McLennan County, Texas

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McLennan County
County
Mcclennan courthouse.jpg
The McLennan County Courthouse in Waco
Flag of McLennan County, Texas.svg
Flag
Map of Texas highlighting McLennan County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas in United States.svg
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°33′N97°12′W / 31.55°N 97.2°W / 31.55; -97.2
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Texas.svg  Texas
Founded1850
Named for Neil McLennan
Seat Waco
Largest cityWaco
Area
 • Total1,060 sq mi (2,700 km2)
 • Land1,037 sq mi (2,690 km2)
 • Water23 sq mi (60 km2)  2.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total260,579
 • Estimate 
(2023)
268,583 Increase2.svg
 • Density250/sq mi (95/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 17th
Website www.co.mclennan.tx.us

McLennan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 260,579. [1] Its county seat and largest city is Waco. [2] The U.S. census 2023 county population estimate is 268,583. [3] The county is named for Neil McLennan, [4] an early Scottish settler who worked to evict the Native Americans in frontier Texas. McLennan County is included in the Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

History

McLennan County was created by the Texas Legislature in 1850 out of Milam County. The county seat, Waco, had been founded as an outpost of the Texas Rangers. It was laid out by George B. Erath, and was known by 1850 as Waco Village.

In the 1880s, pharmacist Charles Alderton developed the carbonated beverage that became known as Dr Pepper. The Dr Pepper business was headquartered in Waco, until it moved to Dallas, Texas. Waco is also home to the Dr Pepper Museum, housed in the 1906 building that was the first stand-alone facility used to bottle Dr Pepper.

According to local lore, the first sustained flight did not occur in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, but just outside Tokio (a small community in McLennan County) by a man flying a gyrocopter. During World War I, McLennan County was home to at least one military airfield, Rich Field. In the aftermath of World War I, when social tensions were high as veterans returned, white racial violence broke out against blacks. The county had 15 lynchings, the second-highest number of any county in the state.

McLennan County's contributions to World War II include the reopening of Rich Field for use by the Air Force, and the opening of James Connally Air Force Base. The latter is now used as the TSTC Waco Airport and Texas State Technical College. County resident Doris Miller was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism at Pearl Harbor; he was the first African American to earn such distinction. Local man James Connally became known as a World War II fighter pilot.

County Courthouse

The current County Courthouse is located in the county seat, Waco, Texas, and is the county's fourth courthouse. Completed in 1902 in the Beaux Arts Style, it is the next-to-last example of Architect James Riely Gordon's Texas courthouses. Of the eighteen he designed, thirteen remain standing. The first county courthouse was completed in 1851 for $500, and was a two-story log cabin that was 30' x 30'. McLennan's second courthouse was a two-story brick building completed in 1857 for $11,000. The third courthouse was styled after Second Empire by architect W.C. Dodson, and completed in 1877 at a cost of $24,894.50. [5]

Institutions of higher education

In 1886, Baylor University relocated from Independence, Texas, to Waco and absorbed Waco University. During the early 20th century, McLennan County was home to as many as five colleges. In addition to Baylor, the other colleges included the predecessor to what is now known as Texas Christian University (now in Fort Worth), Paul Quinn College (relocated since to Dallas), and two other short-lived colleges.

In the 1960s, the Texas Legislature authorized McLennan Community College, the first community college to use those words in the name. Around the same time, what is now the flagship institution of Texas State Technical College was founded as James Connally Technical Institute, as a member of the Texas A&M University System. Today, Baylor, McLennan Community College, and Texas State Technical College continue to operate in McLennan County. They educate a large portion of the college-bound high-school graduates from the county and the surrounding areas. McLennan Community College has also partnered with Tarleton State University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and Midwestern State University to offer more than 50 bachelor's or master's degrees.

1896 Crash at Crush

Crush, Texas, was a temporary "city" in McLennan County, about 15 miles (24 km) north of Waco. It was established to stage a publicity stunt concocted by William George Crush and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The stunt involved the collision of two 35-ton steam locomotives in front of spectators, whom the railway transported to the event for $2 each. After strong promotion, on September 15, 1896, the event was delayed by an hour as the police maneuvered the crowd of more than 40,000 back to what was thought to be a safe distance. [6]

The crews of the two engines tied the throttles open and jumped off. The two engines, pulling wagons filled with railroad ties, traveled a 4-mile (6.4 km) track and thunderously crashed into each other at a combined speed up to 120 mph (190 km/h). The boilers exploded and sent steam and flying debris into the crowd. Three people were killed and about six were injured, including event photographer Jarvis "Joe" Deane, who lost an eye because of a flying bolt. [6]

Ragtime composer Scott Joplin commemorated the event with "The Great Crush Collision March"; Joplin dedicated the composition to the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway. [7] Texas composer and singer Brian Burns wrote and recorded a song about the collision, "The Crash at Crush" (2001).

