Waco ( ) is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
McLennan County, Texas
McLennan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 260,579. Its county seat and largest city is Waco. The U.S. census 2024 county population estimate is 270,358. The county ...
, United States.
It is situated along the
Brazos River
The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 14th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater ...
and
I-35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexico–Uni ...
, halfway between
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
and
Austin
Austin refers to:
Common meanings
* Austin, Texas, United States, a city
* Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...
. The city had a U.S. census estimated 2024 population of 146,608, making it the
24th-most populous city in the state.
[Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places of 50,000 or More, Ranked by July 1, 2022, Population: April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2023 (SUB-IP-EST2023-ANNRNK)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
Release Date: May 2024] The
Waco metropolitan statistical area consists of McLennan, Falls and Bosque counties, which had a 2020 population of 295,782. Bosque County was added to the Waco MSA in 2023. The 2024 U.S. census population estimate for the Waco metropolitan area was 307,123 residents.
History
1824–1865
Indigenous peoples
There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...
occupied areas along the river for thousands of years. In historic times, the area of present-day Waco was occupied by the
Wichita Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Associated with India
* of or related to India
** Indian people
** Indian diaspora
** Languages of India
** Indian English, a dialect of the English language
** Indian cuisine
Associated with indigenous peoples o ...
tribe known as the "
Waco
Waco ( ) is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a U.S. census estimated 2024 population of 146,608, making i ...
" (Spanish: ''Hueco'' or ''Huaco'').
In 1824, Thomas M. Duke was sent to explore the area after violence erupted between the Waco people and the European settlers.
His report to
Stephen F. Austin, described the Waco village:
After further violence, Austin halted an attempt to destroy their village in retaliation. In 1825, he made a treaty with them.
The Waco were eventually pushed out of the region, settling north near present-day
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
. In 1872, they were moved onto a reservation in
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
with other Wichita tribes. In 1902, the Waco received allotments of land and became official US citizens.
Neil McLennan
Neil McLennan (September 2, 1777, 1778, or 1787 – 1867) was an early Scottish-American settler of Texas. McLennan County, Texas, was named after him.
McLennan was born on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. In 1801, he and many friends and family ...
settled in an area near the South
Bosque River
The Bosque River ( ) is a long river in Central Texas fed by four primary branches. The longest branch, the North Bosque, forms near Stephenville, and flows toward Waco through Hamilton, Bosque and McLennan counties. It is subsequently j ...
in 1838.
Jacob De Cordova
Jacob Raphael De Cordova (6 June 1808 – 26 January 1868) was the founder of the ''Jamaica Gleaner''. He settled in Texas in 1839 and lived in Galveston. After living in Galveston, De Cordova moved to Houston, Texas, where he was elected ...
bought McLennan's property and hired a former
Texas Ranger and surveyor named
George B. Erath to inspect the area.
In 1849, Erath designed the first block of the city. Property owners wanted to name the city Lamartine, but Erath convinced them to name the area Waco Village, after the Indians who had lived there.
In March 1849, Shapley Prince Ross, the father of future Governor
Lawrence Sullivan Ross
Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (September 27, 1838January 3, 1898) was the 19th governor of Texas, a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and the 4th president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now c ...
, built the first house in Waco, a double-log cabin, on a bluff overlooking the springs. His daughter Kate was the first settler child born in Waco. Because of this, Ross is considered to have been the founder of Waco, Texas.
1866–1900

In 1866, Waco's leading citizens embarked on an ambitious project to build the first bridge to span the wide
Brazos River
The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 14th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater ...
. They formed the Waco Bridge Company to build the brick
Waco Suspension Bridge, which was completed in 1870. The company commissioned a firm owned by
John Augustus Roebling in
Trenton, New Jersey, to supply the bridge's cables and steelwork and contracted with Mr. Thomas M. Griffith, a civil engineer based in New York, for the supervisory engineering work. The economic effects of the Waco bridge were immediate and large. The cowboys and cattle-herds following the
Chisholm Trail
The Chisholm Trail ( ) was a stock trail and wagon route used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle overland from ranches in southern Texas, across the Red River into Indian Territory, and northward to rail stops in Kansas. The trail cons ...
north, crossed the Brazos River at Waco. Some chose to pay the Suspension Bridge toll, while others floated their herds down the river. The population of Waco grew rapidly, as immigrants now had a safe crossing for their horse-drawn carriages and wagons. Since 1971, the bridge has been open only to pedestrian traffic and is in the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.
Waco was the original intended western terminus of the
Texas and St. Louis Railway, with the town having been reached in 1881.
However, the line was extended further west to
Gatesville a year later.
This trackage later became the core of the
St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company, commonly known as the Cotton Belt.
In the late 19th century, a
red-light district
A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex industry, sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light district ...
called the "Reservation" grew up in Waco, and prostitution was regulated by the city. The Reservation was suppressed in the early 20th century. In 1885, the soft drink
Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink. Dr Pepper was created in the 1880s by the American pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904. It is manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper in t ...
was invented in Waco at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store.
In 1845,
Baylor University
Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...
was founded in
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...
, Texas. It moved to Waco in 1886 and merged with Waco University, becoming an integral part of the city. The university's Strecker Museum was also the oldest continuously operating museum in the state until it closed in 2003, and the collections moved to the new
Mayborn Museum Complex. In 1873, AddRan College was founded by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark in Fort Worth. The school moved to Waco in 1895, changing its name to Add-Ran Christian University and taking up residence in the empty buildings of Waco Female College. Add-Ran changed its name to
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private university, private research university in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It was established in 1873 by brothers Addison Clark, Addison and Randolph Clark as the AddRan Male & Female College. It i ...
in 1902 and left Waco after the school's main building burned down in 1910.
TCU was offered a campus and $200,000 by the city of Fort Worth to relocate there.
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of people into race (human classification), racial or other Ethnicity, ethnic groups in daily life. Segregation can involve the spatial separation of the races, and mandatory use of different institutions, ...
was common in Waco. For example,
Greenwood Cemetery was established in the 1870s as a segregated burial place. Black graves were divided from white ones by a fence which remained standing until 2016.

In the 1890s,
William Cowper Brann published the highly successful ''Iconoclast'' newspaper in Waco. One of his targets was Baylor University. Brann revealed Baylor officials had been trafficking South American children recruited by missionaries and making house-servants out of them. Brann was shot in the back by Tom Davis, a Baylor supporter. Brann then wheeled, drew his pistol, and killed Davis. Brann was helped home by his friends, and died there of his wounds.
In 1894, the first Cotton Palace fair and exhibition center was built to reflect the dominant contribution of the agricultural cotton industry in the region. Since the end of the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, cotton had been cultivated in the Brazos and Bosque valleys, and Waco had become known nationwide as a top producer. Over the next 23 years, the annual exposition would welcome over eight million attendees. The opulent building which housed the month-long exhibition was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1910. In 1931, the exposition fell prey to the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, and the building was torn down. However, the annual Cotton Palace Pageant continues, hosted in late April in conjunction with the Brazos River Festival.
20th century
An African American man named Sank Majors was hanged from the
Washington Avenue Bridge by a white mob in 1905. Another man, Jim Lawyer, was attacked with a whip because he objected to the
lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged or convicted transgressor or to intimidate others. It can also be an extreme form of i ...
. In both cases the mob was assisted by
Texas Rangers.
In 1916, a Black teenager named
Jesse Washington was tortured, mutilated, and burned to death in the town square by a
mob that seized him from the courthouse, where he had been convicted of murdering his employer Lucy Fryer, to which he confessed. About 15,000 spectators, mostly citizens of Waco, were present. The commonly named
Waco Horror
Jesse Washington was a seventeen-year-old African American farmhand who was Lynching in the United States, lynched in the county seat of Waco, Texas, on May 15, 1916, in what became a well-known example of Lynching in the United States, lynch ...
drew international condemnation and became the ''
cause célèbre
A ( , ; pl. ''causes célèbres'', pronounced like the singular) is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning, and heated public debate. The term is sometimes used positively for celebrated legal cases for th ...
'' of the nascent
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
's anti-
lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged or convicted transgressor or to intimidate others. It can also be an extreme form of i ...
campaign. In 2006, the Waco City Council officially condemned the lynching, which took place without opposition from local political or judicial leaders; the mayor and chief of police were spectators. On the centenary of the lynching, May 15, 2016, the mayor apologized in a ceremony to some of Washington's descendants. A historical marker is being erected.
In the 1920s, despite the popularity of the
Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...
and high numbers of lynchings throughout Texas, Waco's authorities attempted to respond to the NAACP's campaign and institute more protections for African Americans or others threatened with mob violence and lynching.
On May 26, 1922,
Jesse Thomas was shot, his body dragged down Franklin street by a crowd some 6,000 strong and the corpse then burned in the public square behind city hall. In 1923, Waco's sheriff Leslie Stegall protected
Roy Mitchell, an African American coerced into confessing to multiple murders, from mob lynching. Mitchell was the last Texan to be publicly executed in Texas, and also the last to be hanged before the introduction of the electric chair.
