Indigenous History

Waco Gets Its Name From the Waco Indian Village

The city of Waco is built on the site of an agricultural village of the Waco (Huaco) people that had hundreds of residents in the early 1800s.

McLennan County History & Culture

The Waco Indians — also spelled Huaco — were a Wichita-speaking people who farmed along the Brazos River. In 1824 their village at this site had 500 to 600 residents. By the mid-1830s they had been driven out, partly by Cherokee settlers moving into the area.

When surveyor George B. Erath laid out the town in 1849, he suggested the name Waco Village to honor the former inhabitants. The name 'Huaco' also appears in older records. Archeological evidence shows people lived in this part of the Brazos valley as far back as roughly 11,000 years ago.

Source to confirm: TSHA Handbook of Texas — Waco, TX

More McLennan County notes

Property Tax

McLennan CAD Handles Your Property Appraisal

McLennan Central Appraisal District sets property values for all 44 taxing entities in the county, but a separate office collects the tax.

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Property Tax Exemption

File for a Homestead Exemption to Lower Your Tax Bill

Texas homeowners who live in their home can file for a homestead exemption that reduces the taxable value of the property.

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Agricultural Appraisal

Ag Valuation Can Cut Taxes on Rural Land

Land used mainly for farming or ranching can be taxed on its agricultural value instead of its market value, which is usually much lower.

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Appraisal Protest

You Can Protest Your Property Appraisal

Property owners in McLennan County can formally challenge their appraised value each year if they believe it is too high.

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