The land on which Waco was founded was originally inhabited by Waco Indians, who established a village here. Settlers arrived beginning in the 1830s and the population grew to more than&nbsp;6,000 residents by 1860. Waco was designated the county seat in 1850 and the first courthouse was built at this time. The second, larger one, was erected in 1859 and the third in 1876.&nbsp;The current one, as stated above, was constructed in 1902.&nbsp; One of the most notable cases at the courthouse was that of Clyde Barrow— aka, Clyde of&nbsp;the notorious bank robber duo Bonnie and Clyde—who stood trial here in 1930. He was sentenced to two years in jail but escaped before he was transferred to the jail in Huntsville. Another notable event to occur at the courthouse was&nbsp;the first live televised murder trial in 1955.&nbsp;

The McLennan County Courthouse was built in 1902.

More Info

The McLennan County Courthouse is considered one of the finest examples of Neo-Classical architecture in Texas. Built in 1902, it is the fourth courthouse to serve the county. The building features a large dome, portico, several and Corinthian columns. Viewed from inside, the dome is decorated with stained-glass art pieces. There are also a number of large statues. Atop the dome stands the Greek goddess of justice, Themis, who is holding a sword in her right hand and a pair of scales in her left. The other statues are Justitia, the Roman goddess of justice, and a torchbearer who resembles Lady Liberty. Around the base of the dome are several Roman eagles. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

McLennan County Courthouse

This tour starts at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum and includes several other museums such as the Dr. Pepper Museum and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. The tour also includes landmark buildings, historical markers, and monuments such as the Waco Suspension Bridge and the Branding the Brazos sculpture. The tour also includes historic Texas homes such as Earle-Napier-Kinnard House which predates the Civil War and  McCulloch House which was built immediately after the war's end. 

Waco Texas Walking Tour

History of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum dates back to 1964, when the Texas Department of Public Safety chartered Waco to construct and maintain an official museum focused on the Texas Rangers. The City of Waco then designated 32 acres of land and&nbsp;originally named the museum Fort Fisher, the 1837 Ranger camp from which Waco traces its origins.&nbsp;By 1968, the museum opened to the public and was drawing substantial crowds. In the beginning, however, the museum only housed a few exhibits in its gallery, named after Colonel Homer Garrison Jr. Over the years, the collection grew from private donors.&nbsp;By 1971, Texas Legislature asked the Texas Ranger Commemorative Commission to honor the 150th anniversary of the Texas Rangers by erecting an official Hall of Fame. Coinciding with the American Bicentennial in 1976, the Hall of Fame opened and the complex had its name changed to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.&nbsp;The Texas Ranger Research Center was founded in 1975 due to a generous donation from the Moody Foundation. By 1997 and with 30 years of service, Texas Legislature passed a resolution that designated the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum as the official repository of Ranger memorabilia, artifacts, archives, and any other materials related to the law enforcement division.1&nbsp;
The Museum, Hall of Fame, and Research Center
From the Hall of Fame and the Research Center to the many exhibits displayed, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum provides fun, interactive, and educational materials for all ages.&nbsp;Within the museum, the Homer Garrison Gallery displays equipment central to the role of the Texas Ranger. Each piece of equipment, from guns to handcuffs to silver stars, features an historical context from the early days to the present. Walking into the Brownfield and Morris Galleries, visitors can explore the entire timeline of the Texas Rangers from the founding in 1823 to recently retired officers.&nbsp;
The Brownfield Gallery also focuses on some of the most important Texas Ranger cases. The exhibits in this gallery include kidnappings, riots, and even the case surrounding the Texarkana Phantom Killer. One of the most famous exhibits, however, is the Bonnie and Clyde collection, which includes the duo’s shotguns that were confiscated from the “Death Car” after the final shoot-out.
The Hall of Fame, on the other hand, pays tribute to 30 Texas Rangers. These include major figures from Stephen F. Austin (called the Father of the Texas Rangers) to Bobby Paul Doherty, who was killed in 1978 during a drug raid in Argyle, Texas.&nbsp;
One of the more famous aspects of the museum is the Research Center, which features over 300,000 archived materials. Especially when it comes to the Texas Rangers in media, much of the researched material comes from this Research Center.&nbsp;Educational programs at the museum include lesson plans and activities for teachers, camps, programs for scouts, and the Jr. Texas Rangers Program.2&nbsp;

The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum is the official, state-designated historical center that focus entirely on the famed law enforcement agency, the Texas Ranger Division. In operation since its founding in 1823, the Texas Rangers have become known around the world as a paramilitary force (before 1845) and as one of the most respected agencies for investigating crime, controlling riots, and working as detectives.