In the same year, the
Texas Legislature
The Texas State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a p ...
created the Tenth Civil Court of Appeals and placed it in Waco; it is now known as the
10th Court of Appeals.
In 1937, Grover C. Thomsen and R. H. Roark created a soft-drink called "Sun Tang Red Cream Soda". This would become known as the soft drink
Big Red.
On May 5, 1942, Waco Army Air Field opened as a basic pilot training school, and on June 10, 1949, the name was changed to
Connally Air Force Base in memory of Col. James T. Connally, a local pilot killed in Japan in 1945. The name changed again in 1951 to the James Connally Air Force Base. The base closed in May 1966 and is now the location of
Texas State Technical College
Texas State Technical College (TSTC) is a public technical college with its main campus near Waco, Texas. TSTC is the State of Texas's only public multicampus technical college, offering associate degrees and certificates in technical skills and ...
, formerly Texas State Technical Institute, since 1965. The airfield is still in operation, now known as
TSTC Waco Airport
TSTC Waco Airport is a public use airport located eight nautical miles (9 mile, mi, 15 kilometre, km) northeast of the central business district of Waco, Texas, Waco, a city in McLennan County, Texas, United States. Before 1968, ...
, and was used by
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control-designated Aviation call signs, call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. The term is commonly used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modifie ...
when former US president
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
visited his
Prairie Chapel Ranch
Prairie Chapel Ranch, nicknamed Bush Ranch, is a ranch in unincorporated McLennan County, Texas, located northwest of Crawford (about from Waco). The property was acquired by George W. Bush in 1999 and was known as the Western White Hous ...
, also known as the
Western White House
Listed below are the private residences of the various presidents of the United States. Except for George Washington, all of them also lived at the White House (Executive Residence). For a list of official residences, see President of the Unite ...
, in
Crawford, Texas.
In 1951, Harold Goodman founded the
American Income Life Insurance Company
American Income Life Insurance Company (AIL) is an American unionized life insurance multi-level marketing company that provides supplemental life insurance to labor unions, credit unions, and associations.
The company was founded in 1951 and ...
.

On May 11, 1953, a
violent F5 tornado hit downtown Waco, killing 114. As of 2011, it remains the
11th-deadliest tornado in U.S. history and tied for the deadliest in Texas state history. It was the first tornado tracked by radar and helped spur the creation of a nationwide storm surveillance system. A granite monument featuring the names of those killed was placed downtown in 2004.
In 1964, the
Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous state in the South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and has an international border wi ...
designated Waco as the site for the state-designated official museum of the legendary
Texas Rangers law enforcement agency founded in 1823. In 1976, it was further designated the official Hall of Fame for the Rangers and renamed the
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. Renovations by the Waco government earned this building green status, the first Waco government-led project of its nature. The construction project has fallen under scrutiny for expanding the building over unmarked human graves.
In 1978, bones were discovered emerging from the mud at the confluence of the Brazos and
Bosque River
The Bosque River ( ) is a long river in Central Texas fed by four primary branches. The longest branch, the North Bosque, forms near Stephenville, and flows toward Waco through Hamilton, Bosque and McLennan counties. It is subsequently j ...
s. Excavations revealed the bones were 68,000 years old and belonged to a species of
mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct elephantid genus ''Mammuthus.'' They lived from the late Miocene epoch (from around 6.2 million years ago) into the Holocene until about 4,000 years ago, with mammoth species at various times inhabi ...
. Eventually, the remains of at least 24 mammoths, one camel, and one large cat were found at the site, making it one of the largest findings of its kind. Scholars have puzzled over why such a large herd had been killed at once. The bones are on display at the
Waco Mammoth National Monument, part of the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
.
Waco siege
On February 28, 1993, a
shootout
A shootout, also called a firefight, gunfight, or gun battle, is a confrontation in which parties armed with firearms exchange gunfire. The term can be used to describe any such fight, though it is typically used in a non-military context or to ...
occurred in which six
Branch Davidians
The Branch Davidians (or the General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, or the Branch Seventh-day Adventists) are a religious sect founded in 1955 by Benjamin Roden. They regard themselves as a continuation of the General A ...
and four agents of the United States
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevention ...
died. After 51 days, on April 19, 1993, the standoff ended when the Branch Davidians' facility, referred to as
Mt. Carmel, was set ablaze, thirteen miles from Waco.
74 people, including leader
David Koresh
David Koresh (; born Vernon Wayne Howell; August 17, 1959 – April 19, 1993) was an American cult leader. who played a central role in the Waco siege of 1993. As the head of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect, Koresh claimed to be its fin ...
, died in the blaze.
21st century
During the presidency of
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
, Waco was the home to the White House Press Center. The press center provided briefing and office facilities for the press corps whenever Bush visited his "
Western White House
Listed below are the private residences of the various presidents of the United States. Except for George Washington, all of them also lived at the White House (Executive Residence). For a list of official residences, see President of the Unite ...
"
Prairie Chapel Ranch
Prairie Chapel Ranch, nicknamed Bush Ranch, is a ranch in unincorporated McLennan County, Texas, located northwest of Crawford (about from Waco). The property was acquired by George W. Bush in 1999 and was known as the Western White Hous ...
near
Crawford, about northwest of Waco.
On May 17, 2015, a
violent dispute among rival biker gangs broke out at Twin Peaks restaurant. The Waco police intervened, with nine dead and 18 injured in the incident. More than 170 were arrested. No bystanders, Twin Peak employees, or officers were killed. This was the most high-profile criminal incident since the Waco siege, and the deadliest shootout in the city's history.
Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has an area of , of which is land and is covered by water. The total area is 11.85% water.
Cityscape
Downtown Waco is relatively small when compared to other larger Texas cities, such as
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
,
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
,
San Antonio
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
, or even
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
,
El Paso
El Paso (; ; or ) is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the List of ...
, or
Austin
Austin refers to:
Common meanings
* Austin, Texas, United States, a city
* Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...
. The 22-story
ALICO Building, completed in 1910, is the tallest building in Waco.
Climate
Waco experiences a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Cfa''), characterized by hot summers and generally mild winters. Some temperatures have been observed in every month of the year. The record low temperature is , set on January 31, 1949; the record high temperature is , set on July 23, 2018.
Demographics
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 138,486 people, 50,108 households, and 29,014 families residing in the city.
At the census of 2010,
124,805 people resided in the city, organized into 51,452 households and 27,115 families. The population density was recorded as 1,350.6 people per square mile (521.5/km
2), with 45,819 housing units at an average density of . The 2000
racial makeup of the city was 60.8% White, 22.7% African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 12.4% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. About 23.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Non-Hispanic Whites were 45.8% of the population in 2010, down from 66.6% in 1980.
In 2000, the census recorded 42,279 households, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were not families. Around 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone at 65 years of age or older. The average household size was calculated as 2.49 and the average family size 3.19.
In 2000, 25.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 20.3% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,264, and for a family was $33,919. Males had a median income of $26,902 versus $21,159 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,584. About 26.3% of the population and 19.3% of families lived below the poverty line. Of the total population, 30.9% of those under the age of 18 and 13.0% of those 65 and older lived below the poverty line.
A 2020 census showed on a heat map that McLennan County displayed an estimated 1.3% of partnered households that are same-sex.
Economy

According to the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, the top employers in
McLennan County
McLennan County is a County (United States), county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 260,579. Its county seat and largest city is Waco, Texas, Waco. The U.S. c ...
are:
Arts and culture
Libraries and museums

Waco is served by the Waco-McLennan County Library system. The
Armstrong Browning Library, on the campus of
Baylor University
Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...
, houses collections of English poets
Robert Browning
Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose dramatic monologues put him high among the Victorian literature, Victorian poets. He was noted for irony, characterization, dark humour, social commentar ...
and
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (née Moulton-Barrett; 6 March 1806 – 29 June 1861) was an English poet of the Victorian era, popular in Britain and the United States during her lifetime and frequently anthologised after her death. Her work receiv ...
. The
Red Men Museum and Library
The Red Men Museum and Library is an History museum, American history museum in Waco, Texas. It also houses the archives and presents the official history of the Improved Order of Red Men, a patriotic fraternal organization with traditions Stereo ...
houses the archives of the
Improved Order of Red Men
The Improved Order of Red Men is a List of civic, fraternal, service, and professional organizations, fraternal organization established in North America in 1834. It claims direct descent from the colonial era Sons of Liberty. Their rituals and ...
. The Lee Lockwood Library and Museum is home to the Waco
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
Rite of Freemasonry. The
Waco Mammoth National Monument is a
paleontological site
A paleontological or fossiliferous site is a locality in which a significant quantity of fossils is naturally preserved in the rocks. The extent of the site is determined, in some cases, by the spatial distribution of the concentration of fossils ...
and museum managed by the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
in conjunction with the City of Waco and Baylor University.
