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Mayberry
goes wild!
Flooding in Wharton circa 1935. Photo courtesy TXDoT |
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one county from Houston and one
county from the coast, Wharton is in a somewhat enviable position. As Houston
extends into Ft. Bend County, Wharton has time to study the changes from a safe
distance. Its
inland location has and continues to provide fertile land for a variety of crops
and grazing land for cattle. We at TE are sold on Wharton's attitude on preservation
and its extraordinary potential. They still have all of the important elements
(courthouse, depot, jail, theater)
a town needs, along with the Colorado River complete with park, restaurant,
and bridge. |
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Wharton
Attractions & LandmarksWharton
County Courthouse
The
Wharton County Historical Museum: Located at 3615 Richmond Road. 409-532-2600.
Hours: 9:30 - 4:30 Tues. through Fri., and Sat. 1-4. Knowledgeable staff and interesting
exhibits covering all facets of Wharton County history.
The
1930 Highway 59 bridge has recently been repainted a handsome green.
It was chosen as the photo to accompany the introductory text in the LCRA
2000 Calendar. Just downstream is Riverfront Park and the large building
in between is the soon-to-be-opened (January 2000) Los Cucos Restaurant.The
Plaza Theater (on the square) has recently been restored to its former glory
and now hosts live musical performances as well as theatrical productions.Antique
shops in Wharton
as well as nearby Glen
Flora and Egypt.
The Colorado River Band:
Dr. Lowell Miller, formally of Houston,
was instrumental in organizing this 100-member group which performs at City functions
and events. A sub-group called The Brass Ensemble does weddings and funerals. |
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Railroads
– "The cottonseed train arrives at the Wharton depot. Mule wagons unload
their wares in the late summer days following the cotton
harvest and ginning. Millions of dollars came to Wharton for cotton
in the latter part of the 1800’s." Photo courtesy Wharton County Historical
Museum
See Wharton
County Old Photos |
| "Hangman’s
Day – In 1910 a crowd gathered around the scaffolding adjacent to the Wharton
Jail for a hanging." - Photo courtesy Wharton County Historical Museum. See
Wharton County Old
Photos |
Wharton
Nearby Destinations:
Glen
Flora: Halfway to Egypt on FM 102 West, you'll
find a cluster of antique shops and a restaurant. The rest of the town consists
of comfortable yards and homes under huge pecan trees so regularly spaced that
it must have been a pecan grove at one time.
Egypt:
Although it's not large, this picturesque village is reminiscent of the Pennsylvania
Amish Country. A small cemetery, an empty silo and lots of barns, as well as the
general store/barbecue outlet make this a place worth the 12 mile drive from Wharton.
Columbus
/ Alleyton: Continue on FM
102 North another 28 miles to I-10 El
Campo: Wharton County's "Second City" was named
after the site where vaqueros would camp while cutting grass for their cattle.
Many brick buildings surround the park where herds rested on their way to Northern
Markets. Just off Highway 59, 14 miles South of Wharton.
Danevang:
A Danish farming community now mostly a large cemetery. Large obelisk next to
the church details the history of the town, including storms, and the date the
first tractor was bought - all carved in stone. On Highway 71; 19 miles south
of El Campo |
| | Early
Wharton County steamboat
Courtesy Wharton County Chamber of Commerce
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Marshal
Pitman by Mike Cox
Walter W. Pitman’s good luck held for more than
half a century. Not everything went his way, but in big-stake deals the figurative
roulette wheel of life generally spun in his favor...
When
Hollywood Came to Wharton by Robert G. Cowser
I do not regret sending
the photographs my brother R. L. took of Lee Remick and Steve McQueen to the college
library in Wharton... |
| | Not
all Whartonians became award-winning playwrights or network anchormen like Horton
Foote and Dan Rather.
Some were content being human cow-catchers.
Courtesy of Wharton County Museum | |
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Wharton
Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture 225
North Richmond Road
979-532-1862. E-mail: torieblakely@sbcglobal.net
Website - www.whartontexas.com
Located in the beautiful brick Dr. T. M. Neal Building (circa 1912),
the enthusiastic and efficient staff can provide you with brochures for dining,
antiquing, and shopping as well as an excellent History pamphlet on the town,
the county, and the Wharton Brothers.
Wharton
Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here & Save |
| | First
East Bernard School Bus circa 1928
Courtesy Wharton County Chamber of
Commerce | | |
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