DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm just the one drivin' you through it. Now, keep your eyes open as we roll through Waco, because somewhere right around here — within sight of this very spot — on March 1, 1849, the first sale of town lots took place at Waco Village, the former home of the Waco Indians. One day, open land.
The next, a town on the auction block. That's how fast Texas moved. The first settler was a man named Shapley P.
Ross, who started the Brazos Ferry in 1850. Same year, McLennan County was created — named for Neil McLennan, a pioneer Scot whose cabin on the South Bosque River had become the first Anglo-American home in the area, back in 1845. One man's cabin.
One river crossing. And then, like a rock dropped in still water, everything rippled outward from there. Waco grew steadily — a center of trade, education, and industry for the rich farm and ranch country surrounding it.
But the real turning points came hard and fast. First, the completion of the Brazos River Bridge in 1870. Then, just two years later, the first railroad rolled in, in 1872, and the city set off down the road to industrial expansion.
By the turn of the century, Waco had climbed to become one of Texas' major inland cotton exporters. That's not a small thing — that's the kind of standing that puts a city on the map in ink that don't wash off easy. Now, governors.
Three Texas governors have resided right here in Waco: Richard Coke, who served from 1874 to 1876; Sul Ross, from 1887 to 1891; and Pat M. Neff, from 1921 to 1925. Three governors in one city — Waco wasn't just watching Texas history unfold, it was producing the men who made it.
The city built its reputation for education too. Baylor University moved to Waco in 1886. Texas Christian University was located here from 1896 to 1910.
And then the wars came, and Waco answered. Military training ran here from 1917 to 1918, and again from 1941 all the way to 1966. Camp McArthur, aviation schools at Rich Field, Blackland, Waco Army Air Field, and Connally Air Force Base — names that carried the word "Waco" to faraway places, carried by men and women who trained here and shipped out to the wider world.
That's a long stretch of service, and it left a mark on the city as surely as the city left a mark on them. And then, to close the circle — flood control dams on the Brazos Basin, built between 1954 and 1965, secured the area's future water supply and opened up whole stretches of land for development across metropolitan Waco. A town lot sold in 1849.
A ferry on the Brazos in 1850. Bridges, railroads, cotton, governors, soldiers, universities — and dams holding back the river that started it all. Not bad for a spot within sight of right here.
What the marker says
Within sight of this spot March 1, 1849, occurred the first sale of town lots at Waco Village, former home of Waco Indians. Shapley P. Ross, first settler, started Brazos Ferry in 1850. McLennan County was created same year, named for Neil McLennan, pioneer Scot whose cabin on the South Bosque River became first Anglo-American home in the area (1845). Waco, county seat, grew steadily as a center of trade, education, and industry for rich farm and ranch area. Completion of first Brazos River Bridge, 1870, and coming of first railroad, 1872, set city on the road to industrial expansion. At the turn of the century, Waco was one of Texas' major inland cotton exporters. Three Texas Governors have resided in the city: Richard Coke (1874-1876), Sul Ross (1887-1891), and Pat M. Neff (1921-1925). Baylor University moved to Waco, 1886, and Texas Christian University was located here 1896-1910. Military training (1917-1918 and 1941-1966) made Waco famous in faraway places. Camp McArthur and aviation schools at Rich Field, Blackland, Waco Army Air Field, and Connally Air Force Base have been located here. Flood control dams on Brazos Basin (built 1954-1965) assure future water supply of the area and have opened much land for development in metropolitan Waco.