Historical Waco Scenes - Before 1920

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Edmond Bear
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12:49p, 6/23/22
Photos posted with permission of The Texas Collection.

1880's - Suspension Bridge (completed in 1870) and Downtown


1910 - Building the foundations of the ALICO building with horse drawn wagons



1911 - 'Prosperity Banquet' on South 5th between Austin and Franklin Avenue. At the time, this photo was the largest flash photo event in the world.



1911 - Theodore Roosevelt (after his Presidency) on Clay Avenue


1913 - Waco Aviation School - 10 years after the Orville's first flight


1915 - Waco Police in the Elks Parade



1916 - Saloon in downtown Waco


1916 - Western Union Delivery Boys in Downtown Waco







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Old300Bear
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2:09p, 6/23/22
Those are fantastic.
Fred Barber
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OsoCoreyell
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2:18p, 6/23/22
Oldest Baylor class photo (1887):

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OsoCoreyell
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2:22p, 6/23/22
Baylor Drug:

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Eleven-League Grant
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In reply to Edmond Bear • 3:55p, 6/23/22
Great pics. Thanks for putting those up.

I particularly like reading the signage on those old photographs, as I suppose they didn't believe in sign ordinances in those days.

I would have liked to have walked into the 'Waco Talking Machine Company' and taken a look around. I wonder who the Top 40 artists were back in 1911?

Finally, I liked the sign back of the saloon bar -- 'Don't Ask for Credit'. I wish I could read the rest of it.
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Edmond Bear
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In reply to Eleven-League Grant • 4:26p, 6/23/22
Eleven-League Grant said:
Great pics. Thanks for putting those up.

I particularly like reading the signage on those old photographs, as I suppose they didn't believe in sign ordinances in those days.

I would have liked to have walked into the 'Waco Talking Machine Company' and taken a look around. I wonder who the Top 40 artists were back in 1911?

Finally, I liked the sign back of the saloon bar -- 'Don't Ask for Credit'. I wish I could read the rest of it.


I like looking at the photos on my phone. It's easy to zoom in and look through the details.

I like that the banks had to prove their solvency in advertising by declaring how much they held in assets. 'Solid as the Pyramids. $300,000 in assets.'

Waco has SO much history and was blessed to have Fred Gildersleeve around to capture it for decades. He was way ahead of his time.

There is ALOT more. I just pulled a few I thought were interesting. I'll add more later.

One of the things I find fascinating is the buildings that existed prior to the tornado in '53. Waco had some amazing architecture and a huge number of fascinating buildings. But, that tornado changed things for Waco. Sometime next week, I'll put up a thread on those buildings.

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Bexar Pitts
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5:32p, 6/23/22
Thanks so much for putting those up! I always enjoy seeing the Town in her youth! If you don't have a copy, you should get the late Roger Conger's book, "A Pictoral History of Waco." It's about 300 pages full of photos of Waco's past, and is hard to put down if you enjoy "taking a stroll down memory lane." I look at it all the time..Thanks again!
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Alf
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In reply to Bexar Pitts • 7:36p, 6/23/22
Bexar Pitts said:
Thanks so much for putting those up! I always enjoy seeing the Town in her youth! If you don't have a copy, you should get the late Roger Conger's book, "A Pictoral History of Waco." It's about 300 pages full of photos of Waco's past, and is hard to put down if you enjoy "taking a stroll down memory lane." I look at it all the time..Thanks again!

I love looking at these old pics. Kind of like stepping into a time machine. That book may be the one they have sitting out at George's, I always take a few minutes to look through when I go there.
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Edmond Bear
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In reply to Eleven-League Grant • 8:53p, 6/23/22
Eleven-League Grant said:
I would have liked to have walked into the 'Waco Talking Machine Company' and taken a look around. I wonder who the Top 40 artists were back in 1911?

We have a Victor Talking Machine from Victrola in our house. This was my wife's great-grandfather's machine, has about a dozen records, and still plays.




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Bexar Pitts
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In reply to Edmond Bear • 7:54a, 6/24/22
"His Master's Voice"
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Proud 1992 Alum
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9:23a, 6/24/22
There is a free app called Waco History that has a lot of historic photos. Plus a map with pins you can click on for more information.
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Edmond Bear
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In reply to Proud 1992 Alum • 9:21a, 6/27/22
Proud 1992 Alum said:
There is a free app called Waco History that has a lot of historic photos. Plus a map with pins you can click on for more information.

Waco history is fascinating and well documented. That is a great app to learn about it.
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Edmond Bear
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9:29a, 6/27/22
1909 - Panorama of the City from West looking East



1913 - The Dr. Pepper Company



1913 - Christmas at Sangers at 4th and Austin Ave.



1913 - A man and his motorcycle



1915 - Lineup of Cars from the Hall Cycle Car Manufacturing Company (623 Jackson St)


1916 - Hundreds of people gather for the annual Goldstein-Nigel fashion show at 521 Austin Ave.




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Edmond Bear
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10:18a, 6/27/22

1914 - The Cotton Palace's Cotton Bale Archway over Clay Avenue




1919 - Aerial view of The Cotton Palace Exposition Grounds (Gildersleeve went up in a biplane for this shot)




1912 - Texas Cotton Palace main building at night

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Yogi
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12:22p, 6/27/22

circa 1875
"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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Yogi
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12:25p, 6/27/22
"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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cowboycwr
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1:57p, 6/27/22
For those of you on facebook two good groups to check out are:

Waco, TX History in pictures

The old lake Waco and dam

The lake one is interesting now with the lake being low and many places being exposed that haven't been seen in years since the lake was raised in the early 00s and people didn't think to take pictures of the sites and what was there before they went underwater.
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Eleven-League Grant
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8:49p, 6/27/22
I'm always struck by the number of men in those old photographs who are wearing both coats and ties out on the city streets.

