Wharton

Formed March 1, 1846 (57^th county)

Wharton County (41,574), Wharton (8,629), El Campo (12,353)

The multiple angled red brick and stone courthouse was built in 1889 but significantly remodeled in 1935.  It is located at Milam and Houston streets, on a square, near the city center.  Milam Street is Texas State Highway 60 passing through the city.  The architect was Eugene T. Heiner for this Romanesque Revival courthouse but he would not recognize the original design following the 1935 and 1947 remodelings.  The building was restored in 2007.  A District Courthouse augments the county.  Wharton City has had both courthouses (1851 and 1889) since the March 1, 1846 organizing.  The county was formed from parts of Jackson and Matagorda counties as the 57^th county.  Wharton County and City were named for brothers John Austin and William Harris Wharton who were activists in the Texas Revolution. 

Wharton County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Wharton, Brazoria, and Matagorda counties and One District Court Judge and One County Court Judge serve Wharton County.  The county is located on the coastal plains southwest of Houston, Texas.  The San Bernard River is the northeast border and the Colorado River crosses through the middle of the county.  The county center is 5.2 miles West of Wharton nearer Glen Flora.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Austin, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Matagorda, Jackson, and Colorado counties. 

The area of the county is 1090 square miles.  It is 51 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 79 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 38.1 persons per square mile making it 94 out of 254 in the state.  Wharton County has 55.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 59 crosses diagonally from Fort Bend County on the northeast into Jackson County on the southwest.  United States Highway Alternate 90 crosses the northern tip east to west from Fort Bend County into Colorado County.  The county is mainly diamond shaped with the standard 45-degree turn.  Wharton is in the northeast third of the county.  El Campo is in the southwest quarter of the county.  Wharton is the county seat and El Campo is the largest city.  Wharton is 20.8% of the county population while El Campo is 29.7% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced WAR-TON.  This county is in the El Campo Micropolitan Statistical Area.