Located off Texas Ranger Trail, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum commemorates this historic law enforcement agency by inspiring appreciation of the Rangers and their symbology with the American West. The museum also displays a myriad of permanent and changing exhibits and displays thousands of artifacts covering the entire history of the Texas Rangers. 

The Hall of Fame pays tribute and commemorates the service and sacrifices of 30 Texas Rangers who gave their lives in the line of duty or made significant contributions to the service. The Texas Ranger Research Center houses more than 300,000 items, including case files and personal files from Texas Rangers, books on Ranger history, and firearms and other pieces of equipment used by the Rangers. 

Every year, nearly 3,000 researchers visit the Research Center for information on ancestry, books, television shows, movies, and for other reasons. 

Since it opened in 1968, over 3 million people have visited the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.

Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum

The museum is divided into several rooms and visitors will see numerous items on display including uniforms, trophies, photographs, and sporting equipment. The museum also includes a library and a health and fitness education center.

Founded in 1951, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame celebrates honors the accomplishments of over 300 of the state's sports legends. These include athletes, coaches, and administrators. Notable members include Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, basketball player Shaquille O'Neal, baseball player Craig Biggio, and baseball pitcher Roger Clemens. Also at the museum is the Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame and Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. The organization opened its museum in Grand Prairie in 1981 and moved to Waco in 1993. 

Texas Sports Hall of Fame

History of the&nbsp;Earle-Napier-Kinnard House
The Earle-Napier-Kinnard House can be traced back to two early Waco citizens: John Baylis Earle and Thomas Harrison.&nbsp;Earle, who would later own Waco’s first cotton mill, and Harrison purchased a double log cabin and five acres of land for $1,000 (equivalent to about $27,000 today). The year the two men made the purchase was 1856, a time when Waco Village only had 700 people. Two years later, Earle used three of the acres to construct a two-room brick home so that he could start a new life with his wife, Emma, and the two children they had in that home.&nbsp;
Earle was able to capitalize on the Civil War by starting a manufacturing business that made Confederate uniforms. The factory, however, was located in East Waco, and they eventually relocated to that side of town. Earle’s modest home remained empty until 1866, when H.S. Morgan bought the property for $4,000 and began adding to the home.&nbsp;This project didn’t last long, and by May of 1868, Dr. John Smith Napier and his wife Mary purchased the property for $5,000 and initiated a significant expansion project. Under the ownership of the Napiers, the present-day home began to take form with its Greek Revival exterior made from pale pink handmade brick, ornamental banisters on the porch, and cyprus shutters on the windows.&nbsp;
Mary Napier died in 1872, and John Smith Napier lived in the home with their seven children until his death in 1889. Sallie Napier, one of the children, took up ownership with her husband Rev. David Cannon Kinnard&nbsp;after her father’s death.&nbsp;Because of Kinnard’s religious role in the community and the many visiting preachers entertained in the home, the Earle-Napier-Kinnard House was nicknamed the “House of Pastors.” Mary Kinnard, David and Sallie’s eldest daughter, lived in the home from her birth until her death in 1957.
In the following January after Mary’s death, the house changed hands once again to Frances Duncan Nalle. As the house was nearing 90 years old, Nalle conducted significant restoration and renovation, returning the house to its original state. Unfortunately, much of the original property (the five acres John Baylis Earle and Thomas Harrison purchased in 1856) was lost to the construction of Interstate Highway 35.&nbsp;
During the late 50s and early 60s, the house held an essential cultural role in the community, and it often served as a clubhouse for Baylor University faculty gatherings. In 1967, Nalle handed the house over to the Waco Perpetual Growth Foundation, and the US National Park Service listed the home to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.1

The Earle-Napier-Kinnard House offers visitors and residents a way to experience and learn about the the early history of Waco. The home was built just prior to the Civil War, a time when Waco Village had less than 700 people. The historic house, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, dates back to 1856, when it was just a double log cabin on five acres of land. 

