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Waco, Texas

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For the Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Texas, see Waco Siege.
For other uses of "Waco", see Waco (disambiguation).
City of Waco
City
Downtown Waco
Downtown Waco
Location in Texas
Location in Texas
U.S. Census Map
U.S. Census Map
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyMcLennan
Government
 • MayorVirginia DuPuy
Area
 • City95.5 sq mi (247.4 km2)
 • Land84.2 sq mi (218.1 km2)
 • Water11.3 sq mi (29.3 km2)  11.85%
Elevation
470 ft (143.3 m)
Population
 (2005)
 • City120,465
 • Density1,350/sq mi (521.5/km2)
 • Metro
226,189
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (Central)
ZIP codes
76700-76799
Area code254
FIPS code48-76000Template:GR
GNIS feature ID1370701Template:GR
Websitehttp://www.waco-texas.com/

Waco (Template:PronEng) is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. The city has a 2005 estimated total population of 120,465[1]. It is the 26th largest city by population in Texas, and 195th in the US. The Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of McLennan County and has a population of 226,189.[2] It is served by Waco Regional Airport.

The city is the fly-in point for George W. Bush for his visits to his Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas and support personnel and reporters stay in the city's hotels. It is the home of Baylor University. The Dr Pepper soft drink (originally referred to as "Waco") was established there.

History

McLennan County Courthouse
Burleson Square at Baylor University
The Dr Pepper Museum is one of Waco's tourist attractions.

1824-1865

Prior to the founding of the town, a Wichita Native American group known as the "Waco" or "Hueco" lived on the land of contemporary downtown Waco west of the Brazos River. In 1824, on an expedition to the Waco village, Thomas M. Duke reported the following to Stephen F. Austin: "This town is situated on the West Bank of the River about half a mile from 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 four hundred acres planted in corn, beans, pumpkins, and melons and that tended in good order. I think they cannot raise more than One Hundred Warriors." After Austin aborted the first attempt to destroy their village in 1825, he made a treaty with them. The Wacos were soon forced to abandon their village due to an invasion in 1830 by the Cherokee (who had been pushed westward in previous decades by colonization), and they moved upstream to what is now Palo Pinto County (west of Fort Worth).

Neil McLennan settled in an area near the South Bosque River in 1838.[3] Jacob De Cordova bought McLennan's property[4] and hired a former Texas Ranger and surveyor named George B. Erath to inspect the area.[5] 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, in honor of the Native Americans who had lived there.[citation needed] In March 1849, Shapley Ross built the first house in Waco, a double-log cabin on a bluff overlooking the springs. His daughter Kate soon became the first white child to be born in Waco.[6]

1866-1900

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 was called the longest span of any bridge west of the Mississippi River when completed in 1870. The company commissioned a firm owned by John Augustus Roebling in Trenton, New Jersey to supply the cables and steelwork for the bridge, which was a pioneering engineering feat of the era. Roebling's firm began work on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1870. The economic effects of the Waco bridge were immediate and large, attracting cattle runs from the nearby Chisholm Trail and increasing the population of the city, as immigrants now had a safe passage for their horse drawn carriages to cross the river. Since 1971, the bridge is now open only to pedestrian traffic and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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 the school's main building burned down in 1910. TCU was offered a 50 acre campus and $200,000 by the city of Fort Worth to relocate there.

In the late 1800s a red light district called the "Reservation" grew up in Waco. Prostitution was regulated by the city. The Reservation was abolished in the early 1900s.

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, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in the state 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 were moved to the new Mayborn Museum Complex.

In the 1890s, William Cowper Brann published the highly successful Iconoclast newspaper in Waco. One of his targets was Baylor University. Brann revealed that Baylor officials had been importing 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 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, cotton had been cultivated in the Brazos and Bosque valleys, and Waco became 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, and the building was torn down. However, the annual Cotton Palace Pageant continues to the present day, hosted in late April in conjunction with the Brazos River Festival.
On September 15, 1896 "The Crash at Crush" took place about 15 miles (24 km) north of Waco. "The Crash at Crush" was a publicity stunt done by the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad company(known as M-K-T or "Katy") featured two locomotives intentionally set on 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. Two people died and six were seriously injured. Waco History Project

1901-present

George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and Barney (dog) switch from Marine One to Air Force One at TSTC Waco Airport

During World War I, Waco was the site of two major Army bases, Camp MacArthur and Rich Field.

