History
Liberty Grove Cemetery
LIBERTY GROVE WAS A LOOSE-KNIT FARMING COMMUNITY LOCATED IN THE EXTREME NORTHEASTERN CORNER OF McLENNAN COUNTY. IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, A MASONIC LODGE AND SCHOOL MARKED THE CENTER OF THE SCATTERED SETTLEMENT. LIBERTY GROVE CEMETERY IS LOCATED ON THE COUNTY LINE ROAD THAT DIVIDES McLENNAN AND HILL COUNTIES. THE FIRST MARKED GRAVE AT THE BURIAL SITE IS THAT OF MARY BURTON, WHO DIED IN 1850. U. S.
History
Lone Oak Cemetery
This community burial ground originally served the pioneer settlers of the surrounding area. Trustees of the Lone Oak School purchased the site in 1880 from A.C. Neil and L.M. Cravens. Although set aside for a church and school, it was used as a cemetery by September 1881 when the infant son of J.C. and S.D. Goodman was buried here.
History
Lorena Cemetery
The original two-acre tract of this burial ground was set aside for the pioneer settlers of the area by Daniel Aerl, who is interred here. The establishment of the cemetery on December 12, 1881, was in conjunction with the sale of sixty acres of land to financier Gen. Grenville M. Dodge.
History
Lorena United Methodist Church
This church was organized in 1881 under the Rev. E.R. Barcus as pastor. The congregation met at first in the Baptist Church building. Trustees Herbert J. Hudson, A.J. Pool, and H.C. Williams bought the site and supervised the construction of the sanctuary in 1886. It owes its distinctive architecture to plans that came form the home church of trustee Hudson, a native of Cambridge, England.
History
Louis Moore
(May25, 1817-May 13, 1894) Missouri native Louise Moore moved from Arkansas to Texas about 1834. He received a Mexican land grant and enlisted in the Texas Army in April 1836. He was among the troops who guarded baggage at Harrisburg during the battle of San Jacinto and later served with the Texas Ranger Company which established Fort Fisher. Twice married, he was the father of nine children.
History
Lusk House
This house was built in 1866 by Capt. R.W. Lusk. In 1885, his widow, Margaret Henry Lusk, married her brother-in-law, Dr. W. R. Clifton, a pioneer Waco businessman, who lived here until 1925, when the property was purchased by the Franciscan Fathers for a monastery.
History
Martin Irons
A native of Scotland, Martin Irons (1833-1900) came to the United States at the age of fourteen as a machinist's apprentice. After learning the trade,he lived and worked in numerous places throughout the country. By 1884,he was employed as a machinist in the Missouri Pacific Railway shop in Sedalia, Missouri.
History
McGregor
On September 7, 1882, lots in the town of McGregor Springs were sold at public auction. The event had been advertised statewide by the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad and the Texas and St. Louis Railway. The community was named for Dr. Gregor Carmichael McGregor (1824-1902), a pioneer Texas physician who later became a prominent Waco businessman.
Architecture
McLennan County Courthouse
Seat of Justice for county organized in 1850 by founders of Waco, to give the young city added strength. Ironically, until the early 20th century, county oustripped city in prosperity. This courthouse (the county's fourth) was built during peak of central Texas cotton wealth. The renaissance revival design by J.
History
McLennan County Medical Society
On April 30, 1866, ten Waco physicians met to organize the Waco Medical Association with the primary objectives of sharing medical knowledge and promoting public health improvement. Two of these physicians, Dr. David R. Wallace and Dr. John H.
History
Moody
The town of Moody can trace its history ot the pre-civil war settlement of Perry (2 mi. N). In 1881, the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad bypassed Perry, and a new town was platted on the land of early settler William Naler. Col. W.L. Moody of Galveston who supervised the laying of track in the area, named the town in honor of his family.
History
Moore Cemetery
LAND WAS BEING SURVEYED IN THE CHALK BLUFF COMMUNITY IN THE 1830s, THOUGH PERMANENT SETTLEMENT DATES TO THE 1850s. MISSOURI NATIVE LOUIS MOORE MOVED FROM ARKANSAS TO TEXAS ABOUT 1834, AND RECEIVED TITLE TO ONE-FOURTH OF A LEAGUE ON THE EAST BANK OF THE BRAZOS RIVER ABOVE THE WACO VILLAGE ON AUGUST 20, 1835. JOHN MOORE, SON OF LOUIS AND ELIZABETH MOORE, DIED IN 1858.
