54-533: The Heart O' Texas Fair Complex , now known as the Extraco Events Center , is located in Waco, Texas , United States. It was once the prime basketball facility for Baylor University . The H.O.T. Coliseum was constructed after McLennan County voters authorized a bond issue of $ 1.2 million in the early 1950s. Despite public criticism that might be directed toward the board and individual members, it
108-536: A U.S. census estimated 2023 population of 144,816, making it the 24th-most populous city in the state . 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 2023 U.S. census population estimate for the Waco metropolitan area was 304,865 residents. Indigenous peoples occupied areas along
162-500: 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. In 1866, Waco's leading citizens embarked on an ambitious project to build the first bridge to span the wide Brazos River . They formed the Waco Bridge Company to build the 475-foot (145 m) brick Waco Suspension Bridge , which
216-460: 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 , built the first house in Waco,
270-535: 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
324-471: 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 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 announced that Waco
378-528: A record of 13–11. The women's basketball team won the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament in 2005, 2012 and 2019. The men's basketball team won the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2021 . 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
432-735: A self-built three-masted schooner from Pensacola, Florida , to the mouth of the Brazos River , where they arrived in March 1835. After a short stay at present-day Columbus, Texas , Neil obtained a grant of a league of land at McLennan's Bluff (a mile west of present-day Rosebud , Falls County ) in Robertson's Colony in July 1835, where he and his group settled. Laughlin McLennan, Laughlin's wife, and mother, were killed in an Indian raid
486-705: A tortoise, a camel and a sabretooth tiger. Downtown Waco is home to Magnolia Market , a shopping complex containing specialty stores, food trucks , and event space, set in repurposed grain silos originally built in 1950 for the Brazos Valley Cotton Oil Company. The Magnolia Market, operated by Chip and Joanna Gaines of the HGTV TV series Fixer Upper , saw 1.2 million visitors in 2016. The Baylor Bears athletics teams compete in Waco. The football team has won or tied for nine conference titles, and have played in 24 bowl games, garnering
540-536: A treaty with them. The Waco were eventually pushed out of the region, settling north near present-day Fort Worth . In 1872, they were moved onto a reservation in Oklahoma with other Wichita tribes. In 1902, the Waco received allotments of land and became official US citizens. Neil McLennan settled in an area near the South Bosque River in 1838. Jacob De Cordova bought McLennan's property and hired
594-512: A white woman, to which he confessed. About 15,000 spectators, mostly citizens of Waco, were present. The commonly named Waco Horror drew international condemnation and became the cause célèbre of the nascent NAACP 's anti- lynching 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
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#1732802381592648-693: 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 site contains the fossils of 24 Columbian mammoths and other animals, including
702-532: Is covered by water. The total area is 11.85% water. Downtown Waco is relatively small when compared to other larger Texas cities, such as Houston , Dallas , San Antonio , or even Fort Worth , El Paso , or Austin . The 22-story ALICO Building , completed in 1910, is the tallest building in Waco. Waco experiences a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ), characterized by hot summers and generally mild winters. Some 90 °F (32 °C) temperatures have been observed in every month of
756-652: Is home to the Waco Scottish Rite of Freemasonry . The Waco Mammoth National Monument is a paleontological site and museum managed by the National Park Service in conjunction with the City of Waco and Baylor University. Other museums in Waco include the Dr Pepper Museum , Texas Sports Hall of Fame , Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum , Historic Waco and the Mayborn Museum Complex . Notable attractions in Waco include
810-611: The Hawaiian Falls water park and the Grand Lodge of Texas , one of the largest Grand Lodges in the world. The Waco Suspension Bridge is a single-span suspension bridge built in 1870, crossing the Brazos River . 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 Memorial
864-542: The Heart O' Texas Coliseum , Back Porch Club , Show Pavilion, General Exhibits Building, Creative Arts Building and the recently constructed Stall Barn. The Events Center complex seats 6,000 for rodeos and up to 9,000 for concerts . In August 2010, officials announced that Extraco Banks signed a long-term naming rights deal, officially changing the name of the grounds to the Extraco Events Center. The Extraco Events Center also hosts yearly events such as
918-538: The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad company (known as M-K-T or "Katy"), featuring two locomotives intentionally set to a head-on collision. Meant to be a family fun event with food, games, and entertainment, the Crash turned deadly when both boilers exploded simultaneously, sending metal flying in the air. Three people died and dozens were injured. An African American man named Sank Majors was hanged from
972-545: The National Park Service . On February 28, 1993, a shootout occurred in which six Branch Davidians and four agents of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms 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 , died in
1026-485: The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circuses, monster trucks , major concert acts, and has also hosted WWE Monday Night Raw on several occasions. Waco, Texas Waco ( / ˈ w eɪ k oʊ / WAY -koh ) 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
1080-648: The Steers . In 1920, the team was sold to Wichita Falls . In 1923, a new franchise called the Indians was formed and became a member of the Class D level Texas Association . 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
1134-564: 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 called the "Reservation" grew up in Waco, and prostitution was regulated by
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#17328023815921188-481: 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 . 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
1242-476: 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 . Neil McLennan Neil McLennan (September 2, 1777, 1778, or 1787 – 1867) was an early Scottish-American settler of Texas. McLennan County, Texas ,
