December 12, 2025 • 22 mins
We chase the disputed lifespan of Isaac Brock from headstone to census record, then turn a myth hunt into a smart Waco travel plan. Between archives, museums, and good food, we map a route where Texas legend meets places worth your time.
Please subscribe and leave a review on I-Tunes.
Feel free to drop me an email I would love to hear from you editor@thetravellingfool.com
You can sign up for my email list
Follow me on social media
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Bob Bales (00:00):
Hi, and welcome to the Traveling Fool, the podcast
where we talk about traveldestinations, the history and
culture around thosedestinations, along with travel
tips and news.
I'm your host, Bob Bales, andtoday I'm going to take you to a
little place just outside ofWaco, Texas, and we're going to
talk about the incredible Texasman who was born in the 1700s
(00:22):
and lived until the 1900s.
That's if you believe thestory.
So stay tuned, and we'll beright back.
Now before we get started,please hit that like or
(00:49):
subscribe button.
I would really appreciate it.
And you can also go to thewebsite the traveling fool.com,
sign up for the monthlynewsletter.
That's where I send outinformation about the latest
travel news, along withsweepstakes to win a trip or two
and some other travel relatedcontests.
Okay, so let's get started.
We're going to talk about thisfellow named Isaac.
(01:10):
Now he claimed to have beenborn in Buncombe County, North
Carolina on March first,seventeen eighty seven, just
five years after the AmericanRevolution and one year before
the U.S.
Constitution became ratified.
Now, according to his story, asa young man he went to Georgia
to work in the gold mines, andafter several years went to
(01:30):
DeKalb County, Alabama to learnthe blacksmithing trade and
become an apprentice, so hecould later open up his own
establishment.
Now sometime around eighteenthirty-seven he met a girl named
Lucinda, whom he married andshe bore him four children
before dying in eighteen fortynine.
(01:52):
Sometime in September ofeighteen fifty two in Rusk
County, Texas, he married hissecond wife, a girl by the name
of Sarah.
She was around nineteen, hadcome from Alabama, and they had
twelve more children before herdeath in nineteen oh seven at
the age of seventy four.
(02:12):
Now if you believe this so far,Isaac was forty seven at the
time of his first marriage, andsixty four when he married the
second time.
Now, it's not unheard of at thetime for older men to marry
younger women, even somebody intheir sixties marrying somebody
that was nineteen.
So the story is plausible sofar.
Now over the years Isaac hadtold people he was once a Texas
(02:35):
Ranger and he had served in theMexican American War and all
kinds of other exploits.
Now none of that has ever beenfound out to be true.
But what is true is that heserved in the Civil War.
Now some accounts say that ineighteen fifty eight Isaac moved
to East Texas, and in theeighteen sixties he tried to
enlist in the Confederate Armyas a blacksmith.
(02:58):
Some say either he was turneddown for being too old or that
he was accepted when he agreedto take the place of another
man.
But other newspaper accountssay that Isaac was pressed into
service and made to join, but inhis heart he was always a union
man.
So you're getting a lot ofdifferent accounts from a lot of
different places.
(03:18):
But what is known for a fact ishis age was listed as forty
eight years of age in theeighteen sixty federal census.
Now his enlistment papers as aprivate with Company H in the
Texas Infantry in eighteen sixtytwo lists his age as fifty
(03:39):
three years old.
Now Isaac later told onenewspaper that he had given
officials the wrong age just sohe could get in.
But after the Civil War, Isaacrelocates again and appears in
McClellan County, Texas, andsettled on the north side of the
Bosque River.
Now one of his children, Sally,recalled that they made a real
(04:03):
long trek from Smith County toWaco in eighteen seventy two,
and she remembered how herfather used to make his all
their own furniture, and hewould make everything for the
house.
She remembers that he wasshoeing horses well into his
nineties and walked the thirtyfive mile round trip from his
home into town just two yearsbefore he died from old age.
(04:26):
Now, some accounts say thatIsaac died in the home of one of
his daughters, while otherscontend that he died in the
county poorhouse.
