A History of Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas, sits on the Brazos River and has long been a crossroads — of people, ideas, and events that have shaped both the state and the nation. Its history spans Indigenous civilizations, frontier settlement, industrial growth, tragedy, and cultural renewal.
Indigenous Roots and Early Settlement
Long before European settlers arrived, the Waco area was home to Indigenous people. The Waco (or Hueco) tribe, a branch of the Wichita people, lived along the Brazos River. They built villages, practiced agriculture, and traded across the region. Spanish explorers encountered the Waco tribe in the 1700s, and their name would later be adopted for the city.
By the early 1800s, white settlers began pushing into Central Texas, displacing native populations through force and treaties. In 1837, Fort Fisher was established on the site of present-day Waco to protect settlers from Native American resistance. Though the fort didn’t last long, it marked the start of a permanent Anglo presence in the area.
Founding and Growth (1849–1900)
In 1849, a man named George B. Erath, a Texas Ranger and surveyor, officially laid out the town of Waco Village near the site of the old Waco Indian settlement. Its location was strategic: near a river crossing and on a trade route between Dallas and Austin.
Waco grew quickly. It became the seat of McLennan County in 1850. By the 1860s, it was a regional hub with a thriving cotton industry. The Waco Suspension Bridge, completed in 1870, was the first bridge across the Brazos and one of the first in Texas. Built with cables from the same company that later supplied the Brooklyn Bridge, it helped make Waco a commercial center.
Railroads arrived in the 1870s, accelerating growth. The cotton industry boomed, and Waco became known as the “Athens of Texas” for its education and culture. In 1881, Baylor University moved from Independence to Waco, cementing the city’s role as an educational hub.
Twentieth-Century Challenges and Change
By the early 1900s, Waco was a lively city of over 20,000 people, with theaters, churches, and modern infrastructure. However, it was not immune to the racial violence common in the Jim Crow South. One of the most notorious events in Waco’s history occurred in 1916, when a Black teenager named Jesse Washington was lynched in front of thousands at the courthouse square. The brutal murder drew national outrage and remains a painful chapter in the city’s history.
The 20th century brought both growth and hardship. Waco was hit hard by the Great Depression, but recovered through New Deal programs and World War II-era economic activity. The establishment of Rich Field (a military flight training school) and later James Connally Air Force Base brought federal dollars and population growth.
Waco also had its share of natural disasters. On May 11, 1953, a deadly F5 tornado tore through downtown Waco, killing 114 people and injuring hundreds. It remains one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history and devastated the city center.
Civil Rights and Modernization
Waco, like many Southern cities, went through a slow and sometimes painful process of integration during the Civil Rights Movement. In the 1950s and ’60s, African American leaders and students from Paul Quinn College (a historically Black college originally founded in Austin and later moved to Waco) were active in pushing for desegregation and equal rights.
The 1970s and ’80s were a period of urban decline. Downtown emptied out as retail and development moved to the suburbs. Connally Air Force Base closed in 1965, dealing another economic blow. But Waco continued to grow slowly, and its universities — Baylor, McLennan Community College, and Texas State Technical College — remained key to the local economy.
The Branch Davidian Siege (1993)
In 1993, Waco became a national and international headline due to a 51-day standoff between federal agents and the Branch Davidians, a religious sect led by David Koresh. The group lived at a compound called Mount Carmel, about 10 miles east of Waco. The siege began when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) attempted to serve a warrant related to illegal weapons. A shootout killed four agents and six Branch Davidians.
The FBI took over the standoff, which dragged on for weeks. On April 19, the FBI launched an assault involving tear gas and armored vehicles. The compound caught fire, and 76 people, including Koresh, died. The event sparked national controversy and became a rallying point for anti-government and militia groups.
Although Mount Carmel was outside the city limits, Waco’s name became forever tied to the tragedy, impacting its image for years.
Cultural Revival and the Magnolia Effect
In the 2000s, Waco began a quiet revival. Baylor University expanded and invested heavily in its campus and athletic facilities, including McLane Stadium, completed in 2014 along the Brazos River.
The biggest transformation came unexpectedly — through reality TV. In 2013, the HGTV show Fixer Upper, starring Chip and Joanna Gaines, debuted. The couple’s renovation business and charming on-screen presence made them household names and turned Waco into a tourist destination.
Their Magnolia brand includes the Magnolia Market at the Silos, Magnolia Table (a popular restaurant), and other retail and hospitality ventures. The Gaines' success sparked a surge in local business, boutique hotels, and redevelopment in downtown Waco. Tens of thousands of visitors now come each year to see the Silos and tour homes featured on the show.
Waco Today
Waco’s population is now over 140,000. It is a diverse, growing city that balances tradition with reinvention. Baylor University remains a major force in education and sports, particularly its football and basketball programs. The city’s economy has diversified, with health care, education, manufacturing, and tourism leading the way.
Waco continues to reckon with its past. The Jesse Washington lynching is commemorated by a historical marker and public conversations about racial justice. The city has made efforts to invest in historically Black neighborhoods and celebrate underrepresented histories.
Despite past challenges, Waco is no longer just a place known for tragedy. It has become a case study in how a mid-sized American city can reinvent itself through culture, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.