In 1916, a black teenager named Jesse Washington was hanged and mutilated on the town square by a mob that seized him from a courthouse, where he had been convicted of murdering a white woman. 15,000 spectators, mostly citizens of Waco, were present. The so-called 'Waco Horror" drew international condemnation and became the cause celebre of the nascent NAACP's anti-lynching campaign. In 2006, the Waco City Council officially condemned the lynching, which took place at City Hall without opposition from local leaders.

In 1923, the Texas Legislature created the Tenth Civil Court of Appeals and placed it in Waco. Today it is 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 later 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, formerly Texas State Technical Institute, since 1965. The airfield is still in operation and is currently used by Air Force One when US President George W. Bush visits his Prairie Chapel Ranch, also known as the Western White House, in Crawford, Texas.

On May 11, 1953, a tornado hit downtown Waco, killing 114. As of 2007, it remains the tenth deadliest tornado in U.S. history and tied for the deadliest in Texas state history.[1] It was the first tornado tracked by radar and helped spur the creation of a nationwide storm surveillance system.

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 was further designated the official Hall of Fame for the Rangers and renamed the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. Recent renovations by the Waco government has earned this building green status, the first Waco government lead project of its nature. The construction project has also 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 River and the Bosque River. Subsequent excavations revealed that 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 in the world. Scholars have puzzled over why such a large herd had been killed all at once. The site is currently being looked at by the National Park Service for possible inclusion on the National Park system. They are conducting a special resource study to be presented to Congress.

On February 28 1993 there was a shoot out in which six Davidians and four agents of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) died. After 51 days on April 19, 1993 a standoff between FBI agents and Branch Davidians ended in a fire that destroyed their compound located in Mt. Carmel, near Waco. Seventy-four people, including leader David Koresh, died in the blaze.

In 1999, a charter school called the Emma L. Harrison Charter School was closed by the Texas Education Agency; the school was the first charter school which had its charter revoked in Texas.[7]

Rock guitarist and outdoorsman Ted Nugent, who is an enthusiastic bowhunter, resides in Waco and writes a weekly column for the Waco Tribune-Herald. He filmed his MTV show "Surviving Nugent" on his ranch in nearby China Spring, Texas.

Since the 2000 presidential election, Waco has been home to the various news bureaus covering the Western White House in Crawford, home of US President George W. Bush. Crawford is an outlying McLennan County community about 20 miles (32 km) west of Waco.

Geography and climate

Waco is located at 31°33'5" North, 97°9'21" West (31.551516, -97.155930).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 95.5 square miles (247.4 km²). 84.2 square miles (218.1 km²) of it is land and 11.3 square miles (29.3 km²) of it is water. The total area is 11.85% water.

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rec High °F 88 96 100 101 102 109 109 112 111 101 92 91
Norm High °F 57 62.3 70.2 77.6 84.8 92 96.7 96.9 90.1 80.4 67.8 59.1
Norm Low °F 35.1 39.3 46.8 54.2 63.3 70.6 74.1 73.5 67 56.7 45.8 37.5
Rec Low °F -5 4 15 27 37 52 60 53 40 25 17 -4
Precip (in) 1.9 2.43 2.48 2.99 4.46 3.08 2.23 1.85 2.88 3.67 2.61 2.76
Source: USTravelWeather.com [2]

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 113,726 people in the city, organized into 42,279 households and 24,775 families. The population density is 1,350.6 people per square mile (521.5/km²). There are 45,819 housing units at an average density of 544.2/sq mi (210.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 60.78% White, 22.65% African American, 1.38% Asian, 0.51% Native American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 12.38% from other races, and 2.26% from two or more races. 23.64% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 42,279 households out of which 29.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% are married couples living together, 16.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% are non-families. 31.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.49 and the average family size is 3.19.

In the city the population is spread out with 25.4% 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100 females there are 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $26,264, and the median income for a family is $33,919. Males have a median income of $26,902 versus $21,159 for females. The per capita income for the city is $14,584. 26.3% of the population and 19.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 30.9% of those under the age of 18 and 13.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Downtown

See also List of Waco's Neighborhoods

Downtown Waco is small compared to most other cities, such as Houston or Dallas, or even San Antonio or Austin however, each day 17,000 people commute to work in downtown. Downtown Waco was built around the Waco Suspension Bridge, which was a crucial crossing of the Brazos River. In May 1953, the worst tornado in Texas history struck downtown Waco killing 114, and injuring hundreds. It caused millions of dollars in damage, and dented Waco's economy for years to come. Downtown Waco is home to the ALICO tower, which was completed in 1910, and was once the tallest structure in the Southwest. Downtown Waco is now the location of the famous Dr Pepper Museum, where Dr Pepper was first invented, and the McLennan County Courthouse.

