Wild and Crazy about Waco
- Cheré Dastugue Coen
- Jul 9
- 5 min read
The central Texas town has a few things to brag about.
We love to discover the South's weird and unusual — hence the blog name — and Waco doesn't disappoint. This central Texas town not only brags of some things being bigger (it's Texas, after all) but a few firsts and lots of the unique.
For instance, Baylor University in Waco is the largest Baptist college in the world. We were told that one of its buildings, the Baylor Sciences Building, is the largest collegiate building as well with its multiple research and service facilities, six academic departments—such as physics and chemistry—and more than a dozen interdisciplinary centers, according to the college website. There's more than 150 labs and almost 40 class and conference rooms inside those walls.
Just outside the city limits is the Waco Mammoth National Monument where evidence of Columbian Mammoths once lived. You can view these fossils that lived during the Pleistocene Epoch, about 2.5 million years to 10,000 years ago, along with other giant animals. The Columbian Mammoth may not be the biggest animal that once roamed the earth but it's pretty darn big, clocking in at 14 feet high, about four feet higher than a wooly mammoth.
Waco has another largest to brag about, the biggest Lone Ranger memorabilia collection in the United States at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.
Philanthropist and author Madison Cooper wrote "Sironia, Texas" which, at 1,731 pages, is thought to be one of the longest novel published.
As for big tastes, Waco pharmacist Charles Alderton first concocted his winning formula for Texas’ soda drink favorite, Dr Pepper, in 1885 at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco. Locals loved his special mixture and ordered the drink by asking Alderton to “shoot them a Waco.”
Dr Pepper was officially introduced to the rest of America at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, along with the first hamburger buns, hotdog buns, and ice cream cones. Visitors can learn more about this American drink at the Dr Pepper Museum. Just be sure to order a Dr. Pepper float with Blue Bell ice cream at the old fashioned ice cream counter.
A couple more unique things about the Dr Pepper Museum—the invention of Dr Pepper at the Old Corner Drug Store in Waco in 1885 preceded the invention of Coca-Cola by one year. Oh, and yes the building's haunted.
And then there's shopping!
Head to the massive silos and surrounding buildings and grounds in Waco to learn all about Chip and Joanna Gaines, host of the popular HGTV show, “Fixer Upper.” There are so many wonderful things to eat at restaurants and food trucks , lots of merch to bring home, a Wiffle ball court and gardens filled with all kinds of flowers and edible plants at the couple's retail mecca called Magnolia, among so much more. You'll want to carve out lots of time to explore this compound.
Another great place to shop and enjoy lunch is the Homestead Heritage Traditional Crafts Village, a 420-acre faith-based community that raises wholesome foods and animals and produces crafts the old-fashioned way. Visitors can watch blacksmiths, weavers, potters and others at work, and purchase these beautiful creations in the Homestead shops.
One of the Homestead Heritage's largest events each year is the Homestead Fair, to be held Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2025. The annual event includes craft demonstrations, agricultural exhibits, music, children’s events and more.
39 Fun Facts about Waco
The name Waco has been spelled at least 32 different ways, including Wacco, Wachos, Huaco, Hueco, Wacoah, Honechas, Houchas, Quchaco, Quaineo, Quintico, Wacha, Wacoes, Waecoe, Waeko, Wiko, Weko, and Weeco.
There is no truth to the rumor that Dr Pepper soft drink is made with prune juice.
Darwin the gorilla, a giant statue on Austin Avenue, sports new outfits throughout the year to honor special holidays and events.
“The Waco Door” sculpture by famous Wacoan Robert Wilson weighs more than six tons. It provides the perfect gateway to the sculpture walk at Art Center Waco.
Telephus Telemachus Louis Augustus Albertus Johnson, who died in Waco in 1875, was originally buried in historic First Street Cemetery. His remains were later reinterred in Oakwood Cemetery, which laid to rest the myth that he was buried sitting at a poker table with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a six-shooter in the other.
In 1879, Waco became the first town in Texas and the second in the United States (after Omaha, Neb.) to legalize prostitution. The Reservation, as the vice district was known, extended from Washington Avenue to Jefferson Avenue, and from the Brazos River to Second Street. It was closed in 1917 during World War I, when the U.S. Army agreed to locate Camp MacArthur in Waco on the condition that prostitution be outlawed.
William L. Prather of Waco, president of the University of Texas (UT) in 1900, often admonished his students that “the eyes of Texas are upon you.” Inspired by these words, student John Long Sinclair wrote lyrics to the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” that eventually became the school song for UT. The song was first sung on May 16, 1903.
Waco is one of only two cities in the country that has a radio station whose call letters spell out the name of the city.
The Chisholm Trail, leading to Wichita, Kansas, and the Shawnee Trail, leading to Abilene, both crossed the Brazos River on the Waco Suspension Bridge. By 1871, between 600,000 and 700,000 steers had passed over the bridge, and the cattle drives continued until 1885 when the trail closed.
Waco was the same size as Dallas in 1870 and the same size as Austin in 1880.
Seventy-five percent of the world’s Snickers Bars are made in Waco.
Waco is the birthplace of more Texas governors than any other city. Governors born here include Richard Coke, Sul Ross, Pat Neff, and Ann Richards.
William Cowper Brann (1855-1898) was the brilliant, vitriolic writer and publisher of the "Iconoclast," a monthly newsletter with a national circulation. Brann called his publication “a journal of personal protest” and “a literary Gatling gun.” Brann was killed in a duel with Tom Davis in downtown Waco and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery. A bullet hole mars his tombstone, on which his name does not appear. In fact, the only word on the stone is “TRUTH.”
Waco artist Kermit Oliver is the only U.S. artist to design for Hermès in Paris
10 Famous Wacoans
Wild and crazy comedian, musician and author Steve Martin.
Peri Gilpin, who played Roz on the sitcom "Frazier."
Hollywood costume designer Travis Banton, who designed costumes for 118 movies from the 1940s through the 1960s, including "Cleopatra," "The Mark of Zorro" and "Lover Come Back."
Musicians Jules Bledsoe, who made “Ol’ Man River” famous with his rendition in "Show Boat;" Pat Green, a country singer who has had many Grammy nominations along with a Billboard top five single; and pop and TV star Jessica Simpson.
Actresses Jennifer Love Hewitt, who played in movies such as "House Arrest" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer;" and Shannon Elizabeth who starred in "American Pie," "Scary Movie" and "13 Ghosts."
New York Times syndicated columnist T. Berry Brazelton.
