After the Civil War, the community began to grow rapidly, as new settlers arrived with British surnames.

Although Joseph Habermacher operated a store and saddle shop in Bernard Station sometime before 1867, the main influx of German and Slavic immigrants came after the 1880s.

In the mid-1890s, the farming community had a population of 150, and businesses included a steam gin, a gristmill, a telegraph office, and two general stores.

Catholic and Baptist congregations started holding services in private homes around 1900; their sanctuaries were completed between 1905 and 1907.

The present Catholic church, built in 1925, has stained glass windows from Czechoslovakia, mosaics from Munich, a statue of St. Anthony from Italy, and statuary carved in the German Tyrol.

An Assembly of God congregation began Pentecostal services in a private home in 1970 and moved into a new building by 1978.

Riverside Hall, built in 1927 on the east bank of the river, became a popular dance pavilion, where Paul Whiteman was once featured.

In 1960 J. R. Peace, owner of a large furniture company, helped organize a chamber of commerce, which, since East Bernard was unincorporated, performed much of the duties of a city government.

In the 1980s East Bernard's economy, though centered on agriculture, also included a gas pipeline company, a major kite-manufacturer, and several research corporations.

Farm to Market Road 1164 starts at SH 60 south, heads southwest and then northwest to end at US 90A at the former site of Nottawa.

Eventually, FM 2919 turns to the southeast, crosses the San Bernard and ends at Kendleton in Fort Bend County.

East Bernard stands near the eastern edge[10] of the Lissie prairie, a significant rice-growing area.

Such names included "John Failla", "Michael Zapalac", "Patrick Marik" and "Brian Barta".

[27] The city has a weekly newspaper, the East Bernard Express,[28] which is published by the Wharton Journal Spectator.