In the past few decades, Downtown Waco was slowly decaying as Waco grew to the West away from Downtown. But recently Waco's city leaders have been taking strides into making Downtown Waco the city center again. There are two projects currently being worked on in Heritage Square, which takes up two blocks in downtown, between 3rd and 4th streets and Washington Avenue and Franklin Avenue. The first project is the new Chamber of Commerce of Waco, which will be an environment-friendly building. The second project, which broke ground in the spring of 2008, is a mixed-use development with commercial and residential buildings. There are also other projects being talked about by the public. In fact, over $80 million in construction is underway or planned for the city of Waco.

Education

Waco Independent School District serves most of the city of Waco. However, Midway ISD, Connally ISD, China Spring ISD, and La Vega ISD also serve parts of Waco. There are four main high schools in Waco city limits: Waco High School (Waco ISD), A.J. Moore Academy (Waco ISD), University High School (Waco ISD), and Midway High School (Midway ISD). The schools are all major rivals in sports, academics and pride; with the exception of A.J. Moore which does not offer sports. In addition to the public school systems in Waco, there are also many private and parochial schools in and around Waco, such as Vanguard College Preparatory School, Reicher Catholic High School, and Rapoport Academy.

There are also three institutions of higher learning in Waco. They are:

Attractions

Major Waco attractions include:

Professional sports

The TUFL (Texas United Football League)(Largest League in Texas & 2nd in the USA) announced the expansion franchise of the Waco Thunder Minor League Football Team in 2006. The purpose of the Waco Thunder and the TUFL is to provide players a 2nd opportunity at playing college or pro football. Since the 2006 inaugural season the Waco Thunder have successfully paved the way to the next level for 3 players (As of End of 2007 Season). The Thunder's 1st season was a success with the team going 5-5 and missing the playoffs by 1 game. The following season (07-08) the Thunder made it to the playoffs with a 7-3 record before losing in the 1st Round. The Thunder will be entering its 3rd season of play in January 09. The Thunder's Home Stadium is TCA Stars Field located at 5000 Bagby Avenue. Nintey Percent of the players on the Thunder's Roster are from the Central Texas Area. For more information please viit the Thunders New Website at [www.wacothunderfootball.com]

The American Basketball Association has announced an expansion franchise for the 2006-2007 season, the Waco Wranglers. The team is scheduled to begin play in November 2006 at Reicher Catholic High School. The team practices 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 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.

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 in 1905 to the Navigators, and later to the Steers. In 1920, the team was sold to Wichita Falls. In 1923, a new franchise called the Indians was formed in Waco and was a member of the Class D 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 generously 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.

1930 was the last year that Waco had a team in the Texas League, but Waco fielded some strong semi-pro teams in the 1930s and early 1940s. During the World War II years of 1943-45, 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.

In 1947, the Class B Big State League was organized with Waco as a member called The Waco Dons.

In 1948, A.H. Kirksey, owner of Katy Park, persuaded the Pittsburgh Pirates Professional club to take over the Waco operation and the nickname was changed to Pirates. The Pirates 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, Texas to finish the season and finished a respectable third with a 77-68 record.

People with Waco ties

See also: List of Baylor University people

Sports

Movies

Music

Politics

Other

See also

References

  1. ^ "www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2005-04-48.xls".
  2. ^ "www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metro_general/2006/CBSA-EST2006-01.xls".
  3. ^ "www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/MM/fmc89.html".
  4. ^ "www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/DD/fde3.html".
  5. ^ "www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/EE/fer1.html".
  6. ^ Davis, Joe Tom (1989), Legendary Texians, Vol. 4, Austin, Texas: Eakin Press, p. 151, ISBN 0890156697
  7. ^ "64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:UojdMaz2cW4J:www.texasmonthly.com/preview/1999-12-01/education+Texas+Education+Agency+revoke+charter&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=7".

Template:Geolinks-US-cityscale

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