By 1868, owners Dr. John Smith Napier and his wife Mary began constructing the current building, heavily focusing on the Greek Revival style and white, pillared porticos. The house changed hands a few times until its last private owner, Frances Duncan Nalle, handed the house over to the Waco Perpetual Growth Foundation in 1967. 

Four years later in 1971, the US National Park Service added the Earle-Napier-Kinnard House to the National Register of Historic Places, making it the third structure in Waco to receive the distinction. Nowadays, the Earle-Napier-Kinnard House is a public museum run by the Historic Waco Foundation.

Earle-Napier-Kinnard House

William A. Fort was born in La Grange, Alabama in 1826. After&nbsp;graduating from La Grange College in 1846, he&nbsp;worked as a farmer for the next four years before getting into merchandising with a partner. Realizing that farming was more profitable, in 1854 he&nbsp;and his father moved to Waco and established a farm that would soon be profitable. The Civil War, however, ruined his farm so he bought six acres of land of the current property and built the house (over time the property became smaller as the city grew).&nbsp;Fort became a merchant once more and eventually co-founded a very successful bank called Fort &amp; Jackson, which would later merge with another bank, Waco National Bank, in 1874. He would also own the city's first transit system (a mule-drawn streetcar) and donated money to colleges including the Waco Female College.&nbsp; As for the house, it appears that the family lived here until 1911. Between then and 1955, it was divided into apartments. In 1956, an organization called the Junior League bought and restored the old home to serve as its headquarters. The Historic Waco Foundation, which was then called the Waco Society for Historic Preservation, acquired and opened it as a house museum.&nbsp;In recent years, the Foundation realized it could not justify owning it and the other historic homes it maintains. As a result, it sold the house to its current owners in early 2019.

Fort House is a historic residence built in 1868 by its wealthy merchant and farmer Colonel William A. Fort. The home is a fine example of Greek Revival architecture and for many years was operated as a house museum by the Historic Waco Foundation; it is now privately owned. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Fort House

&nbsp; &nbsp;Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store was the birthplace of Dr. Pepper. It is the oldest of the major soft drink brands in America. Charles Alderton, also known as Dr. Pepper, was a young pharmacist who worked at the drug store. Most of his time was spent tending to the medicinal needs of the people of Waco, Texas; however, in his spare time, he liked to serve carbonated beverages at the soda fountain. The smell was intoxicating to him. He enjoyed all the fruity, syrupy smells that created that aroma. With that, he hatched the idea to create a drink that tasted like that smell. Alderton kept a notebook documenting numerous experiments until he found that fruity syrup mixture he liked. In order to test it, he offered it to his store owner who then suggested to sell it to the people. Those who came into the pharmacy would order by saying “shoot me a Waco.” Morrison was also credited with naming the drink, but the museum has collected over a dozen different stories on how the drink became known as Dr. Pepper.

&nbsp; &nbsp;Consumers were going crazy over the newest addition to the soft drink world. Other fountain operators in Waco began buying the syrup from Alderton and Morrison, but that soon became a problem for the duo. Supplies became low at their own store leading to low production. Robert Lazenby, a young beverage chemist, took interest in this unique flavor.&nbsp; Alderton was only interested in the chemistry, so he gave Lazenby and Morrison the go-ahead to develop further. The new soft drink was growing quickly. Lazenby and Morrison formed a new firm, the Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company, in 1891. This later became the Dr. Pepper Company. At the 1904 World’s Fair, Lazenby and his son-in-law introduced Dr. Pepper to the world. It was clear that it was going to be hit, so they moved from Waco to Dallas leaving their old building behind. The abandoned bottle company, located on Fifth Street and Mary Avenue, was now in a sad state of repair. At the turn of the century manufacturing district, Waco’s economic growth was stunted by the outbreak of abandoned warehouses. It was deemed a “blighted” city. The Waco Chamber of Commerce and the city of Waco hoped that the museum would catalyze the growth of the city, both commercially and industrially.&nbsp; &nbsp;In 1988, the Dr. Pepper Company donated the historic building to the non-profit organization. Renovations began in 1990 and it was formally opened to the public May 11, 1991. However, there was only a small portion of the ground level open to the public. The Museum, over the next six years, set three additional construction phases in motion. Once it was restored to the curators’ liking, the next three floors were open to the public in May 1997. Additionally, the museum is home to the W.W. Clements Free Enterprise Institute. The institute, created in 1997, was a program that served to educate school children as well as adults about the economic system that underlies American life. It uses the soft drink industry as a model to teach them the about developing, producing, and marketing products. An exhibit on the life and business perspectives of W.W. Clements is located on the third floor of the museum. To make sure their mission statement is upheld, the museum employs a staff of professionals and educators that work with the Board of Directors. Its annual budget for operation is $500,000. This is derived from contributions from the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, the Coca-Cola Company, and numerous independent soft drink bottlers. Other contributions come from memberships, admissions, and merchandise sales.&nbsp; &nbsp;The Dr. Pepper Museum is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the “Home of Dr. Pepper.” Today, all of the restorations and donations have made this museum flourish. It is also recognized as the only non-profit museum in the country dedicated to the entire soft drink industry.&nbsp;