Now I read one newspaperarticle, because I did a little
research on this, and onenewspaper article from nineteen
oh nine stated that he wasbrought to the county poorhouse
(04:47):
from his home the previoussummer.
Which would have been nineteenoh eight, and that he never
returned to his home.
It stated he was old, blind,and off his mental balance and
liable to hurt someone.
So he was tried for lunacy.
They had a trial.
The judge didn't find him to beinsane, but did order him to be
(05:08):
placed into the poorhouse.
The article went on to say thatthe superintendent of the
facility said he had never had amore docile and quiet male than
he and his wife had lookedafter Isaac and made him
comfortable.
The superintendent said Isaacdied peacefully in his sleep on
september third, nineteen ohnine, which, if you believe all
(05:30):
the stories, would make him onehundred and twenty two years and
one hundred and eighty fourdays old.
Now that would make him olderthan the oldest person in
recorded history who does havefully authenticated records.
Her name was Jeanne Calment, aFrench woman who lived to be one
(05:53):
hundred and twenty two and onehundred and sixty four days old,
and that puts Isaac at twentydays older than her.
Now, according to hisdescendants, Isaac was a man who
liked to pull one's leg andactually gave the birth date of
an uncle who had the same nameas a joke.
They said that the Isaac whowas born in seventeen eighty
seven in Buncombe County, NorthCarolina was actually his
(06:16):
mother's brother.
The eighteen eighty censusshows Isaac Brock of McClellan
County, Texas as a seventy fiveyear old farmer, not a ninety
three year old one.
However, other descendants saidthey've done their research,
and that while Isaac didembellish a lot of his exploits
like telling everybody he was aTexas Ranger and stuff, he was
(06:40):
actually that old when he died.
Now, we'll likely never knowIsaac's true age at the time of
his death.
However, Isaac was buried inChina Spring, an unincorporated
town just outside Waco, Texas,and his tombstone says born
March first, seventeen eightyseven.
Now most modern people orresearchers have put Isaac's
(07:04):
birth somewhere around eighteenoh five or right in that area,
which means that he would havebeen ninety five at the time of
his death, not a hundred andtwenty two.
But in either event, he livedto be an old man and obviously
saw a lot during his lifetime.
And like the quote, at the endof the movie, The Man Who Shot
Liberty Valance, one of my alltime favorite movies.
I love that movie.
(07:25):
But at the end of the moviethere's a quote The newspaper
man says, "Well, this is theWest, sir.
And when the legend becomesfact, print the legend".
Now Isaac Brock, he was buriedin China Springs Cemetery, and
that's located about fifteenmiles west of Waco, Texas.
But that's just one reason tovisit the Waco area.
(07:47):
And if you happen to be there,I would highly suggest going by
the cemetery and checking outIsaac's grave.
And who knows, maybe he was theoldest man to ever live.
But there's a lot to see and doin this little central Texas
town of Waco.
Now, for those not familiarwith Texas, Waco is, we've got
an interstate, interstate thirtyfive that runs North to South
(08:08):
from Oklahoma border downthrough South Texas.
And Waco is about halfwaybetween the Dallas Fort Worth
area and Austin on Interstate35.
It's a little closer to DallasFort Worth, but it's roughly the
halfway mark.
But there's a lot to see and doin Waco.
In fact, while Isaac wastelling everybody he was a Texas
(08:29):
Ranger, Waco does have theTexas Ranger Hall of Fame, and
they don't have any record ofIsaac ever being a member.
But the Texas Ranger Hall ofFame is definitely one place you
want to visit.
The Texas Rangers were formedin 1823 when Stephen F.
Austin, he's considered thefather of Texas.
He brought 300 families, calledthe old 300.
(08:50):
They brought him into Texasunder a grant from Mexico.
Well, in 1823, Stephen F.
Austin hired ten men to protect600 to 700 families who were
arriving in Texas.
And in 1835, just before theTexas independence from Mexico,
they were formally constitutedas an agency.