1296-545: 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 . Waco was the original intended western terminus of
1350-714: The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, the top employers in McLennan County are: Waco is served by the Waco-McLennan County Library system. The Armstrong Browning Library , on the campus of Baylor University , houses collections of English poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning . The Red Men Museum and Library houses the archives of the Improved Order of Red Men . The Lee Lockwood Library and Museum
1404-475: The West Bank of the river . They have a spring almost as cold as ice itself. All we want is some Brandy and Sugar to have Ice Toddy. They have about 400 acres (1.6 km ) planted in corn, beans, pumpkins, and melons and that tended in good order. I think they cannot raise more than One Hundred Warriors. After further violence, Austin halted an attempt to destroy their village in retaliation. In 1825, he made
1458-609: The blaze. During the presidency of George W. Bush , 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 " Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford , about 25 miles (40 km) 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
1512-578: 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 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
1566-517: 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. According to
1620-476: The city. The Reservation was suppressed in the early 20th century. In 1885, the soft drink Dr Pepper was invented in Waco at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store. In 1845, Baylor University was founded in Independence , 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
1674-580: The confluence of the Brazos and Bosque Rivers . Excavations revealed the bones were 68,000 years old and belonged to a species of mammoth . 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
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1728-560: 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 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
1782-563: The electric chair. In the same year, the Texas Legislature 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,
1836-481: 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 , 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
1890-548: The formal opening was held. The complex remained home to Bears basketball, and Waco's largest concert venue, until Ferrell Center , was built in 1988. All facilities and grounds of the Fair Complex underwent renovations and/or reconstruction throughout the years of 2000 to 2005. The Complex now covers 50 acres (200,000 m) of land containing modernized facilities, 700 stalls, 250 RV hook-ups and parking areas able to accommodate over 3,800 vehicles. Its facilities consist of
1944-432: 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,
1998-551: 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. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 95.5 square miles (247 km ), of which 84.2 square miles (218 km ) is land and 11.3 square miles (29 km )
2052-563: The month-long exhibition was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1910. In 1931, the exposition fell prey to the Great Depression , and the building was torn down. However, the annual Cotton Palace Pageant continues, hosted in late April in conjunction with the Brazos River Festival. On September 15, 1896, "The Crash" took place about 15 miles (24 km) north of Waco. "The Crash at Crush" was a publicity stunt done by
2106-595: 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 , formerly Texas State Technical Institute, since 1965. The airfield is still in operation, now known as TSTC Waco Airport , and
2160-446: 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
2214-519: The river for thousands of years. In historic times, the area of present-day Waco was occupied by the Wichita Indian tribe known as the " Waco " (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: This town is situated on
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2268-433: The school's main building burned down in 1910. TCU was offered a 50-acre (200,000 m ) campus and $ 200,000 by the city of Fort Worth to relocate there. Racial segregation 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
2322-486: 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 in 1902 and left Waco after
2376-440: The year. The record low temperature is −5 °F (−21 °C), set on January 31, 1949; the record high temperature is 114 °F (46 °C), set on July 23, 2018. 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
2430-653: 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 , a member of the Texas League . The Tigers were renamed the Navigators in 1905, and later
2484-400: 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
2538-591: 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 north, crossed
2592-529: 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
2646-702: Was named for him. McLennan was born on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. In 1801, he and a large group of family and friends immigrated to Richmond County, North Carolina , later moving further south to Florida. The McLennans were Gaelic speakers and Presbyterians . Around 1820, they were invited by Yuchi Chief Sam Story to become the first white settlers in Walton County, Florida . In December 1834, Neil and his brothers, Laughlin and John, along with some of their families and friends immigrated to Texas, sailing
2700-567: Was planned for the suburb of Bellmead . The American Basketball Association 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 lasted less than two months amidst
2754-437: Was recorded as 1,350.6 people per square mile (521.5/km ), with 45,819 housing units at an average density of 544.2 per square mile (210.1/km ). 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
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#17328023815922808-413: 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
2862-429: Was the board's unanimous decision to build portions of the entire plant that the available money would permit. The last of five contracts was signed on January 9, 1952, and construction of the complex began soon afterward. The complex, livestock barn, ticket booths and several small buildings were constructed, paving was done and fencing enclosed the grounds. In the spring of 1953, the complex was completed, and on April 11,
2916-626: Was used by Air Force One when former US President George W. Bush visited his Prairie Chapel Ranch , also known as the Western White House , in Crawford , Texas. In 1951, Harold Goodman founded the American Income Life Insurance Company . 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
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