Let's face it -- the weather in Waco is not like the weather in San Diego; it's hot and uncomfortable, particularly in the summer.

Knowing that those folks had probably never even heard of air conditioning I can't even imagine how uncomfortable they must have been, but I suppose people were tougher then.
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BaylorHistory
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In reply to Eleven-League Grant • 11:33a, 6/28/22
Eleven-League Grant said:
Knowing that those folks had probably never even heard of air conditioning I can't even imagine how uncomfortable they must have been, but I suppose people were tougher then.
Well if you grew up in something and know nothing else then it isn't as big of a deal. My wife grew up without central heat and air in Waco with only a couple of window units and she never noticed it too much. Now that we live in a new house with central heat and air she complains at her mom's house in the first 5 minutes of being there about the heat.


Grandpa grew up here and they slept on the porch and visited the ice house and the river often, but always kept it cold as an old man.
Noooo evidence for that, babeeyyy, just maaade it up.
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lrwells50
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In reply to Eleven-League Grant • 6:52a, 7/2/22
Eleven-League Grant said:
I'm always struck by the number of men in those old photographs who are wearing both coats and ties out on the city streets.

Let's face it -- the weather in Waco is not like the weather in San Diego; it's hot and uncomfortable, particularly in the summer.

Knowing that those folks had probably never even heard of air conditioning I can't even imagine how uncomfortable they must have been, but I suppose people were tougher then.
A lot less concrete then also, which I'm guessing has contributed to the rise in temperatures.
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LIB,MR BEARS
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In reply to Bexar Pitts • 10:11p, 7/2/22
Bexar Pitts said:
Thanks so much for putting those up! I always enjoy seeing the Town in her youth! If you don't have a copy, you should get the late Roger Conger's book, "A Pictoral History of Waco." It's about 300 pages full of photos of Waco's past, and is hard to put down if you enjoy "taking a stroll down memory lane." I look at it all the time..Thanks again!
I've got it and it is great.
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LIB,MR BEARS
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In reply to Proud 1992 Alum • 10:17p, 7/2/22
Proud 1992 Alum said:
There is a free app called Waco History that has a lot of historic photos. Plus a map with pins you can click on for more information.
Thanks. Just put it on my phone
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Limited IQ Redneck in PU
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In reply to Eleven-League Grant • 1:24p, 7/3/22
Eleven-League Grant said:
I'm always struck by the number of men in those old photographs who are wearing both coats and ties out on the city streets.

Let's face it -- the weather in Waco is not like the weather in San Diego; it's hot and uncomfortable, particularly in the summer.

Knowing that those folks had probably never even heard of air conditioning I can't even imagine how uncomfortable they must have been, but I suppose people were tougher then.
Grew up in Woodway in a two story house on White Oak from 1970 to 76. It was our first house with central air but we used fans. Dad would run the air con once a month to keep it in shape. One hot summer mother talked dad into running the air for a month. He agreed and the electric bill was $100. The mortgage was $210. Dad threw a fit and it was back to fans till I left in 76. People were used to it more. The older houses were built for circulation but ours wasnt. The upstairs was really hot.
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historian
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12:37a, 7/4/22
Thanks to everyone for all the great photos & info!
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WacoKelly83
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In reply to Limited IQ Redneck in PU • 2:27p, 7/6/22
That made me laugh cuz I remember your parents well. You're dad was always so soft spoken and kind. Funny to think about him getting mad. Good times.
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redfish961
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4:57p, 7/7/22
Any fishing pictures from back then?

I'd be interested to see what they caught on the existing waterways and how.
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historian
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In reply to redfish961 • 7:58p, 7/7/22
Some will likely say gar.
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Fre3dombear
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7:31p, 7/8/22
We used to catch whites on the Bosque
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LIB,MR BEARS
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In reply to Fre3dombear • 7:52p, 7/8/22
Fre3dombear said:
We used to catch whites on the Bosque

Still do
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Limited IQ Redneck in PU
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12:32p, 7/13/22
I used to catch as many white bass as I wanted to clean back on the Bosque river. I put my jon boat in my truck and parked it on a little hill. I took the battery out of my truck and used it for my trolling motor. When i got back I would put the battery back in my truck and use the little hill to start the truck. Good times.

My dad was soft spoken but he had a temper. We could tell how mad he really was by the color of his ears. Football coaches used to ask about bruises on my legs. Others would tell them my dad caught me sneaking out again. They would laugh. I deserved more whippings than I got. Dad was a great man and my bet friend. I miss him.
I have found theres only two ways to go:
Living fast or dying slow.
I dont want to live forever.
But I will live while I'm here.
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Franko
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In reply to Edmond Bear • 10:29p, 7/13/22
Edmond Bear said:
Photos posted with permission of The Texas Collection.

1880's - Suspension Bridge (completed in 1870) and Downtown


1910 - Building the foundations of the ALICO building with horse drawn wagons



1911 - 'Prosperity Banquet' on South 5th between Austin and Franklin Avenue. At the time, this photo was the largest flash photo event in the world.



1911 - Theodore Roosevelt (after his Presidency) on Clay Avenue


1913 - Waco Aviation School - 10 years after the Orville's first flight


1915 - Waco Police in the Elks Parade



1916 - Saloon in downtown Waco


1916 - Western Union Delivery Boys in Downtown Waco









I think the house on Clay Avenue behind Roosevelt is the house I just bought. My wife disagrees. Any idea where on Clay that pic was taken?
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