Other museums in Waco include the
Dr Pepper Museum
Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink. Dr Pepper was created in the 1880s by the American pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904. It is manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper in th ...
,
Texas Sports Hall of Fame
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame recognizes sportsperson, athletes, coach (sport), coaches, and administrators who have made "lasting fame and honor to Sports in Texas, Texas sports". It was established in 1951 by the Texas Sports Writers Association ...
,
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, Historic Waco and the
Mayborn Museum Complex.
Attractions
Notable attractions in Waco include the
Hawaiian Falls water park and the
Grand Lodge of Texas
The Grand Lodge of Texas, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons is the largest of several governing bodies of Freemasonry in the State of Texas, being solely of the Ancients' tradition and descending from the Ancient Grand Lodge of England, founded on ...
, one of the largest
Grand Lodge
A Grand Lodge, also called Grand Orient, Obedience, or by another similar title, is a name for the overarching governing body of a fraternal or other similarly organized group in a given area, usually a city, state, or country.
In Freemasonry
A ...
s in the world. The
Waco Suspension Bridge is a single-span
suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...
built in 1870, crossing the
Brazos River
The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 14th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater ...
. Indian Spring Park marks the location of the origin of the town of Waco, where the Huaco Indians had settled on the bank of the river, at the location of an icy cold spring. The
Doris Miller
Doris "Dorie" Miller (October 12, 1919November 24, 1943) was a U.S. Navy sailor who was the first black recipient of the Navy Cross and a nominee for the Medal of Honor. As a mess attendant second class aboard the battleship , Miller helped car ...
Memorial is a public art installation along the banks of the Brazos River. A nine-foot bronze statue of Miller was unveiled on December 7, 2017, temporarily located at nearby Bledsoe-Miller Park.
Waco Mammoth National Monument is a partnership between the City of Waco, Baylor University, the Waco Mammoth Foundation and the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
. The site contains the fossils of 24
Columbian mammoths and other animals, including a tortoise, a camel and a sabretooth tiger.
Downtown Waco is home to
Magnolia Market
Magnolia Market at the Silos, commonly called Magnolia Market, is a shopping complex that encompasses two city blocks in downtown Waco, Texas. It is marked by two 120’ high silos, built in 1950 as part of the Brazos Valley Cotton Oil Company. ...
, a shopping complex containing specialty stores,
food trucks
A food truck is a large motorized vehicle (such as a van or multi-stop truck) or trailer equipped to store, transport, cook, prepare, serve and/or sell food.
Some food trucks, such as ice cream trucks, sell frozen or prepackaged food, but ...
, and event space, set in repurposed
grain silo
A silo () is a structure for storing Bulk material handling, bulk materials.
Silos are commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black, woodchips, food products and sawdust. Three types of silos are in widespread use toda ...
s originally built in 1950 for the Brazos Valley Cotton Oil Company. The Magnolia Market, operated by Chip and Joanna Gaines of the
HGTV
HGTV (an initialism for Home & Garden Television) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The network primarily broadcasts reality programming related to home improvement and real estate. HGTV Dream Home is an ...
TV series ''
Fixer Upper'', saw 1.2 million visitors in 2016.
Sports
The
Baylor Bears
The Baylor Bears are the athletic teams that represent Baylor University. The teams participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as one of only three private school members of the Big 12 Conference. Prior t ...
athletics teams compete in Waco. The
football team
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...
has won or tied for nine conference titles, and have played in 24 bowl games, garnering a record of 13–11. The
women's basketball team won the
NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, sometimes referred to as Women's March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 women's college basketball teams from the Div ...
in 2005, 2012 and 2019. The
men's basketball team won the
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the NCAA Division I, Di ...
in
2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
.
The Waco BlueCats, an independent minor league baseball team, planned to play in the inaugural season of the
Southwest League of Professional Baseball in 2019. A new ballpark was planned for the suburb of
Bellmead.
The
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major professional basketball league that operated for nine seasons from 1967 to 1976. The upstart ABA operated in direct competition with the more established National Basketball Association thr ...
had a franchise for part of the 2006 season, the Waco Wranglers. The team played at
Reicher Catholic High School and practiced at Texas State Technical College.
Previous professional sports franchises in Waco have proven unsuccessful. The
Waco Marshals of the
National Indoor Football League
The National Indoor Football League (NIFL) was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, ...
lasted less than two months amidst a midseason ownership change in 2004. (The team became the beleaguered
Cincinnati Marshals the following year.) The Waco Wizards of the now-defunct
Western Professional Hockey League
The Western Professional Hockey League (abbreviated WPHL) was a minor professional ice hockey league.
The WPHL operated from 1996 to 2001 with teams based in the southern United States, primarily Texas and Louisiana. The league started with six te ...
fared better, lasting into a fourth season before folding in 2000. Both teams played at the
Heart O' Texas Coliseum, one of Waco's largest entertainment and sports venues.
The
Southern Indoor Football League
The Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) was an indoor football league based in the Southern and Eastern United States. The most recent incarnation of the league was a consolidation of an earlier league of the same name that was formed by Thom ...
announced that Waco was an expansion market for the 2010 season. It was rumored they would play in the Heart O' Texas Coliseum. However, the league broke up into three separate leagues, and subsequently, a team did not come to Waco in any of the new leagues.
Professional baseball first came to Waco in 1889 with the formation of the
Waco Tigers
The Waco Tigers were a minor league baseball team based in Waco, Texas. Between 1892 and 1905, the Tigers played in four non–consecutive seasons as members of the Texas League, with three of the seasons being partial seasons of play. The Waco T ...
, a member of the
Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
. The Tigers were renamed the
Navigators
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's prim ...
in 1905, and later the
Steers
Steers may refer to:
* Steer (cow) or bullock, castrated male cattle
* Steers (restaurant), a South African restaurant chain
* Steers (surname)
* Steers (island), a former island of Indonesia
* Kansas City Steers, American former basketball team ...
. In 1920, the team was sold to
Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay, and Wichita Counties. According to ...
. In 1923, a new franchise called the
Indians
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Associated with India
* of or related to India
** Indian people
** Indian diaspora
** Languages of India
** Indian English, a dialect of the English language
** Indian cuisine
Associated with indigenous peoples o ...
was formed and became a member of the
Class D level
Texas Association
The Texas Association was a sports league of minor league baseball teams in Texas that operated from 1923 through 1926. An earlier league, initially known as the Texas-Southern League, used the same name from mid-1896 through 1899. History of th ...
. In 1925, Waco rejoined the Texas League with the formation of the
Waco Cubs.
On June 20, 1930, the first night game in Texas League history was played at
Katy Park in Waco. The lights were donated by Waco resident Charles Redding Turner, who owned a local farm team for recruits to the Chicago Cubs.
On the night of August 6, 1930, baseball history was made at Katy Park: in the eighth inning of a night game against
Beaumont, Waco left fielder Gene Rye became the only player in the history of professional baseball to hit three home runs in one inning.
The last year Waco had a team in the Texas League was 1930, but fielded some strong semipro teams in the 1930s and early 1940s. During the World War II years of 1943–1945, the powerful Waco Army Air Field team was probably the best in the state; many major leaguers played for the team, and it was managed by big-league catcher
Birdie Tebbetts
George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts (November 10, 1912 – March 24, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Bos ...
.
In 1947, the
Class B level
Big State League
The Big State League was a mid-level, Class B (baseball), Class B level circuit in American minor league baseball that played for 11 seasons, from 1947 through 1957. Its member clubs were exclusively based in Texas. The Corpus Christi Clippers (19 ...
was organized with Waco as a member called the
Waco Dons.
In 1948, A.H. Kirksey, owner of Katy Park, persuaded the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
club to take over the Waco operation, and the nickname was changed to Pirates. The
Pirates
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...
vaulted into third place in 1948. They dropped a notch to fourth in 1949, but prevailed in the playoffs to win the league championship. The Pirates then tumbled into the second division, bottoming out with a dreadful 29–118, 0.197 club in 1952. This mark ranks as one of the 10 worst marks of any 20th-century full-season team. When the tornado struck in 1953, it destroyed the park. The team relocated to
Longview to finish the season and finished a respectable third with a 77–68 record.
Waco has many golf clubs and courses, including Cottonwood Creek Golf Course.
In 2018, Bicycle World Texas IronMan 70.3 Waco held its inaugural event in the city on October 26.
Parks and recreation
A seven-mile scenic riverwalk along the east and west banks of the Brazos River stretches from the Baylor campus to
Cameron Park Zoo
Cameron Park Zoo is a natural habitat zoo located within Cameron Park in the city of Waco, Texas, United States, next to the Brazos River. Established in July 1993, Cameron Park Zoo has native vegetation that surrounds waterfalls, a lake, and p ...