The Dr. Pepper Museum was founded in 1988. Dr. Pepper, believed to have been invented by pharmacist Charles Alderton, became available to the public in 1885. This museum is housed in an Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company building which was established in 1906 and located in Waco. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the "Home of Dr. Pepper."

Dr. Pepper Museum

The&nbsp;Modern Order Praetorians was named after the elite Roman guards who protected the emperor. The order was established to benefit only its members; earning&nbsp;profits was not its main objective. The company grew significantly in the following decades, expanding to over a dozen states from coast to coast. It appears that the order owned the building until 1958 when it transitioned to a mutual company. Beginning in 1934, the building's name changed several times and a number of tenants occupied it, including the Veteran's Administration from 1962 to 1965.

The Praetorian Building has been an important Waco landmark since it was constructed in 1915 by the Praetorian Insurance Company, which was based in Dallas. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was designed by the architecture firm C.W. Bulger & Co. in the Chicago style. The building is also significant for its association with the company, which was a fraternal life insurance order established in 1898 called the Modern Order Praetorians; the Waco chapter was founded in 1911. The building now offers commercial, residential, and studio space.    

Praetorian Building

Artemas R.
Roberts was the man responsible for the creation of the ALICO Building. He grew
up in a poverty stricken family. He eventually moved to Alvarado, Texas, attended
Sam Houston State Normal School, and eventually began working for Texas Life
Insurance Company. He was so successful at selling insurance that he and his
business partners were able to finance construction for the ALICO building.
Roberts was a teacher, but he wanted to do more and desired more earning
potential. Roberts saw the city of Waco as a golden opportunity for accomplishment.
His dream was to create a beautiful building overlooking the city of Waco.

&nbsp;The city of Waco
was seen as a commercial giant, and a good site for triumph. The Texas
Legislature passed the Robertson Insurance
Law which “required insurance companies doing business in the state to invest
75 percent of their reserve in state securities or pay a proportionate tax.”<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[1]</a>

&nbsp;Roberts had some
help from a couple of people in creating the Amicable Life Insurance Co.
(ALICO). With the help of William Waldo Cameron, R.T. Dennis, J.P. Massey, J.R.
Milan, H.M. Minier, T.J. Primm, Sam Sanger, R.B. Spencer, and A.R. Wilson,
ALICO was formed. Roberts became the president of ALICO and the actuarial and
general manager, as well. The firm was successful from the beginning, and
continued to become even more successful later on.

&nbsp;The location and
structure of this building contributes to its uniqueness. Initially, the
building was occupied by the First National Bank. Roberts was then able to
obtain a contract that allowed him to have possession of the first and second
floors of said building. From that, he created the Amicable Building. The
demolition of the bank began in May 1910, and was a strenuous process.

&nbsp;Construction of
the ALICO started on April&nbsp;2, 1910. They needed a building in which there
would be strength, stability, and fascination in order to boost their sales of
insurance. This 22-story building was completed in 1911. This building became such
a focal point for Waco. As a result, more people began to visit Waco, as well
as move to the city to see this landmark.

