Agriculture

 

The first crop of tobacco in Big Flats was grown around 1850. Cigar tobacco quickly became big business. By 1915, there were over 2,000 acres under cultivation. The increasing popularity of cigarettes in the early 20th century caused a steady decline in demand for cigar tobacco. By 1957, there were only a few acres of tobacco left. Farming in general was declining in the 1950s. Landowners found they could make more money by subdividing their land and selling it off rather than by farming. Land once used for agriculture became the site of retail centers, industrial parks, businesses, and housing developments. Big Flats is now the retail center of the county.