Waco, Texas A Postcard Journey

By Agnes Warren Barnes

From the 1890s through the 1920s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced during this golden age can today be considered works of art. Postcard photographers traveled the length and breadth of the nation snapping photographs of busy
street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of local townspeople only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in America s history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Oct 27, 1999
• ISBN: 9781439627235

Agnes Warren Barnes

This fascinating new history of Waco, Texas, showcases more than two hundred of the best vintage postcards available. Collected and interpreted by Agnes Warren Barnes, the images in this informative volume provide readers with a delightful trip down memory lane, bringing an important period of the area�s history to life for visitors and members of the younger generation.

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INTRODUCTION

Waco Remembered is composed of postcards, both old and new, from my personal collection. My interest in postcard collecting began with my mother Agnes Warren’s postcards, saved throughout her life, and with the cards I received from Dr. Hallie Earle, the first female doctor in McLennan County. I thought it fitting for this book to be published during the sesquicentennial celebration of the founding of Waco. Although this is not a history text, some mention of Waco history must be made in order to place these cards in the proper light.

Waco was the original site of the Waco, or Hueco Indians. The Texas Rangers arrived in 1837, and they were the first white settlers in the area. They located a camp on the banks of the Brazos River and called the temporary site Fort Fisher. Three weeks later, the Rangers were directed to move further south, since there were no settlers to protect along this portion of the Brazos River.

In Texas, counties were laid out such that all residents of the county could reach the county seat with only one day’s horseback ride. Settled in 1849, Waco Village was officially designated as the county seat of McLennan County the following year. In 1857 Waco Village was incorporated, thus becoming the town of Waco. The decade of 1850 saw the population of the county increase from a few hundred to more than 6,000. Most of these early settlers were educated Southerners who shared the same religious faith. Waco has been called the Buckle of the Bible Belt, due, in no small part, to the strong beliefs of these first settlers.

The blackland prairies, near the Brazos River, were well suited to producing cotton. Before and after the Civil War, cotton was the primary crop in central Texas. In 1861, Texas seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy with fifteen hundred men from McLennan County answering the call to duty, including six general officers. During the war, the North’s blockade of the Texas coast kept regular cotton shipments from leaving the state.

In addition to being near the center of the state and on the Chisholm Trail, Waco’s new railroads and suspension bridge earned it the new title of Hub City. With large numbers of cattle and cowboys, the name Six Shooter Junction came into use. The excellence and number of schools provided Waco with a different title, The Athens of Texas. At the turn of the century, the city was advertised as Geyser City because of the free-flowing hot artesian water-wells.

With the cattle herds coming through Waco, and the railroads crossing the Brazos, the need for overnight establishments came early. Unpaved curb-less streets with hitching posts gave way to streetcars, brick pavement, and sidewalks. Street lights, automobiles, and traffic lights soon followed.

Completed in 1911, the Amicable Building is still the tallest building in Waco. Fred Gildersleeve photographed the project regularly during the 12-month construction process. Mr. Gildersleeve came to Waco as a young man in 1905, and for the next 53 years photographed the events taking place in and around the city. Gildy, as he was known, took literally thousands of photographs of life in central Texas. Many of these were published as postcards, some of which I have included in this book.

During World War I, Waco was the site of Camp MacArthur, an army training camp. Shortly after the United States entered the war, Rich Field officially came into being. After the war, it served as the Waco airport. In 1942, the government built a second Army Air-Corps facility, named Blackland Army Airfield. In 1945, when Blackland was inactivated, 1,300 acres and 12,000 feet of runway reverted to the city of Waco. Later, this became the Waco Municipal Airport.

On May 11, 1953, a tornado destroyed 150 homes and 196 other buildings. 700 homes were damaged, and 376 other buildings were rendered unsafe. One hundred fourteen people lost their lives. With so much destruction in the downtown area, businesses and people began moving out to the western part of Waco. Today, the city continues to grow in that direction.

Historic Waco Foundation, a non profit organization dedicated to the preservation of many of Waco’s early homes, has four homes on the National Register of Historic Places. Twice a year, Historic Waco Foundation has events highlighting the historic homes. The last weekend in April, the Brazos River Festival is held at Fort Fisher, with daily tours of all five historic homes. Centered around an arts and crafts show, the event has live music, many kinds of food, and activities for all ages. An event called Holidays on the Brazos is held the first weekend in December when the homes are dressed up with seasonal decorations. A bazaar is held in conjunction with the tour of the homes. These tours, along with a trip through the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame at Fort Fisher, and other fine museums, make Waco a good place to spend some vacation time.

To those of you who are long-time residents: I hope you enjoy my postcards and that they stir up memories of long-forgotten events. To visitors and newcomers: I hope the images make you want to stay and learn more about Waco.

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CROSSING THE BRAZOS

TEXAS LONGHORN. In times of high water, it was impossible to get cattle across the Brazos River on their way to market in Kansas. There was great need for a bridge in Waco; in 1870, the Suspension Bridge was opened, bringing cattle,