WACO
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Population: 113,000+ Region: Prairies & Lakes
Located off Interstate 35 between Austin and Dallas/Fort Worth.
Waco is known for its educational facilities including: Baylor University, McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College. Waco is also well known for its cultural and recreational facilities: Heart O ' Texas Fair and Rodeo that is held the first week in October. This event is a qualified rodeo with top notch entertainers, horse shows, live stock and fine art exhibits. For outdoor recreation, a scenic river walk meanders along the Brazos River from Fort Fisher Park through to Herring Avenue. There are also 36 municipal parks for the visitor's pleasure.
Baylor University houses the Armstrong Browning Library that is the world's largest collection of works and memorabilia of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Here the visitor will also see sixty - two (62) stained glass windows depicting Browning themes in 18th century Italian Renaissance style building. In addition you will find bronze sculptures and other Renaissance paintings for viewing. The Art Center of Waco features rotating exhibits of various medias. The Cameron Park Zoo is 52 acres near the Brazos River amid native trees of pecan, elm, live oak, cottonwood and mesquite.
Other places of interest are the Dr. Pepper Museum, Earle - Harrison House and Pape Gardens (one of the state's incomparable antebellum Greek Revival houses), Martin Museum of Art, Mayborn Museum Complex, Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum at Fort Fisher, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Waco Suspension Bridge and various other historic homes. The Homestead Heritage Traditional Crafts Village on 500 acres is a working farm. Here you are permitted to walk through and watch craftsmen creating handmade furniture, pottery and iron work. The gift shop is housed in a 200 year old restored timber frame barn.
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Armstrong Browning Library - Campus of Baylor University, Open week days 9am-5pm; Sat. 9am-noon; Closed Sunday. Tel: 254-710-3566
Art Center Waco - 1300 College Drive, Open Tues-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun. 1-5pm; No Admission; Tel: 254-752-4371
Cameron Park Zoo - 1701 North 4th Street, Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 11am-5pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. Admission Fee. Tel: 254-750-8400
Dr. Pepper Museum - 300 South 5th Street; Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun noon-5pm (extended hours in summer). Last ticket sold at 4:15. Admission Fee. Tel: 254-757-1024
Historic Homes - Fort House-503 South 4th Street; East Terrace-100 Mill Street (open Tues-Fri 11am-3pm); McCullough House-407 Columbus Street; Earle Napier-Kinnard House-814 South 4th Street. All houses open Sat-Sun 2-5pm. Tours during annual Holidays-on-the-Brazos celebration. Admission Fee. Tel: 254-753-5166
Homestead Heritage Traditional Crafts Village - Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; No Admission Fee. Group Tours Available. Tel: 254-754-9600
Martin Museum of Art - Baylor University Campus, Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center, Open: Tues-Fri. 10am-5pm; Sat noon-5pm. Tel: 254-710-1867
Mayborn Museum Complex - 1300 South university Parks Drive, Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Thurs. 10am-8pm; Sun. 1-5pm. Closed holidays. Admisstion Fee. Tel: 254-710-1110
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum at Fort Fisher - Fort Fisher Park, Open daily 9am-5pm, Last ticket sold at 4:30pm. Closed Holidays. Admission Fee. Tel: 254-750-8631.
Texas Sports Hall of Fame - 1108 South University Parks Drive, Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm. Admission Fee. Tel: 254-756-1633
Lakes: Brazos, Waco
RV Parks:
I-35 RV Park, 254-829-0698
Quail Crossing RV Park, 254-848-4818
Riverview Campground, 254-662-0475
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Cities within 50-60 miles:
Abbott
Bellmead
Cedar Springs
Chilton
China Springs
Crawford
Elm Mott
Gatesville
Hewitt
Hillsboro
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Hubbard
Kossee
Lacy-Lakeview
Laguna Park
Lorena
McGregor
Marlin
Mart
Moody
Mount Calm
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Oglesby
Perry
Prairie Hill
Reagan
Riesel
Temple
Travis
Valley Mills
West
Westphalia
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History:
One of Texas ' special cities located in the Brazos River Valley area. While industry thrives, the city retains the charm of the past when cotton, cattle, corn, collegians and culture were its cornerstones. Cold springs on the Brazos River were popular with the Waco Indians in the early years. Others first to see the area were remnants of DeSoto's party circa 1542.
The first white settlers came in 1837 approximately 12 years after the Texas Ranger fort was established near an Indian site in 1837. Also, plantations along the Brazos River prospered briefly only to have their economy decimated by the Civil War, scattering the local inhabitants. Renewed Western progress and the Chisholm Trail that ran through Waco created another boom.
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