Timeline of Waco, Texas

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Waco, Texas, US.

19th century

 * 1830 – Hueco village sacked by Cherokees.
 * 1849 – Shapley Ross founds Waco
 * March 1: "First sale of town lots at Waco village."
 * 1850
 * Shapley Ross builds first hotel
 * Shapley Ross becomes first postmaster
 * Brazos River ferry begins operating.
 * Waco becomes seat of newly established McLennan County, Texas.
 * 1851 – Population: 152.
 * 1852 – First Street Cemetery established (approximate date).
 * 1854 – Waco Era newspaper begins publication.
 * 1856 – Town of Waco incorporated.
 * 1858 – Southern Democrat newspaper begins publication.
 * 1861 – Waco University founded.
 * 1865 – Waco Examiner newspaper begins publication.
 * 1866 – New Hope Baptist Church established.
 * 1870
 * Waco Suspension Bridge opens.
 * Waco Tap Railroad begins operating.
 * Population: 3,008.
 * 1871 – First Presbyterian Church built.
 * 1872 – Waco and Northwestern Railroad begins operating.
 * 1873
 * Fletcher Cemetery established.
 * Sanger Brothers shop in business.
 * 1877 – Paul Quinn College relocated to Waco from Austin.
 * 1878 – Oakwood Cemetery established.
 * 1879 – St. Paul's Episcopal Church rebuilt.
 * 1880 – Population: 7,295.
 * 1881 – Rodeph Sholom Synagogue dedicated.
 * 1884
 * Garland Opera House in business.
 * McClelland Opera House in business (approximate date).
 * 1885
 * Slayden-Kirksey Woolen Mill in business.
 * Baylor University relocated to Waco from Independence.
 * Flavored beverage "Dr. Pepper first mixed at Old Corner Drug in Waco."
 * 1889 – "Hot artesian water...discovered beneath the city."
 * 1890
 * C.C. McCulloch elected mayor.
 * Population: 14,445.
 * 1892 – Geyser Ice Company in business.
 * 1894 – Cotton Palace Exposition begins.
 * 1895
 * AddRan College relocated to Waco from Thorp Spring.
 * Floral Society formed.
 * 1897 – Waco Times-Herald newspaper in publication.
 * 1898 – April 1: "Brann-Davis shooting."
 * 1899 – Public library established.
 * 1900 – Population: 20,686.

20th century

 * 1901 – McLennan County Courthouse built.
 * 1906 – Dr. Pepper bottling plant built.
 * 1910 – Brazos Valley Cotton Oil mill in business.
 * 1911
 * Amicable Life Insurance Co. building constructed.
 * Farmers' Improvement Bank founded.
 * Rex Theatre in business.
 * 1912 – Raleigh Hotel built.
 * 1914
 * Hippodrome Theatre opens.
 * Kestner's store in business.
 * 1916 – May 15: Lynching of Jesse Washington.
 * 1919 – Elite Cafe in business.
 * 1920 – Population: 38,500.
 * 1922 – WACO radio begins broadcasting.
 * 1923 – July 30: Execution of Roy Mitchell.
 * 1929 – Alamo Plaza Motor Hotel chain in business.
 * 1930 – Population: 52,848.
 * 1931 – St. Francis Catholic Church built.
 * 1936 – September: Flood.
 * 1937 – Blue Triangle Young Women's Christian Association formed.
 * 1945 – U.S. Veterans Administration Medical Center built.
 * 1950 – Population: 84,706.
 * 1953 – May: 1953 Waco tornado outbreak.
 * 1955
 * KWTX-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
 * Cameron Park Zoo established.
 * 1964 – Urban renewal project begins.
 * 1965 – Flood control dam built on Brazos River basin.
 * 1967 – Historic Waco Foundation established.
 * 1974 – Oscar De Conge becomes mayor.
 * 1980 – Population: 101,261.
 * 1982 – July: 1982 Lake Waco murders.
 * 1993 – February 28 – April 19: Siege of religious Mount Carmel Center near Waco.

21st century

 * 2010 – Population: city 124,805; megaregion 19,728,244.
 * 2012 – Malcolm P. Duncan Jr. becomes mayor.
 * 2015 – May 17: 2015 Waco shootout.
 * 2016 – Kyle Deaver becomes mayor.

published in 20th c.

 * circa 1926? (fulltext)
 * + chronology
 * Roger N. Conger. Highlights of Waco History. Waco: Hill Printing and Stationery Co, 1945.
 * (fulltext)
 * + chronology
 * Roger N. Conger. Highlights of Waco History. Waco: Hill Printing and Stationery Co, 1945.
 * (fulltext)
 * (fulltext)
 * (fulltext)
 * (fulltext)

published in 21st c.

 * (bibliography)
 * (fulltext)