. This multiuse walking and jogging trail passes underneath the Waco Suspension Bridge and captures the peaceful charm of the river.
Lake Waco is a reservoir along the western border of the city.
Cameron Park is a
urban park
An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a city park, municipal park (North America), public park, public open space, or municipal gardens (United Kingdom, UK), is a park or botanical garden in cities, densely populated suburbia and oth ...
featuring playgrounds, picnic areas, a cross-country running track, and a
disc golf course.
In 2009, the US Department of the Interior designated the Cameron Park Trail System as a
National Recreation Trail
The National Trails System is a series of trails in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nati ...
.
The park also contains Waco's
zoo
A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility where animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.
The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoology, ...
, the
Cameron Park Zoo
Cameron Park Zoo is a natural habitat zoo located within Cameron Park in the city of Waco, Texas, United States, next to the Brazos River. Established in July 1993, Cameron Park Zoo has native vegetation that surrounds waterfalls, a lake, and p ...
.
Government

Waco has a
council-manager form of government. Citizens are represented on the City Council by six elected members; five from single-member districts and a mayor who is elected at-large. The city offers a full line of city services typical of an American city this size, including: police, fire,
Waco Transit buses, electric utilities, water and wastewater, solid waste, and the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The
Heart of Texas Council of Governments
The Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG) is a voluntary association of cities, counties and special districts in Central Texas.
Based in Waco, the Heart of Texas Council of Governments is a member of the Texas Association of Regional C ...
is headquartered in Waco on South New Road. This regional agency is a voluntary association of cities, counties, and special districts in the Central Texas area.
The
Texas Tenth Court of Appeals is in the McLennan County Courthouse in Waco.
The Waco Fire Department operates 13 fire stations throughout the city.
The
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails ...
operates the Waco Parole Office in Waco.
The
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates the Waco Main Post Office along
Texas State Highway 6
State Highway 6 (SH 6) runs from the Red River of the South, Red River, the Texas–Oklahoma state line, to northwest of Galveston, Texas, Galveston, where it is known as the Old Galveston Highway. In Sugar Land and Missouri City, it is k ...
. In addition, it operates other post offices throughout Waco.
Politics
Though the rest of McLennan County is deeply
Republican, in statewide elections, Waco is a swing city. It voted for Republican
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
in 2016, but flipped to
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
in 2020.
Education
Waco Independent School District serves most of the city of Waco. Portions of the city also lie in the boundaries of
Midway Independent School District,
Bosqueville ISD,
China Spring ISD,
Connally ISD, and
La Vega ISD. Three large public high schools are in the Waco city limits:
Waco High School (Waco ISD),
University High School University High School may refer to:
Australia
* University High School, Melbourne, Victoria
Canada
* University Hill Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia
United States Arizona
* University High School (Tolleson)
* University High Sc ...
(Waco ISD), and
Midway High School
Midway High School is a public high school located in the city of Waco, Texas, USA and classified as a 6A school by the UIL. It is part of the Midway Independent School District, which serves the Waco, Texas area. Although the school is located ...
(Midway ISD). The schools are all rivals in sports, academics, and pride. Former high schools in Waco ISD were A.J. Moore High School, G.W. Carver High School,
Richfield High School, Jefferson-Moore High School, and a magnet school known as
A.J. Moore Academy.
Charter high schools in Waco include
Harmony Science Academy
Harmony Public Schools (or HPS) is a charter management organization that operates the largest network of charter schools in Texas, with 61 campuses serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Established in 2000, Harmony emphasizes Sci ...
, Methodist Children's Home, Premier High School of Waco, Rapoport Academy Public School, and Waco Charter School (EOAC). Local private and parochial schools include Live Oak Classical School, Parkview Christian Academy,
Reicher Catholic High School,
Texas Christian Academy,
Vanguard College Preparatory School
Vanguard College Preparatory School, founded in 1973, is a private, independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school located in Waco, Texas, United States, for students in grades 7-12. Enrollment, as of the 2022-2023 academic year is ...
, and
Waco Montessori School.
The three institutions of higher learning in Waco are:
*
Baylor University
Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...
*
McLennan Community College
McLennan Community College (MCC) is a Public college, public community college in Waco, Texas. It opened in 1965 and now serves about 9,000 students and has more than 700 employees. It is governed by a board of trustees elected from single-membe ...
*
Texas State Technical College
Texas State Technical College (TSTC) is a public technical college with its main campus near Waco, Texas. TSTC is the State of Texas's only public multicampus technical college, offering associate degrees and certificates in technical skills and ...
In the past, several other higher education institutions were in Waco:
* A&M College
* AddRan Male & Female College (relocated to Fort Worth, now
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private university, private research university in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It was established in 1873 by brothers Addison Clark, Addison and Randolph Clark as the AddRan Male & Female College. It i ...
)
* The Catholic College
* Central Texas College (
HBCU
Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of serving African Americans. Most are in the Southern U ...
)
* The Gurley School
* The Independent Biblical and Industrial School
*
Paul Quinn College
Paul Quinn College (PQC) is a private historically black Methodist college in Dallas, Texas. The college is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). It is the oldest historically black college west of the Mississippi River ...
(
HBCU
Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of serving African Americans. Most are in the Southern U ...
) (relocated to Dallas)
* Provident Sanatarium
* Toby's Practical Business College
* The Training School
* Waco Business College
Media
The major daily newspaper is the ''
Waco Tribune-Herald
The ''Waco Tribune-Herald'' is an American daily newspaper serving Waco, Texas, and vicinity.
Background
The newspaper has its roots in five predecessors, beginning with the ''Waco Evening Telephone'' in 1892. The ''Tribune-Herald'' took its curr ...
''. Other publications include ''The Waco Citizen'', ''The Anchor News'', ''The Baylor Lariat'', ''Tiempo'', ''Wacoan'', and ''
Waco Today Magazine''.
The Waco television market (shared with the
Killeen/
Temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
and
Bryan/College Station areas) is the 89th-largest television market in the US and includes these stations:
*
KCEN 6 (NBC)
*
KWTX 10 (CBS, Telemundo on DT2)
*
KAMU 12 (PBS)
*
KXXV
KXXV (channel 25) is a television station in Waco, Texas, United States, serving Central Texas as an affiliate of ABC. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, the station maintains studios on South New Road in Waco, and its transmitter is located ...
25 (ABC)
*
KWKT
KWKT-TV (channel 44) is a television station in Waco, Texas, United States, serving as the Fox affiliate for Central Texas. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Bryan-licensed MyNetworkTV affiliate KYLE-TV (channel 28). The two stations ...
44 (Fox)
*
KNCT 46 (CW)
*
KAKW 62 (Univision)
The Waco radio market is the 190th-largest radio market in the US and includes:
*
KRMX
KZBI (92.9 FM broadcasting, FM) is a non-commercial educational station, non-commercial, listener-supported radio station, city of license, licensed to Marlin, Texas, and owned by First Dallas Media Inc. It serves the Waco, Texas, Waco and Templ ...
-FM 92.9 (Country)
*
KWBT-FM 94.5 (Urban adult contemporary)
*
KBGO
KBGO (95.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Waco, Texas, United States, the station serves the Waco area. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and features programming from Premiere Network ...
-FM 95.7 (Classic Hits)
** KBGO-FM 95.7 HD-2 (Rhythmic Top-40) (Z-95.1)
*
KWRA-FM 96.7 (Spanish Religious)
*
KWTX-FM 97.5 (Pop)
*
WACO-FM
WACO-FM (99.9 Hertz, MHz, "WACO 100") is a commercial radio, commercial radio station in Waco, Texas. It airs a country music radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are located on West Highway 6 in Southwest Waco. ...
99.9 (Country)
*
KXZY-FM 100.7 (Spanish religious)
*
KBRQ
KBRQ (102.5 FM broadcasting, FM, "The Bear") is a radio station broadcasting an active rock format. Licensed to Hillsboro, Texas, United States, the station serves the Waco area. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and features p ...
-FM 102.5 (Rock)
*
KWBU-FM 103.3 (NPR)
*
KWOW
KWOW (104.1 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican radio format. Licensed to Clifton, Texas, United States, the station serves the Waco metropolitan area and is known as "La Ley 104.1" (The Law). The station is c ...
-FM 104.1 (Spanish)
*
KBHT
KRMX (104.9 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Texas country format. Licensed to Bellmead, Texas, Bellmead, Texas, United States, the station serves the Waco area. The station is currently owned by M&M Broadcasters. Its stu ...
-FM 104.9 (Variety Hits)
*
KIXT
KIXT (106.7 FM, "The Eagle") is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Hewitt, Texas, United States, the station serves the Waco metropolitan area. The station is owned by Prophecy Media Group, LLC. Its studios are lo ...
-FM 106.7 (Classic Rock)
*
KWPW
KWPW (107.9 FM, "107.9 The Bull") is a radio station
Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broa ...
