Wharton County's Farming Roots: Rice, Cotton, and the Gulf Coast Prairie

Early settlers in Wharton County planted cotton and sugar cane on large plantations. After the Civil War, cattle ranching grew across the broad prairies. Around 1900, Japanese immigrant farmers brought rice farming to the county. By 1930, the county was producing about one million bushels of rice a year.

Today the flat, fertile coastal prairie is still used for row crops, cattle, and rice.

If you buy rural land, you may qualify for an agricultural use valuation. This is a special tax value — it can lower your property taxes a lot. You apply through the Wharton County Appraisal District. Texas has specific rules about what land qualifies. The land usually needs a history of farm or ranch use. Check the Texas Comptroller's website for details.