Waco, Texas Register of Historic Places. In the late 19th century, a red-light district called the "Reservation" grew up in Waco, and prostitution was regulated by the city. The Reservation was suppressed in the early 20th century. In 1885, the soft drink Dr Pepper was invented in Waco at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store. In 1845, Baylor University was founded in Independence, Texas. It moved to Waco in 1886 and merged with Waco University, becoming an integral part of the city. The university's Strecker Museum was also the oldest continuously operating museum in the state until it closed in 2003, and the
Waco, Texas of July 2015 are: The town of Waco was built around the Waco Suspension Bridge, which was a crucial crossing of the Brazos River upon completion in 1870. Today, downtown Waco is relatively small when compared to other larger Texas cities, such as Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, or even Fort Worth, El Paso, or Austin. However, each day, nearly 20,000 people commute to and from work in downtown. It is also the location of the McLennan County Courthouse. In May 1953, the worst tornado in Texas history struck downtown Waco, killing 114 and injuring hundreds. It caused millions of dollars