# Timeline of Waco, Texas

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

## 19th century

Part of a series on the :
History of Texas :
Timeline :
| Pre-Columbian Texas | |
| Early Spanish explorations | 1519–1543 |
| French Texas | 1684–1689 |
| Spanish Texas | 1690–1821 |
| Mexican Texas | 1821–1836 |
| Republic of Texas | 1836–1845 |
| Statehood | 1845–1860 |
| Civil War Era | 1861–1865 |
| Reconstruction | 1865–1899 |
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* 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.
* 1983 – :Richard Grandy co-founded Easy Gardener Products, Inc.
* 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.