| « Previous | Home | Next » | Permalink | Leave a Comment (0) |
 July 23, 2008 | McLennan County Courthouse Texas County Courthouse Project #20: McLennan County (Waco, Texas) Late in the 1700’s a band of Wichita Indians known as the Waco (also spelled Hueco) settled on the Brazos River in present day McLennan County. The Waco cultivated about 400 acres of land and their settlement became known as Waco Village. The Waco lived here until 1830 when Cherokee Indians drove them out. Because of the threat of Indians, permanent Anglo settlement did not happen until after the annexation of Texas into the United States. Austrian born George B. Erath, veteran of San Jacinto and Texas Ranger who had been stationed here at Fort Fisher in 1837, suggested to land agent Jacob De Cordova to place a townsite at the old Indian settlement and to call it Waco Village. McLennan County was established in 1850 and is named for early settler Neill McLennan. McLennan was born in Scotland in 1787 and moved to the United States with his family in 1801. In 1835 the McLennan family received a land grant in Robertson’s Colony where they settled. Later that year, however, Neill’s mother and brother were killed and his brother’s wife and their three young sons were captured by Indians. One of the boys was returned to his family ten years later, the rest were never seen again. His other brother John was killed by Indians in 1838. In 1839 McLennan joined George Erath on a surveying trip to Waco Village where he moved his family and made a home until his death in 1867. In 1845, Baylor University (the oldest institution of higher learning in Texas) was founded in Independence, Texas. In 1886, Baylor moved to Waco and merged with Waco University. In 1885, pharmacist Charles Alderton invented a soft drink while working at Wade Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco. The popular drink became known as a “Waco” to locals. The formula was perfected by Morrison and he named it Dr Pepper. Completed in 1902, the courthouse was designed by J. Reily Gordon. It is easily the most impressive courthouse I've seen so far. 
|
|
www.flickr.com
|
 |  |  |  |  |  |
www.flickr.com
This is a Flickr badge showing public photos and videos from MickWatson. Make your own badge here.
© 2005-08 mw