El Campo, Texas

When the railroad reached the area in the 1880s, the Mexican cowboys who brought cattle herds to the railhead called the site "el campo" (the camp). When the cowboys bedded down they could see the lights of a little village called Prairie Switch. They said it looked like a "pearl on the prairie." When El Campo was incorporated in 1905, the city fathers used the Spanish words in naming the city, and the city still refers to itself as pearl of the prairie. Now El Campo is the center for agriculture (the largest rice-producing county in Texas), oil, gas, and manufacturing.

El Campo is well known for its great waterfowl hunting and excellent fishing. The city boasts a variety of restaurants and is famous for its barbecue.

History is a favorite of many visitors with more than 20 historical murals painted on buildings throughout the town.