&nbsp;The ALICO
Building to this day remains one of the most stable and resilient buildings.
The architects in charge of this beautiful building were Roy E. Lane and Sanguinet
&amp; Staats. It was made to withstand tragic weather catastrophes. The
building is designed with a steel frame that can resist a hurricane force wind.
On May 11, 1953, the building actually survived an incoming hurricane with only
a little damage done to it. Some people inside got a little hurt, but there
were no casualties, while other buildings in Waco were hit hard. &nbsp;

&nbsp;The top part of
the building is made of terra cotta and brick, while the bottom half is made
out of granite and other stone. The exteriors and interiors of this building
are fire-resistant. The building was also formed in a way to be fitting to the
eye. The interior of the building would also include “electric generating
machinery, high pressure boilers for heating and power, a complete power plant,
outlets for phone service, and oil-burning lamps in the hallways. This design
was unique to the building and this practice was not so common during 1910. This
building has a beautiful and even more sturdy structure to protect its self and
its significance. The cost to construct this building was set at $755,000.”
Robert’s goal for this building was not only to have it become so successful,
but to uphold its structure and keep its prominence from carefully designing
its structure and taking the time to do so.<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[2]</a>

&nbsp;The ALICO
Building still gets crowded with many tourists till this day. Dozens of people
would walk by the ALICO building to witness its construction. They were amazed
at this building and could not wait to see what it would all become. Around
1911 and 1940 doctors, bookkeepers, dentists, merchants, and lawyers were interested
in this building, as well and were some of the many tenants who leased space
during these years. It was the perfect location to conduct business because the
area was becoming more popular. In addition, there was also a successful beauty
shop and a barber shop there. The WACO Radio Station was created and found on
the 8th floor of the building for many years. These aspects of the
building really enhanced its popularity and made the building attractable and
admired to many. The company had a high success rate and continued to flourish
at a fast pace. The ALICO became an important landmark to the citizens of Waco
and has caught the attention of many other people not living in Waco, too. This
building provides “rental office space as well as providing the home office for
American-Amicable Life Insurance Company of Texas and its corporate family.”<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[3]</a>
Amicable Life merged with American Life Insurance of Dallas in 1965. The
company became known as American-Amicable in 1968.

&nbsp;The ALICO
Building revolutionized construction. It broke down barriers to construction
and was seen as an instrument for other buildings. The structure of the
building really shed light on other building projects. While other tall
buildings were being developed in other countries, the ALICO Building differed in
that it was placed in such a low developing city. The building created success
for the city by bringing in residents who would want to witness the construction
of the building. As a result, the population of Waco began to increase and
became a more popular city. &nbsp;

&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: null">[4]</a>The creation of the elevator system and
the refinement of the steel industry strengthened this building’s underlying
success and foundation. The ALICO Building became a landmark for Waco due to
its power and durability. This tall building with the big red colored words
reading “ALICO” is positioned in the skyline of Waco which adds to its beauty
and prominence.

<div> 





<div>

<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[1]</a>
“The Story of the ALICO Building:
100 Years, 22 Stories and 1 Towering Ego,” WacoTrib.com, last modified April
28, 2011, accessed April 13, 2018, www.wacotrib.com/waco_today_magazine/the-story-of-the-alico-building-years-stories-and-towering/article.

</div>

<div>

<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[2]</a>
“ALICO Since 1910,” ALICO History,
www.alicobuilding.com/heritage/default.php.

</div>

<div>

<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[3]</a>
“ALICO Since 1910,” ALICO History,
www.alicobuilding.com/heritage/default.php.

</div>

<div>

<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: null">[4]</a>
“ALICO Since 1910,” ALICO History,
www.alicobuilding.com/heritage/default.php. 

&nbsp;

</div>

</div>

The ALICO Building is a whopping 22-story tall building. It is the common place for many scenic photos taken in Waco, Texas. The ALICO Building still remains one of the biggest focal points of Waco, Texas. The second one enters the downtown area, the beautiful, yet scenic red colored sign spells out ALICO, and one knows they are in Waco. Located in the center of downtown Waco off of Austin Avenue, it is currently occupied by the Amicable Life Insurance Company.  

