He moved to Ft. Worth in 1925 as sales manager of a flour-milling company. There he became a radio personality and promoter of a western band, the Light Crust Doughboys. In 1938, after a show of support from his radio listeners, O'Daniel entered the Democratic race for governor, despite his lack of political experience. Campaigning with another band, The Hillbilly Boys, he advocated industrial growth, old-age assistance, and abolition of the Poll Tax. He amazed political experts by defeating 12 Democratic opponents without a runoff. His vast inaugural picnic on Jan. 17, 1939, was the first of many colorful public events which marked his administration. Although he failed to achieve many of his campaign goals, O'Daniel was re-elected in 1940 but served only part of his second term. In the summer of 1941, he won a special election to the U.S. Senate over future U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and other candidates. The next year, O'Daniel defeated two former Texas governors to win a full six-year Senate term. After leaving the Senate in 1949, he moved to Dallas and opened an insurance company near this site. Married to Merle Estella Butcher, he had 3 children. (1978)

Governor W. Lee O'Daniel is a historical marker in Dallas, Dallas County, dedicated in 1981. It is one of 352 historical markers documented in Dallas County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 574 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.8679, -96.7806 near Dallas. The nearest cataloged historic site is Governor W. Lee O'Daniel (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Hillcrest Memorial Park, Caruth Pioneer Cemetery, and Caruth House.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5113006806. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.