Radisson Hotel Waco

Baylor Ballpark

by ATXtraveler

Baylor has made a major rennovation to the banks of the Brazos River in the past few years, and one of the beautiful reconstructions that has been done is the Baylor BallPark.

The stadium is modelled after the Auburn University Stadium, which is traditionally ranked as the nicest in the country.

Enjoy a box of crackerjacks soon!

McLennan County Courthouse

by ATXtraveler

Inspired by St. Peter's Cathedral, Waco's McLennan County Courthouse really is a must see on a trip through town.

This facility was built in 1901, which throughout all my travels sure was a popular decade to be a courthouse builder!

This actually was the third courthouse built in the span of 50 years in McLennan County as the town expanded.

Waco-Texas

by viajeras2

Founded in 1849 along the Brazos River, Waco is located between Dallas and Austin on Interstate Highway 35. Waco has big city advantages, without big city hassles.

Over 120,000 people call Waco home with over 100,000 more in the surrounding areas.

Waco's Historic Suspension Bridge

In the mid-1800s, Texans began to focus their attention on a future that had been dramatically altered by the devastation and economic upheaval of the Civil War. Settlers were moving west, businesses began to flourish and cattle drives became a common sight.

Civic leaders decided a bridge across the Brazos was needed. It took 2.7 million bricks from Wacoan J.W. Mann and $135,000 to build the 475-foot span, which was finished in January of 1870. It was the first bridge built across the Brazos River.

Upon completion, the Suspension Bridge brought the Texas section of the Chisholm Trail straight through Waco. A year later, the railroad was extended into Waco, and the city became a flourishing trade center. Following the bridge's completion, a toll was charged for each person and each head of cattle. On September 1, 1889 the toll charge was eliminated.

The Suspension Bridge showed its sturdy engineering when, during the devastating 1953 Waco tornado, it held fast. The tornado destroyed much of downtown Waco and killed 114 people.

The historic Suspension Bridge is the centerpiece of present-day Waco and is surrounded by lovely city parks. Indian Spring Park is on the west bank and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park is on the east bank. A beautifully landscaped riverwalk connects the bridge to the Waco Tourist Information Center and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum at Fort Fisher. West of the bridge is the beautiful 416-acre Cameron Park.

"Brazos River"

"Waco Hall"