ALICO Building

The McCulloch House is a beautiful two-story Greek Revival historic house museum operated by the Historic Waco Foundation. It was originally built in 1866 as a two-room cabin by Dr. Josiah H. Caldwell and later expanded to its current size by local merchant and mayor Champ Carter McCullough, who bought it in 1870. The McCullough family and descendants lived in the home until 1971. Inside, visitors will see original items on display that once belonged to the Caldwell and McCullough families. There are also watercolor paintings by English artist Charles H. Cox on display. The home, which is one of the last Greek Revival homes in the city, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

McCulloch House 

Timeline of the May 11th Tornado
<gs id="b12e928b-b271-4bcd-9e39-8f12b1160d34" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="7af0875f-6f72-428f-9d8e-d7b47ea86a3d" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Huaco</gs> Native American legends historically claimed that tornadoes in Waco were virtually impossible. On the morning of May 11th, 1953, amidst broadcasted tornado warnings for Central Texas, life went on normally in the City of Waco. People went to their jobs, school, <gs id="00a2b856-b651-47d1-9bde-837bd93620ae" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="53ce2d47-563b-44d7-92c0-a6b4256fca10" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">etc</gs>, and considered the hot and muggy weather as nothing out of the ordinary.&nbsp;Reports from the National Weather Service, especially of the tornadoes on May 9th and May 10th, went unheeded by Waco locals. Throughout the day, the weather progressively grew worse and a few tornados appeared in other parts of Central Texas.&nbsp;Near 4:30 pm, however, a large and aggressive tornado touched down southwest of Waco. It was moving in a north-northeast direction. The sky had darkened&nbsp;and baseball-sized hail was falling from the sky.&nbsp;
Reports claimed that by 4:36 p.m., the F-5 tornado had become 1/3-mile wide and was producing winds up to 260 miles per hour. At this time, it was also tearing right through the heart of Waco. Eventually, the tornado&nbsp;dissipated a few miles northeast of the city.&nbsp;The only buildings that could survive the 260 mph winds were those with steel frames, and therefore buildings such as the R.T. Dennis building collapsed in the storm (in this case, the building collapse killed 30 people). Personnel from James Connelly Air Force Base, local and state law enforcement, Baylor University students, and many others began rebuilding immediately after, and estimates show that about $51 million in damage transpired.&nbsp;
The Waco tornado is tied with the 1902 Goliad tornado as the deadliest in Texas history, and it is the 11th deadliest in US history.1&nbsp;
Inscription
One of the most disastrous tornadoes in Texas history swept through downtown Waco on the afternoon of May 11, 1953, killing 114 people, destroying 346 buildings and creating property damage in excess of $50 million. Some of the worst devastation occurred at this site, where 32 employees of the R.T. Dennis Furniture Company died when the building collapsed. Aid to the city came in the form of volunteer and military rescue forces and donations totaling over $9 million. The rescue and restoration efforts that followed reflected Waco's strong sense of pride and community spirit.2

The Waco Tornado endures as one of the worst and deadliest tornadoes in recorded Texas history. As the only F5 tornado in a series of 33 tornadoes that broke out over a three-day period in 1953, the May 11th tornado that struck Waco delivered substantial damage, destroying much of the city and killing 114 people (out of the total 144 deaths caused by the 33 tornado outbreak). 

An old Huaco legend claimed that tornadoes could not touch down in Waco, and the bluffs surrounding the Brazos River made tornado touchdown very unlikely. At around 4:30pm on May 11th, an F5 tornado touched down southwest of Waco and began tearing through residential neighborhoods and moving toward the downtown area.

In addition to the deaths, the tornado injured 600 people, destroyed 196 buildings, destroyed 150 homes and damaged 700 more, and damaged or destroyed 2,000 cars. The worst destruction, including 61 dead, occurred on the block between 4th and 5th streets and Austin and Franklin avenues. 