West fertilizer plant explosion

Waco siege

Twin Peaks biker shootout

On May 17, 2015, motorcycle clubs gathered at the Twin Peaks Restaurant in Waco for a Confederation of Clubs meeting. Upon arrival of a large contingent of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, mass violence erupted in the parking lot of Twin Peaks between members of the Bandidos and members of the Cossasks Motorcycle Club. This resulted in nine dead and 18 wounded in the melee between the rival outlaw motorcycle gangs. In 2019, all remaining charges were dropped by the new District Attorney, Barry Johnson.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,060 square miles (2,700 km2), of which 1,037 square miles (2,690 km2) are land and 23 square miles (60 km2) (2.2%) are covered by water. [8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860 6,206—
1870 13,500117.5%
1880 26,93499.5%
1890 39,20445.6%
1900 59,77252.5%
1910 73,25022.5%
1920 82,92113.2%
1930 98,68219.0%
1940 101,8983.3%
1950 130,19427.8%
1960 150,09115.3%
1970 147,553−1.7%
1980 170,75515.7%
1990 189,12310.8%
2000 213,51712.9%
2010 234,90610.0%
2020 260,57910.9%
U.S. Decennial Census [9]
1850–2010 [10] 2020 [11]
McLennan County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / EthnicityPop 2010 [12] Pop 2020 [11] % 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)138,295139,69358.87%53.61%
Black or African American alone (NH)33,89236,13014.43%13.87%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)7049010.30%0.35%
Asian alone (NH)3,1284,8731.33%1.87%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)841460.04%0.06%
Some Other Race alone (NH)2351,0650.10%0.41%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)3,0979,1841.32%3.52%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)55,47168,58723.61%26.32%
Total234,906260,579100.00%100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

As of the 2020 US Census, [13] 260,579 people, 94,194 households resided in the county. The population density was 205 people per square mile (79 people/km2). The county now has 107,229 housing units, that are 59.2% owner-occupied with a median value of $165,400. The racial makeup of the county was 79.7% White, 14.9% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 2.3% from two or more races. About 27.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race; 12.8% were of German, 11.0% American, 8.0% English, and 6.9% Irish ancestry.

In the county, the population was distributed as 24.4% under the age of 18, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The county is composed of 51% female and 49% male residents.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,723. The per capita income for the county in 2010 was $17,174, and in 2020 was $28,421. Approximately 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line.

Communities

Cities (multiple counties)

Cities

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Economy

Aerial view of downtown Waco in 2009; Brazos River to the left and campus of Baylor University in the upper right Aerial view of Downtown Waco 2009 Looking East.jpg
Aerial view of downtown Waco in 2009; Brazos River to the left and campus of Baylor University in the upper right

According to the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, the top employers in McLennan County are: [14] [15]

#EmployerEmployees 2015Employees 2023
1 Baylor University 2,6753,253
2 Waco Independent School District 2,5002,373
3Ascension Providence2,3972,300
4HEB1,5002,000
5Baylor Scott & White Health (Hillcrest)1,8001,736
6TSTC1,706
7Veterans Affairs1,682
8City of Waco1,5061,518
9 Sanderson Farms, Inc.1,0411,200
10 Walmart 1,6561,174
11 McLennan County 1,157
12 Midway Independent School District 1,0671,081
13AbbVie785
14 L3 Technologies 2,300774
14 McLennan Community College 719
15 Mars Wrigley 700
16 Aramark 696
17 American Income Life Insurance 693
18 Magnolia Network 675
19Texas Materials672
20Cargill Value Added Meats646
21 Tractor Supply 640
22 SpaceX 590

Elected leadership

Legislative representationNameService
United States Congress, District 17 Pete Sessions 2019 – Present
State Senator, District 22 Brian Birdwell 2010 – Present
State Representative, District 56Charles Doc Anderson 2005 – Present
State Representative, District 13 Angelia Orr 2023 – Present
County Elected LeadershipNameService
County JudgeScott Felton2012 – Present [16]
County Commissioner Pct 1Jim Smith2021 – Present [17]
County Commissioner Pct 2Pat Chisolm-Miller2019 – Present
County Commissioner Pct 3Will Jones2013 – Present
County Commissioner Pct 4Ben Perry2011 – Present
District AttorneyJosh Tetens2023 – Present
District ClerkJon Gimble2015 – Present [18]
County ClerkAndy Harwell1995 – Present
County SheriffParnell McNamara2013 – Present
County Tax Assessor-CollectorRandy Riggs2012 – Present
County TreasurerBill Helton2012 – Present, 1991 - 2010 [19]
Local JudiciaryNameService
Tenth Court of Appeals, ChiefTom Gray2003 – Present, 1999 - 2003 Associate Justice
Tenth court of Appeals, Place 2Matt Johnson2021 – Present, 2007 - 2020 Judge 54TH District Court [20]
Tenth court of Appeals, Place 3Steve Smith2021 – Present, 1998 - 2021 Judge 361ST District Court [21]
State District Judge, 19TH CourtThomas West2021 – Present
State District Judge, 54TH CourtSusan Kelly2021 – Present
State District Judge, 74TH CourtGary Coley, Jr.2009 – Present, Local Administrative Judge
State District Judge, 170TH CourtJim Meyer2003 – Present
State District Judge, 414TH CourtVicki Menard2006 – December 1, 2023,
State District Judge, 474TH CourtAlan Bennett2023 – Present, appointed by Gov Abbott [22]
County Court at Law Judge, Court 1Vikram 'Vik' Deivanayagam2018 – Present
County Court at Law Judge, Court 2Brad Cates2011 – Present [23]
County Court at Law Judge, Court 3Ryan Luna2021 – Present [24]

