Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. It is situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2010 population of 124,805, an increase of almost 10 percent since the 2000 census. The Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of just McLennan County, which had a 2010 population of 234,906. Prior to the founding of Waco in 1849, a Wichita Native American group known as the "Waco" lived on the land of present-day downtown Waco. In 1824 Thomas M. Duke explored the area and reported to Stephen F. Austin... describing the village: "This town is situated on the West Bank of the River. They have a spring almost as cold as ice itself. All we want is some Brandy and Sugar to have Ice Toddy. They have about 400 acres planted in corn, beans, pumpkins, and melons and that tended in good order. I think they cannot raise more than One Hundred Warriors." After Austin aborted the first attempt to destroy their village in 1825, he made a treaty with them. The Waco eventually moved out of the region, settling north near present-day Fort Worth.
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| County: | McLennan County |
| State: | Texas |
| Population: | 124,805 |
| Area: | 95.5 sq. mi. |
| Time zone: | Central Time zone |
| Also known as: | Waco, Texas, McLennan County / Waco city |