And within two years theynumbered over 300 men.
(09:11):
Now over the years the TexasRangers have evolved into one of
the country's most effectivelaw enforcement agencies.
And the Hall of Fame has sixgalleries with artifacts and
exhibits that depict the historyof the Rangers up through
modern times.
People like Frank Hamer, whowas instrumental in tracking
down and eliminating, I guessyou could say, Bonnie and Clyde
(09:33):
and other famous Texas Rangers.
But that's not the only Hall ofFame that's in Waco.
While you're there, visit theTexas Sports Hall of Fame.
That began as an idea in 1949to create a Texas Sports Hall of
Fame.
And it became a reality in 1951when Baseball Hall of Famer,
(09:56):
Tris Speaker, who was born inHubbard, Texas, became the first
person inducted.
And I know that unless you'rejust a rabid baseball nut,
you're going, oh who is thisguy?
Well, he was a Hall of Famerand he's I think he's still like
number five on the best battingaverage, and just I mean, he's
(10:18):
got tons of records.
But the Sports Hall of Fameused to be located in Garland,
Texas, until 1986, and it justkind of became dormant.
So in 1993, the Texas SportsHall of Fame reopened in Waco.
And it currently has over 400Texas sports legends showcased,
from boxing greats like JackJohnson and George Foreman to
(10:42):
Carl Lewis in track and field,Earl Campbell in football.
There's inductees from horseracing to stock car racing and
basketball to gymnastics, golfand rodeo, they're all
showcased.
If you're ever in Waco, I wouldhighly suggest checking it out.
And to get into the Texas Hallof Fame, you're going to find
people who were either born inTexas or played the majority of
(11:04):
their career here.
You've got a lot of modern dayHouston Astros like Jeff
Bagwell, a few others that arejust they weren't born in Texas,
but they're listed in TexasHall of Fame because we claimed
them.
They played here for 20 years.
Now while you're in Waco, youcan't help but go to Baylor
University.
Baylor is the oldestcontinually operating university
(11:26):
in the state of Texas.
It was chartered in 1845, andthe university actually opened
its doors in a place calledIndependence, Texas, which is
near Brenham and not too farfrom College Station, a little
bit east of Waco.
Well, we say a little bit East.
It could be 100, 200 miles, butI've actually been to
Independence and the ruins ofBaylor are located there.
(11:49):
But in 1861, Waco Universityopened in Waco.
And in 1886, they merged withBaylor and the university was
consolidated, and Waco becamethe home of the university.
So while you're there, drivearound on campus and check it
out.
You may want to visit theMayborn Museum Complex at
(12:10):
Baylor.
It offers natural historyexhibits, mammoths and skeletons
and dioramas and all kinds ofstuff.
They've got a big discoveryroom for kids.
Texas history displays androtating travel exhibits.
And while you're on the campus,check out the Baylor Bear
Habitat.
And that's where they havetheir live mascots that you see
(12:31):
on the football games and on TVand everything.
Their live mascots live at theBaylor Bear Habitat.
Stop by and check them out.
But drive around on campus andcheck it out you'd enjoy it.
Now in 1870, t he Wacosuspension bridge was built.
Goes across the river.
So what?
Well, for years the bridgeserved as a Chisholm trail
(12:54):
crossing driving cattle upnorth.
But at the time of itscompletion, in eighteen seventy,
it was the longest single spansuspension bridge West of the
Mississippi.
And it was built by cablesupplied by the John Roebling
Company, who actually built theBrooklyn Bridge in New York
(13:14):
City.
Today the Waco SuspensionBridge is a pedestrian only
bridge and takes only a fewminutes to walk across it from
end to end.
It crosses the Brazos River inWaco, Texas, and it's iconic.
It's actually a beautifulbridge.
While you're there, take a walkon that bridge and look out
over the Brazos River and gofrom one part of town to the
other.
(13:34):
Now, if you're from Texas, youshould know this, otherwise
we'll probably revoke your Texascard.
But if you're not from Texas,you may know it, you may not.
