Comanche County Built Its Economy on Cattle, Then Peanuts

Settlers arrived in Comanche County around 1854 and built an economy on cattle ranching. By 1860 there were 14,700 cattle in the county. Cotton later became a big crop, but the boll weevil devastated it in the early 1900s.

Farmers responded by experimenting with peanuts. An experimental crop planted in 1907 succeeded, and peanut farming grew into a defining part of the county's economy. By 1982, the county produced 45.5 million pounds of peanuts. Oil was also found here — production peaked around 1920 at 328,098 barrels. This agricultural pivot shaped the rural character visitors and buyers see today.