El Campo in Wharton County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
El Campo
Photographed By Gregory Walker
1. El Campo Marker
Inscription.
El Campo. . Begun as a camp on the New York, Texas, and Mexican Railroad in 1882, El Campo initially was known as Prairie Switch and served as a supply and shipping center for area ranchers. By the 1890s the town had grown to include a post office, homes, businesses, schools, and churches. An influx of European immigrants produced a strong ethnic heritage. Fires in 1896 and 1901 destroyed much of the downtown area, but the city rebuilt. Oil and gas discoveries in the 1930s provided an economic boom, although agriculture remains the primary local business.
Begun as a camp on the New York, Texas, and Mexican Railroad in 1882, El Campo initially was known as Prairie Switch and served as a supply and shipping center for area ranchers. By the 1890s the town had grown to include a post office, homes, businesses, schools, and churches. An influx of European immigrants produced a strong ethnic heritage. Fires in 1896 and 1901 destroyed much of the downtown area, but the city rebuilt. Oil and gas discoveries in the 1930s provided an economic boom, although agriculture remains the primary local business.
Erected 1990 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1410.)
Location. 29° 11.916′ N, 96° 16.033′ W. Marker is in El Campo, Texas, in Wharton County. Marker is at the intersection of East Jackson Street (Business U.S. 59) and Main Street, on the left when traveling east on East Jackson Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 315 E Jackson St, El Campo TX 77437, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. First National Bank of El Campo (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Prairie Switch
Credits. This page was last revised on August 1, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 30, 2016, by Gregory Walker of La Grange, Texas. This page has been viewed 399 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 30, 2016, by Gregory Walker of La Grange, Texas. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
