New Map Available – Historical Markers of McLennan County

The Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau has released a new map called “Historical Markers of McLennan County.” This map includes six new historical markers from the Texas Historical Commission’s database. The map is free, and is available at the Waco Tourist Information Center, 106 Texas Ranger Trail, next to the Texas Ranger Museum. The map is suitable for framing. One side pictures the historical markers of McLennan County, and the other side enlarges the downtown Waco area and its markers.

The map was created with the assistance of the McLennan County Historical Commission. This group researched one marker placed in 1963, for the original Giles Homestead, whose location had been lost over time. Ben Giles, the owner, was an early settler of the Bosqueville area. The marker was actually a medallion with no interpretive text. Through field research and working with the Texas Historical Commission, they were able to determine the Giles Homestead had burned down in 1968. The marker was therefore removed from the Texas Historical Commission’s database.

The Texas Historical Commission’s Historical Marker program began in 1956 as an effort to document Texas’ historic sites and stories. The historical marker program focuses on historical designations, education and heritage tourism. There are over 16,000 Official Texas Historical Markers placed throughout the state and in all 254 counties. Texas has the highest number of historical markers of all 50 states.

The map shows that downtown Waco has 92 historical markers, and the county as a whole has 120 markers, for a total of 212.

Pick up your copy of the map at the Tourist Information Center. They are open Monday through Saturday, 8am to 5pm. Make exploring Waco and McLennan County part of your Waco visit!

Waco Tourist Information Center
106 Texas Ranger Trail
Waco, TX 76706
(254) 750-8696