-FM 107.9 (Pop)
*
KBBW
KBBW (1010 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Waco, Texas. It is owned by American Broadcasting of Texas and airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. KBBW is powered at 10,000 watts by day. But because 1010 AM is a Canadian c ...
-AM 1010 / FM 105.9 (Religious/Talk Radio)
*
KWTX-AM 1230 (News talk)
*
KRZI
KRZI (1660 AM, 92.3 FM ''ESPN Central Texas'') is a radio station, paired with an FM relay translator, broadcasting a sports format. Both facilities are licensed to Waco, Texas, United States, and serve the Waco area. KRZI is fully simulcast on ...
-AM 1660 / FM 92.3 (ESPN)
Infrastructure
Transportation
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican bo ...
is the major north–south highway serving Waco. It directly connects the city with Dallas (I-35E), Fort Worth (I-35W), Austin, and San Antonio.
Texas State Highway 6
State Highway 6 (SH 6) runs from the Red River of the South, Red River, the Texas–Oklahoma state line, to northwest of Galveston, Texas, Galveston, where it is known as the Old Galveston Highway. In Sugar Land and Missouri City, it is k ...
runs northwest–southeast and connects Waco to
Bryan
Bryan may refer to:
Places in the United States
* Bryan, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Bryan, Kentucky, an unincorporated community
* Bryan, Ohio, a city
* Bryan, Texas, a city
* Bryan, Wyoming, a ghost town
* Bryan County, Georgia
* ...
/
College Station and
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
.
US Highway 84 is the major east–west thoroughfare in the area. It is also known as Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive (as it passes through the city of
Bellmead), Woodway Drive or the George W. Bush Parkway. Loop 340 bypasses the city to the east and south.
State Highway 31 splits off US 84 just east of Waco and connects the city to
Tyler,
Longview, and
Shreveport
Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
, Louisiana.
The first
traffic circle
A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
in Texas was constructed in Waco in 1933 at the intersections of US 81 and US 77. It was later expanded to include intersections with Valley Mills Dr. and La Salle Ave. Drivers were confused and upset by the circle when it was first constructed, which even led to lawsuits. In 2013 a lone star was added to the center of the circle. Lane markings and new signage were added in 2018 to improve traffic flow and to help guide drivers.
The Waco area is home to three airports.
Waco Regional Airport
Waco Regional Airport is an airport in Waco, Texas, Waco, McLennan County, Texas. It is owned by the City of Waco.
The airport is a 15-20 minute drive from downtown and central Waco.
Facilities
Waco Regional Airport covers and has two asphalt ...
(ACT) serves the city with daily flights to
Dallas/Fort Worth International via American Eagle.
TSTC Waco Airport
TSTC Waco Airport is a public use airport located eight nautical miles (9 mile, mi, 15 kilometre, km) northeast of the central business district of Waco, Texas, Waco, a city in McLennan County, Texas, United States. Before 1968, ...
(CNW) is the site of the former James Connally AFB and was the primary fly-in point for former president
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
when he was visiting his ranch in Crawford. It also serves as a hub airport for L3 and several other aviation companies. McGregor Executive Airport (PWG) is a general-aviation facility west of Waco.
Local transportation is provided by the Waco Transit System, which offers bus service Monday–Saturday to most of the city. Nearby passenger train service is offered via
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
. The ''
Texas Eagle
The ''Texas Eagle'' is a long-distance passenger train operated daily by Amtrak on a route between Chicago, Illinois, and San Antonio, Texas, with major stops in St. Louis, Little Rock, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin. Three days per week, t ...
'' route includes daily stops in
McGregor, 20 miles west of the city.
Notable people
Sports
*
Lee Ballanfant, born in Waco, was a
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
umpire
*
Lamar Batista, born in Waco, soccer player
*
Kwame Cavil
Kwame Sekou Cavil (born May 3, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL) where he won two Grey Cups. He was also an All-American coll ...
, born in Waco, is a
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
wide receiver
A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
for the
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The E ...
*
Edwin Cerrillo, born in Waco, soccer player
*
Perrish Cox, former
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
for the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
, was born in Waco, grew up in Waco, and went to
University High School University High School may refer to:
Australia
* University High School, Melbourne, Victoria
Canada
* University Hill Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia
United States Arizona
* University High School (Tolleson)
* University High Sc ...
*
Zach Duke
Zachary Thomas Duke (born April 19, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, St. Lo ...
, graduated from
Midway High School
Midway High School is a public high school located in the city of Waco, Texas, USA and classified as a 6A school by the UIL. It is part of the Midway Independent School District, which serves the Waco, Texas area. Although the school is located ...
in Waco, is a former major league baseball pitcher for nine teams between 2005 and 2019
*
Dave Eichelberger
Martin Davis Eichelberger Jr. (born September 3, 1943) is an American professional golfer who has won several tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour levels.
Early life and amateur career
Eichelberger was born in Waco, Texas. H ...
, born in Waco, is a
professional golfer
A professional golfer is somebody who receives payments or financial rewards in the sport of golf that are directly related to their skill or reputation. A person who earns money by teaching or playing golf is traditionally considered a "golf pr ...
who has won several tournaments on the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...
and
Champions Tour
PGA Tour Champions (formerly the Senior PGA Tour and the Champions Tour) is a men's professional senior golf tour, open to golfers age 50 and over, administered as a branch of the PGA Tour.
History and format
The Senior PGA Championship, f ...
levels
*
Casey Fossum
Casey Paul Fossum (born January 6, 1978) is a former professional pitcher. Previously, he played for the Boston Red Sox (2001–2003), Arizona Diamondbacks (2004), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005–2007), Detroit Tigers (2008), and New York Mets (2009 ...
, graduated from
Midway High School
Midway High School is a public high school located in the city of Waco, Texas, USA and classified as a 6A school by the UIL. It is part of the Midway Independent School District, which serves the Waco, Texas area. Although the school is located ...
in Waco, pitched in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
player for five different teams over nine seasons
*
Ken Grandberry, born in Waco, is a former
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
running back for the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
*
Rufus Granderson, born in Waco, is a former
AFL
AFL may refer to:
Education
* Angel Foundation for Learning, a Canadian Roman Catholic charity
* Ankara Science High School, a high school in Ankara, Turkey, natively referred to as ''Ankara Fen Liesi''
* Assessment for learning
Military
* ...
defensive tackle for the
Dallas Texans Dallas Texans may refer to:
American football
*Dallas Texans (NFL), 1952 team in the National Football League
*Dallas Texans (AFL), 1960–1962 team that is now the Kansas City Chiefs
*Dallas Texans (arena football)
The Dallas Texans were an ...
*
Ty Harrington
Ty Lee Harrington (born July 16, 1964) is an American former baseball player and coach. He served as the head baseball coach at Texas State University from 2000 through the 2019 season. Under Harrington, the Texas State Bobcats baseball, Texas Sta ...
is the head coach for the
Texas State University
Texas State University (TXST) is a public university, public research university with its main campus in San Marcos, Texas, United States, and another campus in Round Rock, Texas, Round Rock. Since its establishment in 1899, the university has ...
baseball team. He was born in Waco and attended Midway High School
*
Andy Hawkins
Melton Andrew Hawkins (born January 21, 1960) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. Hawkins spent most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the San Diego Padres, and also played for the New York Yankee ...
, born in Waco, is a former MLB
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
*
Sherrill Headrick, born in Waco, came to the
American Football League
The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, AFL–NFL merger, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Foot ...
's Dallas Texans as an undrafted linebacker
*
Dwight Johnson, born and raised in Waco, was an
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
Defensive lineman
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line (D ...
for the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
and the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
*
Derrick Johnson
Derrick O'Hara Johnson (born November 22, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, twice earning consensus All-Amer ...
, born and raised in Waco, was an
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
Linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
for the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
*
Michael Johnson, United States
sprinter; graduated from
Baylor University
Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...
in 1990
*
Jim Jones
James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American cult leader, preacher and mass murderer who founded and led the Peoples Temple between 1955 and 1978. Jones and the members of his inner circle planned and orchestrat ...
, born in Waco, American football player
*
Rob Powell
Robert Powell (born ) is the head coach of rugby union side Richmond F.C.
He is the former head coach of the London Broncos Rugby League Club and former defence coach at Cardiff Blues Rugby Union club.
Background
Powell was born in Sheffield ...
, fitness coach who has two certificates of Guinness World Records
*
Dominic Rhodes
Dominic Dondrell Rhodes (born January 17, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Midwestern State Mustangs and was signed by the ...
, born in Waco, is a professional football
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
who played for the
Virginia Destroyers
The Virginia Destroyers were a professional American football team based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. They began play in the United Football League (UFL) in the 2011 season. They played their home games at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.
