Rusk County Agriculture
Henderson, Rusk County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In the early years of Texas statehood Rusk County was home to a number of large plantations. By the end of the Civil War many of the plantations were gone, and small farms replaced larger operations. Crops included cotton, sugar cane, grains, and many vegetables and fruits. In the early 1900s lumber became a major product of the county. Cattle production increased considerably through the 20th century, though the number of farms decreased. Recent years in Rusk County have seen a shift in focus away from agriculture toward oil and mining interests. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In the early years of Texas statehood, Rusk County was dotted with large plantations, but by the close of the Civil War most had given way to small farms raising cotton, sugar cane, grains, and orchards. Lumber became a major product in the early 1900s, and cattle raising expanded through the century even as the number of farms shrank. In recent decades the county's economy has tilted from agriculture toward oil and mining. This marker was placed for the Texas Sesquicentennial, 1836-1986.
Why it matters
It sketches the full economic evolution of East Texas — from plantation and small farm to timber, cattle, and oil — that mirrors the changing rural South.
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