Waco Tornado of 1953

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; May 15, 1916 in Waco, Texas Jesse Washington, a seventeen year old farmhand, confessed to the rape and murder of Lucy Fryer. After the confession to his brutal crime, in an effort to protect him from the townspeople and to lessen the chance of a riot, local sheriff had Jesse Washington transferred to a Dallas county jail while he awaited trial. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The trial lasted one day, and the jury of twelve white men handed down a guilty verdict, accompanied by a death sentence, in less than four minutes. The court's punishment wasn’t swift or harsh enough for the local populace, and courtroom spectators took the matter into their own hands. The courtroom officials attempted to remove Jesse from the room, but the fervor and numbers of the crowd outweighed their efforts. He was dragged out of the back of the courtroom where a mob of over two hundred were waiting. They chained his neck, and forced him to a city hall amphitheater where another zealous mob group had started a bonfire. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Once they arrived the enormous mob threw Jesse Washington to the ground and began pouring coal oil over him. Using the other end of the chain wrapped around his neck they hoisted him by his neck over a tree where members of grotesque crowd cut off fingers, toes, and his genitals as he hung. They refused to throw him into the fire and end his life quickly, but rather raise him up and down into the fire to give him a long, drawn out, and excruciating death above the bonfire. He was described as attempting to climb up the chain, but was unable due to his lack of fingers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After the fire died down some of the more morbid bystanders, including children, collected “souvenirs” such as his teeth, genitalia, links of the chain, and bone. Some to sell and some to keep. During this brutal torture and lynching, merchants sold beverages and food while people sang songs. The amount of witnesses was estimated to be around fifteen thousand, while the numbers of souvenirs later traded and sold growing past fifty thousand. A horrifying series of postcards depicting the murder were also created in commemoration of the grisly spectacle. There was nothing sane, just, or humane about this trial and murder. &nbsp;This was the reality of a community's embrace of white supremacy coupled with the United States government's inability and unwillingness to intervene. The behavior and actions of the mob were reflected as true justice and a rite of passage for the young men. Not a single man was tried or convicted for what occurred that day.

This is the site of the Jesse Washington lynching. Washington had confessed to the rape and murder of Lucy Fryer, a farmer's wife. During his trial he was taken from the courthouse and burned alive while he was hanging from a tree. 

 Waco Texas lynching “Waco Horror” 

History of the Chisholm Trail
In the modern age, interstate shipping of goods and food is an everyday occurrence. Back in the mid-19th century, however, where individual states had greater legislative power before and immediately after the Civil War, shipping goods was much more tedious.&nbsp;For example, one of Texas’s major potential assets in the 1850s and after the Civil War was its <gs id="5687fc64-35eb-4826-96b3-81a5b0b4ccb1" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="5461515f-72ff-4454-b052-5f95459b1fcf" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">longhorns</gs>, and in the Eastern states, beef from Texas cattle was in high demand. Getting the beef to the East often meant traveling through Kansas, but since the 1850s, Kansas and Missouri closed their borders to Texas Cattle because of widespread fear of Texas fever.&nbsp;
In 1864, however, the Scot-Cherokee Jesse Chisholm found himself with many wagon loads of buffalo hides, and he and his cattle drive team had heard that the best market for the hides was in Wichita. Chisholm then blazed a trail up through Fort Worth and into Wichita, leaving deep tracks due to the overloaded wagons.&nbsp;Three years later, in 1867, Kansas&nbsp;officials opened up a small section <gs id="821ffad4-828c-4848-a332-728f5499a1e7" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="aeb547bd-0be6-42a0-bf12-d1fa489fc99f" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">from</gs> the quarantine zone and created a large pen for cattle outside Abilene, Kansas, to hold and transport thousands of longhorns. With the Chisholm Trail already blazed, cattle drivers would then follow the old Shawnee trail from San Antonio to Waco, and then join the Chisholm Trail <gs id="9a875c85-ca9d-42b1-8e44-2ee87c2f4554" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="27ba5b9b-fad4-4ce7-a188-21491b75f879" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">heading</gs> north to Wichita.
Because of this trail, Waco was able to develop economically and socially, and Waco was continually connected with other major Texas cities such as San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, and Dallas. With the cattle drives combined with Waco’s cotton production, the city was able to set itself apart as a significant economic force. Unfortunately, the Chisholm Trail closed&nbsp;in 1885, mostly due to a strict 1885 Kansas quarantine law.1
Creation of the Branding the Brazos Sculpture
Beginning with a donation from local businessman Clifton Robinson and his wife, Betsy Robinson, the Branding the Brazos sculptures pay tribute to <gs id="835a6c58-b09c-4af6-bfd1-60c141156bd4" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="39d86896-1358-4601-ab0c-137d70fa70e7" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Waco’s role</gs> on the Chisholm Trail and the cattle drives from South Texas to Kansas.&nbsp;Acclaimed sculptor Robert Summers was tasked with building the art piece, which consisted of three cowboys on horseback - one white, one Hispanic and one Black - and 25 longhorn cattle. The first pieces were unveiled near the base of the Waco Suspension Bridge in 2008, and the piece wasn’t completed until 2014. In total, the sculptures cost about $1.65 million. Nowadays, however, they serve as a reminder of Waco’s unique position in cattle drives. The sculptures, along with the bridge, remain as a popular tourist spot.2

Situated in Indian Spring Park along the base of the Waco Suspension Bridge, the Branding the Brazos public art sculpture paints a vibrant picture of Waco’s early history. The sculpture, which features three bronze cowboys on horseback and 25 bronze cattle, depicts a Chisholm Trail cattle drive. 