History
Oakwood Cemetery
Before Oakwood Cemetery was established here in 1878, this tract of land contained a fairgrounds and race track. The 157-acre burial ground is successor to First Street Cemetery, oldest important cemetery in Waco. Many bodies from early graveyards were moved here in 1878 and later because of the better maintenance of these grounds.
History
Old Harrison
Named for Confederate General James E. Harrison, kinsman of U.S. president Wm. Henry Harrison and close friend of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Born in South Carolina. Early settler, political leader and landowner in McLennan and Falls counties. Member of the Texas seccession convention. As an adopted son of Chickasaw Indian Tribe, headed special Civil War missions in Indian Territory.
History
Old Perry Cemetery
This cemetery was established to serve the pioneer settlers of the Perry community. The first burial her was that of Jane Leach,a schoolteacher who died in 1854. Perry was the site of several stores, a gin, school, union church, and a post office. Following a destructive 1873 storm, the residents moved to the townsite of New Perry (2 mi E).
History
Paul Quinn College
Texas' Oldest Liberal Arts College for Negroes. Originally Connectional High School and Institute for Negro Youth; opened in Austin, April 4, 1872,by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, under Bishop J.M. Brown (1817-1893), who served 1872-1876 as president. Founders were Bishop R. H. Cain, the Revs. J.H. Armstrong, W.R. Carson, J.V. Goins, Abraham Grant, William Leake, and Henry Wilhite.
History
Prairie Chapel School
Local records indicate that the Prairie Chapel rural school district was established in 1884, and in 1885 McLennan County commissioners appointed J. P. Riley, E. D. Parr, and C. Petall as school trustees. Prairie Chapel was one of 43 McLennan County school districts whose boundaries were established at that time.
Nature
Proctor Springs
One of numerous watering sites used by frontiersmen; a picnic spot for early Waco. Deeded on May 24, 1910, by Mrs. William (Flora B.) Cameron and family to city of Waco as original grant for William Cameron Park--named in honor of the deceased (1899) civic leader and businessman. The original 125-acre park was increased to 500 acres in 1920.
History
Providence Sanitarium
Finding local medical facilities lacking in 1901, Dr. James W. Hale of Waco took an ailing patient to the Touro Infirmary of New Orleans. Upon his return, he enlisted the help of Waco's Business Men's Club, forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce, to begin efforts to build a local hospital. The men's group called on the Daughters of Charity of St.
History
R. E. B. Baylor
(Front) Robert Emmett Bledsoe Baylor 1791-1873. Founder of Baylor University under the Republic of Texas 1845, donor of the first thousand dollars to the institution; president of the first board of trustees. Professor in the first law faculty. He exemplified in his life the motto of Baylor University "Pro Ecclesia Pro Texana." (Right) CONSTRUCTIVE STATESMAN-JUDGE BAYLOR.
History
Riesel
Fertile soil, good water,and available rial transportation attracted cotton farmers to this area after the Civil War. They were soon joined by German settlers from Washington County led by the Rev. Friedrick Von Schleumbach. A nearby postal station known as Roddy first served the area, but a town developed here following construction of a cotton gin by William Henry Riesel in 1890.
History
Robertson
The only father-son generals in the Civil War, except for Robert E. Lee and his son, are buried 1 block south. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson, Commander of Hood's Texas Brigade, Nov. 1862 to Jan. 1864, died in Waco Jan. 7, 1890. His son, Gen. Felix H. Robertson, Army of Tenn., died in Waco on April 20, 1928. (1965)
History
Ross
This community has historic ties to the settlement of White Rock (1 mi. W), one of the earliest in McLennan County. When the rail terminus was established here in 1873, bypassing White Rock, residents moved to the new town that developed.
Architecture
Rotan-Dosset House
A native of Tennessee and a Confederate veteran, Edward Rotan (1844-1932) came to Waco in 1867. He became a successful merchant and banker and a civic leader. In 1889-91 he built this house with large halls, wide porches, stained glass, and ornate woodwork. Its combination of architectural styles is unusual for Texas. In 1917 Rotan sold the residence to A. J.
History
Saint Mary's Cemetery
Early Catholic settlers in northern McLennan County worshipped at St. Martin's Church in Tours, five miles southeast of present West. After more immigrant Catholic families of Czech, Moravian, Slovak, and German origin moved to the area in the late 19th century, a new parish was established in west. St.
Elsewhere in Texas
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