Sugar land is a city situated Fort Bend County, Texas. Since the 19th century until today, Sugar Land was home to a massive sugar plantation that is located in the fertile flood plain of the Brazos River. After the consolidation of several local plantations in the Imperial Sugar Company during 1908, Sugar Land became a company town. It was later incorporated as a city in 1959. Since then, Sugar Land flourished and thrived along with other edge cities that are situated around Houston. In fact, Sugar Land is considered to be one of the fastest-growing and most affluent towns in Texas. In this article, we are going to know more about the history of Sugar Land and some fun fact about this sweet city.

History of Sugar Land

Just like most places in Texas, Sugar Land’s history and early influences can be traced back to the Native Americans, the Mexican government, and immigrants, as well as the American pioneers. In 1923, Stephen F. Austin was given a chance to grant and settle about 300 American families in Texas. The land granted to these settlers in Fort County was very fertile, and it paved the way for Sugar Land to have a rich agricultural heritage.

It’s pretty apparent by now that Sugar Land found its strength in sugarcane production. The settlers began creating, and farming plantations wherein sugar became the city’s primary industry. In 1908, a sugarcane refinery that was founded in 1896 was purchased and rebranded as Imperial Sugar. The company helps the town develop, and it also modernized the sugar refinery business as well as built houses for the employees and their families. In 1928, the growth of sugar cane ended. Still, the economic foothold that it gave Sugar Land helped increase the town’s population from less than 2,000 to 117,869 residents today.

Since Sugar Land’s incorporation as a city in 1959, its residents enjoy living in a master-planned community that has several parks and recreational amenities, medical facilities, first-class shopping centers that are all situated in a safe environment. In fact, in 2008, Sugar Land was named as one of the safest cities in America. It has also been recognized as a Community of Respect by the Anti-Defamation League and one of America’s Best Places to Live.

Fun Facts About Sugar Land

• Sugar Land Has Been Spelled As Sugar Land and Sugarland. According to the earliest written record at the Heritage Foundation on its 1860 Census, Sugar Land is spelled with two words. History experts believe that when Terry purchased the property, he would always refer to it that it was his sugar land because of all the sugarcane that was planted there. But, during the turn of the century, people started to spell Sugar Land with either one or two words. And in 1919, when the trust estate was built for Sugarland Industries, they only used the one world spelling on the document. And it was in 1958 during the city’s incorporation when the two-word spelling of the city’s name was cemented.
• Eldridge Road was Known as KPRC Road – Before the road was renamed, it was called the KPRC road because the KPRC Radio transmitter tower was located on the east side of the way.
• Sugar Land once had its Own Creamery and Dairy – Back then, Sugar Land was the home of two dairies. One was situated on Edward H. Cunningham’s estate, and the other one was located between Oyster Creek and Ulrich Street. The dairy cattle used to be on the land where the Constellation Field is located today.
• Santa Anna’s Army Passed Through Sugar Land – When the Santa Anna Army was on their way to San Jacinto, they passed through the present-day Kempner High School and into a spot where Gillingham Lane intersects Highway 90A.
• Some Parts of the Movie “The Sugarland Express” was Filmed in Sugar Land. Most of the movie’s earliest scenes were filmed at the Beauford H. Jester prison pre-release center and other parts in and around Sugar Land. The Sugarland Express was one of Steven Spielberg’s first films before he became a famous director.
• Sugar Land is the Home of Two Professional Minor League Sports Teams – These teams are the Sugar Land Imperials 3HL minor league hockey team and the Sugar Land Skeeters professional minor league basketball team.
• Sugar Land Once Had a Paper Mill – Aside from having two sugar mills and a refinery, Sugar Land also had a paper mill that converted milled sugar cane into the thick paper just like a massive, brown wrapping paper.