Named after Jesse Chisholm, who in 1864 paved a trail heading north from San Antonio, through Waco, and to a post north of modern-day Wichita, the Chisholm Trail was the main route for cattle and mustangs. In fact, more than five million cattle and one million Mustang horses passed along the trail until it officially closed in 1885, which made the trail one of the greatest migrations of livestock in world history. 

Because of a donation from local businessman Clifton Robinson and his wife, Betsy Robinson, and with the help of sculptor Robert Summers, the Waco Cultural Arts Fest was able to create the Branding the Brazos Sculpture. It now stands as an important piece of cultural heritage for Waco while providing an element of artistic beauty in Indian Spring Park.

Branding the Brazos Sculpture

History of the Waco Suspension Bridge
In the years following the Civil War, Waco community leaders and businessmen were searching for ways to stimulate the local economy and empower the town. Before 1870, cattle drivers traveling between the Texas and Kansas <gs id="a0e64934-0a9a-4d7d-a792-da06decafec8" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="7bdd8de1-8a2d-4c6a-9c8c-efb98ea45cd6" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">railheads</gs> on the Chisholm Trail struggled to cross the wide Brazos River, and the river was stunting Waco’s potential for economic growth.&nbsp;In 1866, Joseph Warren Speight introduced a suspension bridge project aimed at economic stimulation, and that same year, Texas legislature incorporated the Waco Bridge Company, giving them exclusive bridge rights for any traffic crossing the Brazos within five miles of Waco.
The Waco Bridge Project and its president, John T. Flint, hired Thomas M. Griffith of New York to be the project’s civil engineer, and Flint also commissioned cables and <gs id="54ed1fd3-4919-451e-9718-ae36c1f2a6dc" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="80b83ee4-2d98-452d-96fb-516e7c5f9f14" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">steelwork</gs> from John A. Roebling and Son from New York, a firm that would eventually build the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883.1&nbsp;
Supplies for the bridge came from Galveston, Texas, (about 212 miles away), which were then ferried on a steamer to <gs id="f4f4d8e4-a8f8-4a8b-bf63-207d9a249e22" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="451eab4b-15ba-449a-ad78-9d4a41d81608" class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark">Byran</gs> and pulled by ox and wagon to Waco along ill-suited dirt roads. Using nearly 3 million bricks, the Waco Suspension Bridge was completed in 1869, and it opened to the public and collected its first toll in 1870. Although many people spoke harshly against the tolls, the bridge earned about $25,000 annually, and the Waco Bridge Project was able to pay off its loans fairly quickly.&nbsp;
In 1889, McLennan County purchased the bridge, removed all tolls, and sold the bridge to the City of Waco for $1. Waco would then take responsibility for all maintenance of the bridge. The popularity of cars mandated a massive reconstruction project in 1913 and 1914, and by 1971, the Texas historical committee retired the bridge and made it a pedestrian walkway, which is still highly popular today.2&nbsp;

The Waco Suspension Bridge is Waco’s oldest single-span suspension bridge. The bridge is significant because played a central role in the city’s transformation from a Texas frontier village to a major commercial center. Connecting Indian Spring Park and Doris D. Miller Park, the bridge endures as a popular pedestrian walkway and Waco landmark.

Built in 1869 with over 3 million bricks, the bridge spans nearly 475 feet over the Brazos River. Historically, the Brazos River was both a blessing and a curse for the early village. It provided essential resources to the community, but the river’s fast currents and deep waters proved dangerous for cattle drivers. Before the completion of the bridge, cattle drivers and others would have to travel further up the trail and ford the river at shallow points or use the ferry. 

Costing between $135,000 and $141,000 (equivalent to about $2.5 million today), the bridge was the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world at that time. Stagecoaches, cattle drives, and pedestrians frequently traversed the bridge in its early days, and the bridge continued operating until 1971.

The Waco Suspension Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Waco Texas Walking Tour

McLennan County Courthouse

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information