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Physical Features: Gulf prairie; bisected by the Colorado River; alluvial, black, sandy loam soils.

Economy: Oil, agribusiness, hunting, varied manufacturing, government/services.

History: Karankawas in area until the 1840s. Anglo-American colonists settled in 1823. Czechs, Germans arrived in 1880s. Mexican migration increased after 1950. County named for John A. and William H. Wharton, brothers active in Texas Revolution; created in 1846 from Jackson, Matagorda, Colorado counties, organized the same year.

Race/Ethnicity: (In percent) Anglo, 45.0; Black, 13.9; Hispanic, 40.7; Asian, 0.6; Other, 0.9; Two or more races, 1.0.

Vital Statistics, annual: Births, 552; deaths, 417; marriages, 242; divorces, 97.

Recreation: Waterfowl hunting, fishing, big-game, birding; art, historical museums; river-front park at Wharton; historic sites; old Plaza Theater at Wharton.

Minerals: Oil, gas.

Agriculture: Rice (first in acreage); cotton, milo, corn, sorghum, soybeans; 72,000 acres irrigated. Also, eggs, nurseries/turf grass (first in value of sales), cattle, aquaculture. Market value $373.6 million.

WHARTON (8,772) county seat; health care, plastics, government/services; hospitals, junior college; Juneteenth, wine and arts festival in October.

EL CAMPO (11,598) rice processing, plastic, styrofoam processing; hospital; Polka Expo in November.

Other towns include: Boling (1,133); Danevang (61); East Bernard (2,309) commuters, agribusiness, retail, klobase-kolache festival in June; Egypt (26); Glen Flora (210); Hungerford (317); Lane City (111); Lissie (72); Louise (1,005); Pierce (51).

The Wharton County Courthouse. Photo by Billy Hathorn (CC).