The trek continues to
Waco
The Heart of Texas.
Waco sits at the geographic crossroads of Texas, planted on the Brazos River, halfway between Dallas and Austin on I-35. For decades its reputation was defined by a single event. Today it is moving past that and draws over 2 million visitors a year. It is the city where Dr Pepper was invented. The city where Baylor University has stood since the Republic of Texas era. The city where real mammoth fossils sit in a National Monument, and where the Texas Rangers have their official hall of fame!
History & The Suspension Bridge
The city takes its name from the Waco (Wí:ko:ʔ) tribe who originally inhabited the area. The centerpiece of its early history is the Waco Suspension Bridge, completed in 1870.
Built by the John A. Roebling Company (the same firm that later built the Brooklyn Bridge), its 475-foot span made it the longest single-span suspension bridge west of the Mississippi at the time of its completion.
The bridge used nearly 3 million bricks and provided a crucial year-round crossing of the Brazos River for cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail.
The same cattle drives gave Waco its "rowdy" nickname: "Six-Shooter Junction," for the gunfights that broke out in its saloons and gambling halls.
The 1993 Siege
In 1993, the Branch Davidians, a religious group led by David Koresh, were involved in a massive standoff at their Mount Carmel Center compound, about 13 miles northeast of Waco.
On February 28, 1993, an ATF raid led to a firefight that killed four ATF agents and six Branch Davidians. This triggered a tense 51-day FBI standoff.
The siege ended in tragedy on April 19, 1993, when an FBI tear gas operation resulted in the compound being engulfed in flames. 76 Branch Davidians died, including 28 children.
The tragedy was cited as motivation for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
Baylor University
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Waco is a big college town serving the area with several higher education institutions, but it is most famously the home of Baylor University.
Founded on February 1, 1845—chartered by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas—Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas.
The campus moved to Waco in 1886 and now covers approximately 1,000 acres along the Brazos River. It is the largest Baptist university in the world.
Baylor has kept live bear mascots since 1917. Two bears currently reside at the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat. In 2014, the university opened McLane Stadium right on the Brazos River, widely considered one of the most scenic college football settings in America.
The Baylor Bears compete in the Big 12 Conference (NCAA Division I FBS). They won back to back conference titles in 2013 and 2014 and added their third Big 12 championship in 2021.
Students also enjoy a unique campus tradition: Dr Pepper Hour—free Dr Pepper floats every Tuesday!
The university also holds the world's largest collection of works by Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Baylor earned Carnegie R1 status—the highest tier for research activity—in 2021, and today is a serious research institution as much as a football school.
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A New Chapter
Complementing Baylor's rise, the city of Waco has redefined its identity to become a vibrant, modern destination renowned for its high quality of life.
The city's cultural renaissance is anchored by Magnolia Market at the Silos, a sprawling retail and culinary complex that draws international tourism and has helped revitalize downtown into a bustling district of craft distilleries, boutique shopping, and modern dining.
Beyond the urban core, Waco offers an exceptional outdoor lifestyle centered around the 400-acre Cameron Park. Situated at the confluence of the Brazos and Bosque rivers, this massive urban oasis features 20 miles of rugged hiking and mountain biking trails, limestone bluffs, and an AZA-accredited zoo.
Dr Pepper Museum
The famous 23-flavor soda was created in 1885 at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store by pharmacist Charles Alderton. Customers originally ordered it by simply asking for "a Waco".
Dr Pepper is the oldest major soft drink brand in America, predating Coca-Cola by a year.
Today, the Dr Pepper Museum is housed in the original 1906 Artesian Manufacturing bottling plant. Visitors can enjoy historical exhibits, "make-a-soda" activities, and classic Dr Pepper floats.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Discovered in 1978 by Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin, this site contains the remains of 24+ Columbian mammoths, plus a camel and a juvenile saber-toothed cat.
It is the only recorded discovery of a nursery herd of Columbian mammoths in the US.
Designated a National Monument by President Obama on July 10, 2015, this National Park Service unit preserves the fossils in situ inside a climate-controlled dig shelter. Visitors can view the bones exactly where they were uncovered.
Magnolia Market & The Silos
After the hit show Fixer Upper debuted on HGTV in 2013 starring Chip & Joanna Gaines, Waco saw a massive tourism boom.
Magnolia Market at the Silos opened in 2015, repurposing historic grain silos into a beautiful retail space, garden, and food truck park. The complex includes the famous Silos Baking Co. cupcakes, and nearby is the Magnolia Table restaurant (housed in the historic former Elite Café building).
This "Magnolia Effect" transformed Waco's tourism industry, catapulting it from roughly 500,000 annual visitors to over 2 million.
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame
Located on the banks of the Brazos River, this is the official state-designated historical center for the Texas Rangers—the oldest statewide law enforcement agency in the US, founded in 1823.
The museum houses over 14,000 artifacts and 2,500 historic firearms. There is also a Pop Culture Gallery featuring memorabilia from The Lone Ranger and Walker, Texas Ranger.
The facility also serves as the active Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and the active headquarters for Texas Ranger Company "F".
Cameron Park & The Outdoors
Spanning 416 acres at the confluence of the Brazos and Bosque Rivers, Cameron Park is one of the largest municipal parks in Texas.
The park boasts dramatic limestone bluffs like Lovers Leap (a 90-foot cliff with panoramic views) and historical features like Jacob's Ladder (an 88-step staircase). It contains over 20 miles of trails, including nationally recognized mountain bike routes.
It is also home to the Cameron Park Zoo, a 52-acre natural habitat zoo with over 1,700 animals.
Food & Drink
Balcones Distilling — Credited with establishing the Texas whiskey industry, this award-winning craft distillery uniquely utilizes Texas-grown heirloom grains to create spirits like their famous "Baby Blue" corn whisky.
Pivovar — A Czech heritage brewery and European-Texan fusion restaurant that uniquely features the only Czech-style beer spa in the US, where guests soak in copper tubs.
Health Camp — Not closed! Still serving classic burgers and shakes at the Waco traffic circle, recently acquired to preserve its historic legacy.
Guess Family Barbecue — Recently transitioned to catering, but celebrated for refined BBQ and "fluffy cheesy grits."
Helberg Barbecue — A Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ joint distinguished by its scratch-made approach and high-quality brisket.
Fabled Bookshop & Cafe — A whimsical, community-focused independent bookshop that features a secret wardrobe entrance (just like Narnia).
Homestead Heritage Craft Village — A 510-acre working agrarian community with live demonstrations of traditional craftsmanship (like blacksmithing) and fantastic farm-to-table Southern food at Café Homestead.
Famous Natives
Waco has been the birthplace and home of numerous notable figures.
Day Trips
🚀 McGregor (~25 min) — Historically home to a massive WWII ordnance plant, this small neighboring town is now famous for two things: the Magnolia House bed-and-breakfast, and a massive SpaceX rocket engine testing facility. Don't be surprised if you hear a deep rumble in Waco when Elon Musk's team fires up the engines!
🦕 Dinosaur Valley State Park / Glen Rose (~1 hr 15 min) — See real dinosaur tracks preserved in the Paluxy River bed.
🦁 Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (~1 hr 15 min) — An incredible drive-through safari park experience.
🌊 Lake Whitney State Park (~45 min) — Excellent for boating, swimming, and stargazing.
Watch
Sources. Visit Waco; National Park Service; Texas Historical Commission; Wikipedia. Population figures: 2020 U.S. Census.
MobTreks · a stop on the Southern trek.
Thank you @yoolypr, @lauriekallis, LL Group, Claude and Gemini.
No living hamsters were harmed in the production of this work.