Politics

Similar to other counties in the Texas Triangle with mid-sized cities, the county has been reliably Republican for the last half-century, having last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in 1976 when it was won by Jimmy Carter.

Several governors of Texas hailed from McLennan County: Ann Richards (1991–1995), the state's second female governor; Pat Morris Neff (1921–1925), who also served as president of Baylor University; Lawrence Sullivan Ross (1887–1891), whose family helped found Waco and who also served as the fourth president of Texas A&M University; and Richard Coke (1874–1876).

United States presidential election results for McLennan County, Texas [25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 59,54360.84%36,68837.49%1,6411.68%
2016 48,26061.03%27,06334.22%3,7524.74%
2012 47,90364.26%25,69434.47%9441.27%
2008 49,04461.56%29,99837.65%6320.79%
2004 52,09065.73%26,76033.76%4040.51%
2000 43,95563.90%23,46234.11%1,3721.99%
1996 30,66648.61%27,05042.88%5,3678.51%
1992 28,47340.67%25,90337.00%15,64022.34%
1988 38,60658.12%27,54541.47%2720.41%
1984 42,23264.40%23,20635.39%1400.21%
1980 31,96853.71%26,30544.20%1,2422.09%
1976 25,37045.33%30,09153.76%5090.91%
1972 33,37767.45%15,94732.23%1610.33%
1968 15,95834.22%22,38848.00%8,29317.78%
1964 10,89227.68%28,42972.25%250.06%
1960 14,92642.46%20,10057.17%1300.37%
1956 15,56148.85%16,18150.80%1110.35%
1952 14,97446.39%17,25153.45%530.16%
1948 3,08815.32%16,03479.55%1,0355.13%
1944 1,6688.95%15,33682.31%1,6278.73%
1940 2,17811.99%15,95287.82%350.19%
1936 1,1168.11%12,48990.77%1541.12%
1932 1,1088.40%11,97290.80%1050.80%
1928 5,74451.81%5,33048.07%130.12%
1924 2,38422.24%7,88273.52%4554.24%
1920 1,65521.19%4,97563.71%1,17915.10%
1916 94015.53%4,97982.26%1342.21%
1912 2956.38%3,82982.79%50110.83%

Education

Colleges

Public school districts

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "McLennan County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties in Texas: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 (CO-EST2023-POP-48) Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division Release Date: March 2023
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p.  194.
  5. ↑ "McLennan County Courthouse".
  6. 1 2 "The Crash at the Crush". Texas Historical Commission. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  7. ↑ Scott Joplin, "The Great Crush Collision" sheet music (Temple, TX: John R. Fuller, 1896). See Bill Edwards, Rags and Pieces by Scott Joplin. Archived June 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  10. ↑ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - McLennan County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
  12. ↑ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - McLennan County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
  13. ↑ "QuickFacts: McLennan County, Texas". Census Bureau.
  14. ↑ "Customized Report". Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.
  15. ↑ "Top 2023 Waco Employers". January 7, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Felton Appointed McLennan County Judge". September 30, 2012.
  17. ↑ "2020 Election Results". November 3, 2020.
  18. ↑ "McLennan County 2014 Election Results". November 4, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Commissioners name new county judge, treasurer". September 18, 2012.
  20. ↑ "TJB | 10th COA | About the Court | Justices | Justice Matt Johnson".
  21. ↑ "TJB | 10th COA | About the Court | Justices | Justice Steven Lee Smith". www.txcourts.gov. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Governor Abbott Appoints Bennett To 474th District Court". gov.texas.gov. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Cates Elected Judge". June 21, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Luna appointed judge of new McLennan County court-at-law". June 29, 2021.
  25. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 26, 2018.

31°33′N97°12′W / 31.55°N 97.20°W / 31.55; -97.20

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