The t ...
of the
United Football League
*
John Richards, born in Waco, is a former racing driver and motorcycle racer
*
Bill Rogers, born in Waco, is a professional golfer who won the
1981 Open Championship
The 1981 Open Championship was a men's major golf championship and the 110th Open Championship, held from 16 to 19 July at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, England. Bill Rogers won his only major championship, four strokes ahead of run ...
and was voted 1981 PGA Tour Player of the Year
*
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979), nicknamed "LT", is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college football career with the T ...
is a former
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
football player for the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
and
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
; born in
Rosebud
Rosebud may refer to:
* Rose bud, the bud of a rose flower
Arts
* The name of Jerry Garcia's guitar from 1990 until his death in 1995
* In the 1941 film ''Citizen Kane'', the last words of Charles Foster Kane and an overall plot device
* "Roseb ...
, he grew up in Waco, and went to
University High School University High School may refer to:
Australia
* University High School, Melbourne, Victoria
Canada
* University Hill Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia
United States Arizona
* University High School (Tolleson)
* University High Sc ...
*
D. L. Wilson, born in Waco, is an American professional
stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...
driver
* Antwone Taulton, raised in Waco, founder of the
Heritage Bowl (Corsicana)
The Heritage Bowl is an annual American NCAA Division II college football bowl game held at Community National Bank & Trust Stadium in Corsicana, Texas.
Currently, the Heritage Bowl is one of two Division II sanctioned bowl games, along with t ...
Former pro baseball players from Waco
*
Kevin Belcher August 8, 1967, CF-RF MLB 1990–1990
*
Lance Berkman
William Lance Berkman (born February 10, 1976), nicknamed "Fat Elvis" and "Big Puma", is an American baseball coach and former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman, who is the former head baseball coach of the Houston Christian Hu ...
October 2, 1976, LF-RF MLB 1999–2011
*
Andy Cooper
Andrew Lewis Cooper (April 24, 1898 – June 3, 1941), nicknamed "Lefty", was an American left-handed pitcher in baseball's Negro league baseball, Negro leagues. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting ...
April 24, 1898 P NLB 1920–1939
*
Buzz Dozier
William Joseph Dozier III (August 31, 1928 – November 24, 2005), known as "Buzz", was an American professional baseball pitcher who appeared in four Major League Baseball games for the and Washington Senators. In his final big-league appear ...
August 31, 1927, P MLB 1947–1949
*
Louis Drucke
Louis Frank Drucke (December 3, 1888 – September 25, 1955) was a professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball with the History of the New York Giants (NL), New York Giants from 1909 to 1912. ...
March 12, 1888, P MLB 1909–1912
*
Boob Fowler November 11, 1900, SS MLB 1923–1926
*
Charlie Gorin June 2, 1928, P MLB 1954–1955
*
Donald Harris December 11, 1967, CF-RF MLB 1991–1993
*
Al Jackson
Alvin Neill Jackson (December 26, 1935 – August 19, 2019), affectionately referred to as "Little" Al Jackson, was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1959 to 1969. His 43 wins with the New York Mets were t ...
December 25, 1935, P MLB 1959–1969
*
Scott Jordan May 27, 1963, CF MLB 1988–1988
*
Rudy Law July 10, 1956, OF MLB 1978–1986
*
Dutch Meyer
Leo Robert "Dutch" Meyer (January 15, 1898 – December 3, 1982) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Texas Christian University (TCU) from 1934 to 1952, compiling a record o ...
June 10, 1915, 2B MLB 1940–1946
*
Arthur Rhodes
Arthur Lee Rhodes, Jr. (born October 24, 1969) is an American former professional baseball left-handed relief pitcher and current pitching coach for the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He played 20 seas ...
October 24, 1969, P MLB 1991–2011
*
Schoolboy Rowe
Lynwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe (January 11, 1910 – January 8, 1961) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers (1932–42) and Philadelphia Phillies (1943, 1946–49). He was a three-time Al ...
November 1, 1910, P MLB 1933–1949
*
Ted Wilborn December 16, 1958, OF MLB 1979–1980
Movies and television
*
Jules Bledsoe
Julius Lorenzo Cobb Bledsoe (December 29, 1897 – July 14, 1943)
by John Troesse ...
, stage and screen actor and singer. When the Broadway premiere of ''
Show Boat
''Show Boat'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 Show Boat (novel), novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the per ...
'' was delayed in 1927 by
Ziegfeld,
Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for h ...
became unavailable, so Bledsoe stepped in. He played and sang the role of Joe, introducing "
Ol' Man River
"Ol' Man River" is a show tune from the 1927 musical '' Show Boat'' with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, who wrote the song in 1925. The song contrasts the struggles and hardships of African Americans with the endless, ...
"
*
Shannon Elizabeth
Shannon Elizabeth Fadal (born September 7, 1973) is an American actress and poker player. Her film roles solidified her status as a sex symbol of the 1990s and 2000s.
In film, Elizabeth is best known for her role as Nadia in the ''American Pie ...
, actress of ''
American Pie'' fame, was born in
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
and grew up in Waco
*
Chip
Chip may refer to:
Food
* Chip (snack), thinly sliced and deep-fried gastro item
** Potato chips (US) or crisp (UK)
* Chips (fried potato strips) (UK) or french fries (US) (common as a takeout side)
* Game chips, thin chip/French fries
* Choco ...
and
Joanna Gaines
Joanna Lee Stevens Gaines ( Stevens; born April 19, 1978) is an American interior decorator, television personality, and author. She co-hosted the home renovation show '' Fixer Upper'', which began airing on HGTV in 2013, alongside her husband Ch ...
, Waco area home renovators and remodelers came to national attention with their TV show
''Fixer Upper''. They have since expanded into a variety of local developments, including Magnolia Market,
Hotel 1928 and are a major tourism draw for the Waco area
*
Peri Gilpin
Peri Gilpin (born Peri Kay Oldham; May 27, 1961) is an American actress who portrayed Roz Doyle in the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' and Kim Keeler in the ABC Family drama series '' Make It or Break It''.
Career
As a child, Gilpin took drama classes a ...
, actress, best known for her television character
Roz Doyle
Rosalinda "Roz" Doyle (born May 5, 1963 or 1964) is a fictional character on the American television sitcom ''Frasier''. Roz is the producer of Frasier Crane's ''Dr. Frasier Crane Show'' on KACL (Frasier), KACL 780 AM.
The role initially went to ...
on the series ''
Frasier
''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey (screenwriter), Peter Casey, and David Lee (scr ...
'', was born in Waco and raised in Dallas
*
Texas Guinan
Mary Louise Cecilia "Texas" Guinan (January 12, 1884 – November 5, 1933) was an American actress, producer,
and entrepreneur. Born in Texas to Irish immigrant parents, Guinan decided at an early age to become an entertainer. After becoming a s ...
, Hollywood actress from 1917 to 1933. She was active in
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
and theater, and was in many movies (often as the gun-toting hero in silent westerns, more than a match for any man). She also had a successful career as a hostess in nightclubs and
speakeasies
A speakeasy, also called a beer flat or blind pig or blind tiger, was an illicit establishment that sold alcoholic beverages. The term may also refer to a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies.
In the United State ...
in New York City
*
Anne Gwynne
Anne Gwynne (born Marguerite Gwynne Trice; December 10, 1918 – March 31, 2003) was an American actress who was known as one of the first scream queens because of her numerous appearances in horror films. Gwynne was also one of the most popular ...
, Hollywood actress who starred in a number of films of the 1940s; she was born in Waco
*
Thomas Harris
William Thomas Harris III (born September 22, 1940) is an American writer. He is the author of a series of suspense novels about Hannibal Lecter. The majority of his works have been adapted into films and television, including '' The Silence o ...
, author of ''
The Silence of the Lambs'', was a student at
Baylor University
Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...
, and covered the police beat for the ''Waco Tribune-Herald''
*
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt (born February 21, 1979) is an American actress, producer and singer. Hewitt began her career as a child actress and singer, appearing in national television commercials before joining the cast of the Disney Channel serie ...
, actress, was born in Waco
*
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick (; born November 30, 1943) is an American filmmaker. Malick began his career as part of the New Hollywood generation of filmmakers and received awards at the Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and ...
, director of ''
The Thin Red Line'', was raised in Waco. He also directed ''
The Tree of Life
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The' ...
'', which was set in the town of Waco in the 1950s
*
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. Known for Steve Martin filmography, his work in comedy films, television, and #Discography, recording, he has received List of awards a ...
, comedian, actor, author and musician, was born in Waco
*
Kevin Reynolds, director (''
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'', ''
The Count of Monte Cristo
''The Count of Monte Cristo'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, and published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers'' (184 ...
'', ''
Waterworld
''WaterWorld'', also known as ''WaterWorld: A Live Sea War Spectacular'', is a stunt show attraction based on the 1995 film '' Waterworld'' found at Universal Studios Hollywood (1995), Universal Studios Japan (2001), Universal Studios Singap ...
