Anything positive about living in El Campo?

[NeedAVacation]

Here's a little history according to The Handbook of Texas Online:

Handbook of Texas Online - EL CAMPO, TX

[AmySue22]

I grew up in EC. It is a great place to raise kids. It is very safe, and has a lot of unique culture (BBQ, the museum, parades, hunting.) You do have a 45 minute drive to good malls in the Houston suburbs, but that is about the same as living in a city fighting traffic everywhere you go.

Day to day life means no traffic, friendly people, and also the beach is close enough for a day trip, but not so close that hurricanes are ever a real worry! The new HEB grocery store is just as good as anything I have seen in Dallas, where I lived for eight years. Also, the cost of living is really low. BTW, it was built around the trains, around 1900 or so, and was at one point the largest exporter of rice in the U.S.

The town has a movie theater, bowling alley, skating rink, parks with playground equipment for kids, and a year-round pool. The bowling alley and pool are pretty new and nice, the skating rink has been around forever, and the movie theater has been there for a long time, but when I lived in EC it was the only one in the county. Wharton, which is about a 20 minute drive, has an active community theatre and a community college. If you want to get an idea about the town, you should google the website for the local paper, the El Campo Leader News. Its a great place to live, I would love to have the opportunity to move back and raise my kids there.

[The Gribbler]

Originally Posted by latetotheparty

ok then .... so what is el campo's claim to fame?? why was it built in the 1st place?? i ask this not to be snarky, but because i am genuinely curious.....

The same way most towns were settled in Texas: Cotton, Cattle, or Oil.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by AmySue22

I grew up in EC. It is a great place to raise kids. It is very safe, and has a lot of unique culture (BBQ, the museum, parades, hunting.) You do have a 45 minute drive to good malls in the Houston suburbs, but that is about the same as living in a city fighting traffic everywhere you go.

Day to day life means no traffic, friendly people, and also the beach is close enough for a day trip, but not so close that hurricanes are ever a real worry! The new HEB grocery store is just as good as anything I have seen in Dallas, where I lived for eight years. Also, the cost of living is really low. BTW, it was built around the trains, around 1900 or so, and was at one point the largest exporter of rice in the U.S.

The town has a movie theater, bowling alley, skating rink, parks with playground equipment for kids, and a year-round pool. The bowling alley and pool are pretty new and nice, the skating rink has been around forever, and the movie theater has been there for a long time, but when I lived in EC it was the only one in the county. Wharton, which is about a 20 minute drive, has an active community theatre and a community college. If you want to get an idea about the town, you should google the website for the local paper, the El Campo Leader News. Its a great place to live, I would love to have the opportunity to move back and raise my kids there.

Excellent & informative post.

[Stropes]

Originally Posted by AmySue22

I grew up in EC. It is a great place to raise kids. It is very safe, and has a lot of unique culture (BBQ, the museum, parades, hunting.) You do have a 45 minute drive to good malls in the Houston suburbs, but that is about the same as living in a city fighting traffic everywhere you go.

Day to day life means no traffic, friendly people, and also the beach is close enough for a day trip, but not so close that hurricanes are ever a real worry! The new HEB grocery store is just as good as anything I have seen in Dallas, where I lived for eight years. Also, the cost of living is really low. BTW, it was built around the trains, around 1900 or so, and was at one point the largest exporter of rice in the U.S.

The town has a movie theater, bowling alley, skating rink, parks with playground equipment for kids, and a year-round pool. The bowling alley and pool are pretty new and nice, the skating rink has been around forever, and the movie theater has been there for a long time, but when I lived in EC it was the only one in the county. Wharton, which is about a 20 minute drive, has an active community theatre and a community college. If you want to get an idea about the town, you should google the website for the local paper, the El Campo Leader News. Its a great place to live, I would love to have the opportunity to move back and raise my kids there.

This is a great post! My husband and I might be moving to this area in a few months. I am very excited but am starting to get nervous about housing. We've pretty much decided to rent something while we settle in and find a house to buy. I just can't bring myself to rush into THAT decision! Have any ideas on where to look or what to avoid?

[tstone]

Originally Posted by AmySue22

You do have a 45 minute drive to good malls in the Houston suburbs, but that is about the same as living in a city fighting traffic everywhere you go.

I'm sorry, that is not close to being "about the same". In medium city/suburban traffic I am slightly less than 10 minutes from the good mall and slightly more than 10 and 15 from 2 others. Same goes for 3 different Super-Wal-Marts and Home Depots. People who are in the trendy spots "in town" are roughly 10 minutes from the Galleria, and that's dealing with even heavier traffic. If I had to waste 90 minutes of a weekend just in driving to go shopping at a mall, I'd go nuts. Not like I go to the mall much though.