Central Texas Timeline

 
Texas & US Events   Central Texas Events
  1825
Wacos (Wacoes/Hueco) Indians are living in Waco Village in present day McLennan County.
McLennan County was part of the colonization grant obtained by Robert Leftwich from the Mexican government
 
1826
 
  1827  
  1828  
  1829 In April, Waco Village, which is occupied by Wacos Indians, is attacked by Cherokees Indians. Tehuacana Indians arrive to reinforce the Wacos and the Cherokees retreat.   
  1830  
  1831  
  1832 T.J. Chambers two league survey upon which Waco is built was the first land grant.
  1833  
  1834  
Texas Revolution begins - Battle of Gonzales in October
1835 Boyd House is built 4 miles "below" Waco, the first house in McLennan County.  Rangers occupy it. In August, war comes with the Indians.  In late 1835 a few colony hunters enter the county.
The Alamo falls on March 6th;
Battle of San Jacinto April 21st
1836  
  1837 Fort Fisher, a Texas Ranger outpost for 38 Rangers, was established and abandoned within months. George B. Erath is one of the Texas Rangers.  Buffalo are roaming all over the county. 
 
1838
 
  1839  
  1840  
  1841  
  1842  
  1843  
  1844 George Barnard began operating Torrey's Trading Post No. 2 on a small tributary of Tehuacana creek. (eight miles south of Waco). Between 1844-1853 Barnard handles 75,000 deer hides.   Buffalo and Black bear are abundant within the county. 
  1845 Neil McLennan moved onto land on the South Bosque River. 
  1846 A log smithy was erected at the present site of East Waco by Jesse Sutton, a blacksmith. 
  1847  
  1848 Jacob De Cordova, a land agent, and his surveyor, George B. Erath arrive and Erath urges that old Waco Indian Village be the site of the new townsite.
  1849 March 1st, George B. Erath laid out the first block of the new town Waco & divided it into numbered lots. 
  1850 Brazos River ferry begins operations;  Waco becomes seat of the newly established McLennan County, Texas and the first courthouse is built towards the end of the year. Bosqueville establishes a cemetery. The first church in Waco is established in a log cabin on the banks of the Brazos River. The church was built by the Methodists under the leadership of itinerate Methodist preacher Rev. Sam Snead. The "Log Cabin Church" eventually became what is now known as First Methodist Church of Waco.
  1851  
  1852
Kate Ross (daughter of Captain Shapley P. Ross) is first white child born in Waco Village;
First Street Cemetery is established (approximate date).
Bold Springs (later known as West) is established along with a post office.  
Perry, six miles north of Moody, was established. 
  1853  
  1854 "Waco Era", the first newspaper, begins publication
  1855  
  1856 Waco Village is incorporated as the town of Waco and a new county courthouse is built. 
  1857  
  1858 "Southern Democrat" newspaper begins publication
  1859 The population of Waco is 749 
  1860  
Civil War begins 1861 Waco University is founded. Waco is situated in a plantation economy and many citizens sympathize with the Southern secessionsit cause during the Civil War.   
  1862
17 companies of Confederate soldiers were raised in Waco and 6 Confederate generals called Waco home.
Barron's Mill produced cotton cloth.
  1863  
  1864  
Civil War ends 1865  
  1866  
  1867 A.F. Manning, the Freedman's Bureau agent, is assigned to Waco.   
  1868 Waco is on a spur of the Chisholm Trail.   Cattlemen and cowhands come to Waco to buy supplies and for recreation.  The red light district called the "Reservation" grew during these years and prostitution was legally recognized, licensed and regulated by the City of Waco until the early twentieth century.  
  1869  
  1870 Waco Suspension Bridge is opened by the Waco Bridge Company.  Waco earns a nickname of "Six Shooter Junction" because of its many saloons and gaming houses that attracted cowhands, drifters and others.   
  1871 By this year between 600,000 and 700,000 cattle have been driven through Waco. The "Waco and Northwestern" railraod was built in the city.