''), born and raised in Waco
Music
*
Wade Bowen
Paul Wade Bowen (born 1977) is an American Texas Country/ Red Dirt singer from Waco, Texas, United States.
Bowen was a member of the band West 84 with friend Matt Miller until 2001 when the group became known as Wade Bowen and West 84., AllMusi ...
, Texas country artist and former lead singer of Wade Bowen and West 84, was born and raised in Waco
*
David Crowder Band
David Crowder Band (stylized as David Crowder*Band and The David Crowder*Band) was a six-piece Christian rock and modern worship band from Waco, Texas. Their final album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian and No. 2 on the B ...
(1996–2012), a Christian worship band, is from Waco
*
Johnny Gimble
John Paul Gimble (May 30, 1926 – May 9, 2015) was an American country musician associated with Western swing. Gimble was considered one of the most important fiddlers in the genre. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 i ...
, two time
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
winning pioneer in Texas Swing and
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
*
Pat Green
Patrick Craven Green (born April 5, 1972) is an American country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of seven studio albums, including three for Republic Records and two for BNA Records, BNA. Fifteen of his singles have charted on ...
,
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
singer-songwriter, was raised in Waco
*
Roy Hargrove
Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved critical acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles ...
, a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
-winning
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
trumpeter, born and raised in Waco
*
Kari Jobe
Kari Brooke Jobe (born April 6, 1981) is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter. Since her first album in 2009, she has received two Grammy Award nominations and ten Dove Award nominations, six of which she won.
Early li ...
, a two-time
Dove Award
A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards ceremonies presented annually and have been held in Nashville, Tennessee exce ...
-winning Christian singer-songwriter was born in Waco
*
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...
, country music singer-songwriter, born in nearby
Abbott
*
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He goes by several nicknames, including Uncle Ted, the Nuge, and Motor City Madman. Nugent initially gained fame as the le ...
, guitarist, along with his wife Shemane and son Rocco Nugent, live in Waco He filmed his VH1 show ''
Surviving Nugent
''Surviving Nugent'' is an American reality television series starring Ted Nugent that aired on VH1.
Overview
''Surviving Nugent'' is television series where contestants travel to rock star Ted Nugent's Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the mo ...
'' on his ranch in nearby
China Spring.
*
Domingo Ortiz, percussionist for the band
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell (musician), John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Duane Trucks, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJ ...
, grew up in Waco
*
Bill Payne
William H. Payne (born March 12, 1949, in Waco, Texas) is an American pianist who, with Lowell George, co-founded the American rock band Little Feat. He is considered by many other rock pianists, including Elton John, to be one of the finest A ...
, keyboardist for the rock band
Little Feat
Little Feat is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George, bassist Roy Estrada (both formerly of the Mothers of Invention), keyboardist Bill Payne, and drummer Richie Hayward in ...
, was born and raised in the Waco area
*
Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver (August 16, 1939 – October 28, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter.
Billy Joe was a prominent figure in the outlaw country genre. He is considered one of the great American songwriters of his generation. He has recei ...
, Country songwriter ("Honky Tonk Heroes") and singer ("Old Chunk of Coal")
*
Ashlee Simpson
Ashley Nicolle Ross-Næss ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), also known as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as ...
, pop music singer, was born in Waco
*
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Johnson (née Simpson; born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' ...
, pop music singer, was born in Abilene and raised in Waco
*
Strange Fruit Project, an
underground hip hop
Underground hip hop (also known as underground rap or simply underground) traditionally refers to hip hop music that is outside the general mainstream canon or counter-cultural in nature, usually with a heavy emphasis on emotion, lyricism, and/or ...
trio, is from Waco
*
Hank Thompson, was born in Waco inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...
and
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1970 by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that i ...
*
Tony Thompson, lead singer of
Hi-Five
Hi-Five is an American R&B quintet from Waco, Texas. Hi-Five had a No. 1 hit on ''Billboards Hot 100 in 1991 with " I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)".
The band was originally formed in 1989 as a trio: childhood friends Tony Thompson, Rus ...
, was born in Waco
*
Holly Tucker
Holly Lee Tucker (born 29 March 1977) is a British entrepreneur, and UK Ambassador for Creative Small Businesses. Tucker is founder of Holly & Co, and founder of notonthehighstreet.
Career
In October 1995, Tucker began work as a Trainee ...
was born in Waco
*
Mercy Dee Walton
Mercy Dee Walton (born Mercy Davis Walton, August 3, 1915 – December 2, 1962) was an American jump blues pianist, singer and songwriter, whose compositions went from blues to R&B numbers. According to journalist Tony Russell in his book ''The ...
was born in Waco
*
Tom Wilson, record producer, grew up in Waco
*
Forrest Frank
Forrest Frank (born April 8, 1995) is an American Contemporary Christian music, Christian pop singer, songwriter, and producer from Fulshear, Texas, Fulshear, Texas. He is one half of the music duo Surfaces (band), Surfaces and has a successful s ...
, a two-time
Dove Award
A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards ceremonies presented annually and have been held in Nashville, Tennessee exce ...
- winning Christian artist was born and raised in Waco.
Politics
*
Kip Averitt,
State senator
A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature.
History
There are typically fewer state senators than there ...
from
District 22 District 22 may refer to:
* District 22 (Chile)
* District 22 (Tehran)
* Texas Senate, District 22
* Florida's 22nd congressional district
* Texas's 22nd congressional district
* New York's 22nd congressional district
* California's 22nd congress ...
from 2002 to 2010, and
State Representative
A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United St ...
from
District 56 from 1994 to 2002, and currently is a lobbyist
*
Joe Barton
Joseph Linus Barton (born September 15, 1949) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he represented in the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives from 1985 t ...
, former US congressman representing Texas's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1985 to 2019, was born and reared in Waco
*
Leon Jaworski
Leonidas "Leon" Jaworski (September 19, 1905 – December 9, 1982) was an American attorney and law professor who served as the second special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal. He was appointed to that position on November 1, 1973, soon aft ...
, who prosecuted Nazi war criminals during the
Nuremberg trials #REDIRECT Nuremberg trials
{{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from move ...
and then was the
special prosecutor who brought down the
Nixon administration
Richard Nixon's tenure as the 37th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1969, and ended when he resigned on August 9, 1974, in the face of almost certain impeachment and removal from office, the ...
during the
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the Presidency of Richard Nixon, administration of President Richard Nixon. The scandal began in 1972 and ultimately led to Resignation of Richard Nixon, Nix ...
, was born and raised in Waco
*
Charles R. Matthews, former mayor of
Garland
A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance. In contemporary times ...
, Texas, member of the
Texas Railroad Commission
The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC; also sometimes called the Texas Railroad Commission, TRC) is the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, and s ...
, and chancellor of the
Texas State University System
The Texas State University System (TSUS) is a public university system in Texas. It was created in 1911 to oversee the state's normal schools. It has since broadened its focus and comprises institutions of many different scopes.
It is the only ...
, is a Waco native
*
Lyndon Lowell Olson Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden under President Bill Clinton, was born and raised in Waco
*
William R. Poage, US Congressman who represented Texas's 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1937 to 1978, was born in Waco
*
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Richards (née Willis; September 1, 1933 – September 13, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995. A Democrat, she first came to national attention as the Texas State Treasurer, ...
, former
governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of state of the U.S. state of Texas. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the government of Texas and is the commander-in-chief of the Texas Military Forces.
Established in the Constit ...
and keynote speaker at the
1988 Democratic National Convention
The 1988 Democratic National Convention was held at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia, from July 18 to 21, 1988, to select candidates for the 1988 presidential election. At the convention Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts was nominated for pr ...
, was born in the Waco suburb of
Lacy Lakeview and graduated from Baylor University
*
Pete Sessions
Peter Anderson Sessions (born March 22, 1955) is an American politician who serves in the United States House of Representatives for Texas's 17th congressional district as a member of the Republican Party. He chaired the House Rules Committee ...
, US congressman who represented Texas's 32nd and 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2019, was born and raised in Waco
*
Ralph Sheffield, member of the Texas House of Representatives from Bell County and restaurateur in Temple, was born in Waco in 1955
*
David McAdams Sibley Sr., former state senator (1991–2002), was mayor of Waco (1987–1988)
Other
*
Shawn Achor
Shawn Achor (born March 9, 1978) is an American author and speaker known for his advocacy of positive psychology. He authored ''The Happiness Advantage'' and founded GoodThink, Inc.
Education
Achor received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard Unive ...
, born in Waco, is a best-selling author of ''The Happiness Advantage.'' He was featured on
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...
's
Super Soul Sunday
''Super Soul Sunday'' is a self-help talk show hosted by Oprah Winfrey, which airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The series premiered on October 16, 2011, and ended on December 19, 2021.
Format
''Super Soul Sunday'' is designed to help viewers a ...
. He also co-authored a best-selling children's book with his sister Amy Blankson called ''How to Make a Shark Smile''.
*
T. Berry Brazelton
Thomas Berry Brazelton (May 10, 1918 – March 13, 2018) was an American pediatrician, author, and the developer of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). Brazelton hosted the cable television program ''What Every Baby Knows'', and w ...
, born in Waco, was a
pediatrician
Pediatrics (American English) also spelled paediatrics (British English), is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, pediatrics covers many of their youth ...
and author. He developed the
Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale
The Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS), also known as the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale (BNAS),Kaplan, R. M., & Sacuzzo, D. P.(2010). Psychological Testing: Principles, Applications, & Issues, Eighth Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadswort ...
*
Tony Castro
Tony Castro (full name Antonio Maria de Lancastre de Mello e Castro), Conde das Antas, Conde da Lousa, Visconde de Pernes, born 1952, is a British yacht designer, known for numerous winning designs. Born in Lisbon, Portugal, he has been designing ...
, bestselling author of several books and syndicated columnist, was born in Waco. He graduated from Baylor University and was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard
*
Tumbleweed Smith
Bob Lewis (born 1935), known professionally as "Tumbleweed Smith", is an American radio presenter, broadcaster and newspaper columnist.
Biography
Lewis was born in 1935, in Waco, Texas. He began broadcasting throughout Texas, and adopted the na ...
, radio presenter born in Waco.
*
Brigham Paul Doane, born in Waco, is a
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...
. Under the ring name "Masada", Doane achieved international recognition in the
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling where disqualifications, count-outs, and all other different rules do not apply. Taking place in usual or unusual environments, hardcore wrestling matches allow the use of numerous items, inc ...
scene
*
Hallie Earle (1880–1963) was the first licensed female physician in Waco, a 1902 M.S. from Baylor, and the only female graduate of 1907 Baylor University Medical School in Dallas
*
Frank Shelby Groner Frank Shelby Groner (January 7, 1877 – November 8, 1943) was an American lawyer, pastor of Baptist churches, chairman of the Southern Baptist Hospital Commission, executive secretary of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, director of fund-rai ...
(1877–1943) pastor of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church
*
Heloise, of the "Hints from Heloise" column, was born in Waco. Her column addresses lifestyle hints, including consumer issues, pets, travel, food, home improvement, health, and much more
*
Allene Jeanes
Allene Rosalind Jeanes (July 19, 1906 – December 11, 1995) was an American chemist whose pioneering work significantly impacted carbohydrate chemistry. Born in 1906 in Texas, Jeanes' notable contributions include the development of Dextran, a li ...
(1906–1995), a chemical engineer whose work included the development of
Dextran
Dextran is a complex branched glucan (polysaccharide derived from the condensation of glucose), originally derived from wine. IUPAC defines dextrans as "Branched poly-α-d-glucosides of microbial origin having glycosidic bonds predominantly C-1 ...
and
Xanthan gum
Xanthan gum () is a polysaccharide with many industrial uses, including as a common food additive. It is an effective thickening agent and stabilizer that prevents ingredients from separating. It can be produced from simple sugars by fermentat ...
, was born in Waco and received her bachelor's degree from
Baylor University
Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...
in 1928
*
Reh Jones
Reh'quin Jones (December 21, 1984) is an American List of YouTube personalities, YouTube personality and owner and creator of the Japanese anime website, AnimeHorizon (formally known as Keiichi's Anime Kingdom), and producer of the dubbing studio ...
, born in Waco, American YouTube personality, owner, producer
*
David Koresh
David Koresh (; born Vernon Wayne Howell; August 17, 1959 – April 19, 1993) was an American cult leader. who played a central role in the Waco siege of 1993. As the head of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect, Koresh claimed to be its fin ...
, leader of the
Branch Davidians
The Branch Davidians (or the General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, or the Branch Seventh-day Adventists) are a religious sect founded in 1955 by Benjamin Roden. They regard themselves as a continuation of the General A ...
, died along with 75 others in the blaze during the
Waco siege
The Waco siege, also known as the Waco massacre, was the siege by US federal government and Texas state law enforcement officials of a compound belonging to the religious cult known as the Branch Davidians, between February 28 and April 19, 1993 ...
*
Robert L. Leuschner Jr. was born in Waco. He attended
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres.
Rice University comp ...
, followed a career in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Rear Admiral
*
Vivienne Malone-Mayes
Vivienne Lucille Malone-Mayes ( Malone; February 10, 1932 – June 9, 1995) was an American mathematician and professor. Malone-Mayes studied properties of functions, as well as methods of teaching mathematics.[Baylor University
Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...]
who developed novel methods of teaching mathematics
*
Robert W. McCollum
Robert Wayne McCollum Jr. (January 29, 1925 – September 13, 2010) was an American virologist and epidemiologist who made pioneering studies into the nature and spread of polio, hepatitis and mononucleosis while at the Yale School of Medicine, aft ...
(1925–2010), virologist who made important discoveries regarding
polio
Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...
and
hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver parenchyma, liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), Anorexia (symptom), poor appetite ...
*
Glenn McGee
Glenn E. McGee (1967- ) is a professor of health sciences at Salem College, where he previously served as interim Dean of Admissions. He has been noted for his work on reproductive technology and genetics and for advancing a theory of pragmatic bi ...
, born in Waco, is a
bioethicist
Bioethics is both a field of study and professional practice, interested in ethics, ethical issues related to health (primarily focused on the human, but also increasingly includes animal ethics), including those emerging from advances in biolo ...
, syndicated columnist
for Hearst Newspapers and for ''
The Scientist'' and scholar.
*
Doris (Dorie) Miller, born in Waco, was an African American cook in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
and a hero during the
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...
on December 7, 1941. He was the first African American to be awarded the
Navy's second-highest honor, the
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...
. Portrayed in the 2001 movie ''
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reci ...
''
*
C. Wright Mills
Charles Wright Mills (August 28, 1916 – March 20, 1962) was an American Sociology, sociologist, and a professor of sociology at Columbia University from 1946 until his death in 1962. Mills published widely in both popular and intellectual jour ...
, born in Waco, was a
sociologist. Among other topics, he was concerned with the responsibilities of intellectuals in post-World War II society, and advocated relevance and engagement over disinterested academic observation
*
Mark W. Muesse, born in Waco, is a philosopher and author
*
William R. Munroe, born in Waco, vice admiral in the U.S. Navy, Commander-in-Chief,
United States Fourth Fleet
The U.S. Fourth Fleet is a United States Navy numbered fleet. It is the Naval Component Command of U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). The Fourth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. It is responsible fo ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
*
Felix Huston Robertson
Felix Huston Robertson (March 9, 1839 – April 20, 1928) was a Confederate military officer who was known for being the only native-born Texan to serve as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was noted ...
, born in
Washington-on-the-Brazos
Washington-on-the-Brazos is an unincorporated community along the Brazos River in Washington County, Texas, United States. The town is best known for being the site of the Convention of 1836 and the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independenc ...
, was a former
Confederate
A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
general who became a wealthy lawyer, railroad director, and land speculator in Waco during
Reconstruction
Reconstruction may refer to:
Politics, history, and sociology
*Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company
*''Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Union ...
*
Ford O. Rogers, born in Waco,
major general in the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
during World War II, recipient of the
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...
*
Fred I. Stalkup, chemical engineer, graduated from
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres.
Rice University comp ...
and became a recognized expert in enhanced oil recovery
*
John Willingham, a writer and historian born in Waco, served as
McLennan County
McLennan County is a County (United States), county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 260,579. Its county seat and largest city is Waco, Texas, Waco. The U.S. c ...
elections administrator from 1984 through 1992
*
Robert Wilson, born in Waco, is a stage director
See also
* ''
Brazos Belle
''Brazos Belle'' was a American riverboat constructed for use on the Brazos River in Texas. Permanently docked in Waco, Texas as a restaurant in 1997, the ''Belle'' often hosted dinner parties, receptions, and functions for local Greek organizat ...
''
*
List of museums in Central Texas
The list of museums in Texas encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or ...
*
Neighborhoods of Waco
Waco, a Texas city of around 120,000 has a number of neighborhoods. These are not official government neighborhoods, but rather common names given by the residents and city neighborhood maps and parks.
Waco is first divided into three "sides": ...
*
West Fertilizer Company explosion
On April 17, 2013, an ammonium nitrate explosion occurred at the West Fertilizer Company storage and distribution facility in West, Texas, United States ( north of Waco), while emergency services personnel were responding to a fire at the facil ...
*
Waco Boating and Fishing Club
The Waco Boating and Fishing Club was the first social club in the history of Waco, Texas, in existence from 1890 to 1988.
History
The Waco Boating and Fishing Club was first proposed on January 10, 1890, by prominent Waco citizens.
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links
*
*
Waco History Project
{{Authority control
Cities in Texas
Cities in McLennan County, Texas
County seats in Texas
Populated places established in 1849
1849 establishments in Texas