But in 1885 in Waco, Texas,there was a pharmacist, a fellow
by the name of CharlesAlderton.
And he created a uniquetwenty-three flavor blended
(13:54):
drink at Morrison's old cornerdrugstore.
And he named it, say it with menow, Dr.
Pepper.
That's right, making it thenation's oldest major soft
drink, older than evenCoca-Cola.
Well, the museum's housed inthe 1906 Artesian Manufacturing
(14:14):
and Bottling Company, the Dr.
Pepper Museum in Waco.
And this Artesian Manufacturingand Bottling Company building
is located in downtown Waco.
And it's actually listed on theNational Register of Historic
Places.
The Dr.
Pepper Museum is open yearround except major holidays.
And you can tour the museum byday, and I think there's a thing
(14:37):
where you they'll show you howto bottle your own drinks and
just it's a cool museum.
But at nighttime they have theparanormal tour and you can see
a part of the building that mostpeople don't get to see, like
down in the basement and stuff.
And over the years, severalpeople have seen and experienced
strange happenings going on atthis place.
So you might want to go on aparanormal tour while you're
(14:59):
there.
Now this place is cool.
The Waco Mammoth NationalMonument.
It stands at or it stands out,I should say, as a site where
fossils of twenty four Columbianmammoths and other mammals have
been uncovered.
The site is the largest knownconcentration of mammoths who
(15:21):
died from a recurring event,which is believed to have been a
flash flood.
The mammoths on site did notall die at the same time, but
rather during three separateevents that happened in the same
area.
Now Columbian mammoths livedsomewhere between ten thousand
to a million years ago, andresearch has indicated that
between sixty five thousand andseventy two thousand years ago,
(15:45):
a nursery herd of at leastnineteen mammoths were trapped
and drowned by rapidly risingflood waters from the Bosque
River.
Later floods trapped othermammoths and animals.
And you can go and check theplace out.
It's fascinating.
But the park is open from 9a.m.
to 5 p.m.
daily, except on majorholidays.
(16:08):
And now it's a national park.
But check it out, Waco MammothNational Monument.
Now if you want to see somelive critters, head over to the
Cameron Park Zoo.
It's really cool.
It's 52 acres of naturalhabitats and close-up
encounters, and the animalcollection that is housed at the
zoo, includes more than 1,700animals representing 300
(16:31):
different species.
You know, a night in uh whenwas it?
2009, the zoo opened up whatthey call the Asian forest.
It features criticallyendangered Orangutans and
Sumatran tigers and Komododragons.
But it is a really well-runzoo.
And it's just really cool.
(16:53):
They've got a ton of animals.
And I love a good zoo.
If you're there, you got kids,even if you don't have kids,
head up to the Cameron Park Zooand check them out.
And Cameron Park is a huge areaout there.
It's got hiking trails andpicnic trails and just all kinds
of stuff.
So you can make a day out ofit.
Now I do have to admitsomething.
(17:14):
I have never watched thistelevision show.
But there's a show called FixerUpper starring Chip and Joanna
Gaines.
I've seen their little ads onTV, but I've never watched the
show.
But they're from Waco.
And they've opened up a placecalled Magnolia Market at the
Silos.
It's about five acres.
(17:35):
It's got these two big grainsilos there, and the area is
about five acres in size, andit's owned by these two.
And like I said, they're bestknown for their I think it's on
HGTV, fixer upper TV series.
But they completely transformedthe landmark of these silos,
(17:56):
which helped to change the cityas well as the surrounding
areas.
The grounds include about a12,000 square foot retail store
where they sell all their stuff,and it's located in the
historic grain barn, and there'soffice building there, there's
a food truck park, there'spicnic tables, a garden store, a
(18:19):
bakery, a lawn area.
It's a big deal.
And admission to the grounds isfree unless they're having
their special events.
I saw one thing which said thatthere was like a million
tourists coming to visit thismagnolia market at the silos.
So if you're into the home andgarden thing or if you want to
go shopping for something foryour home and just check out a
(18:42):
cool area, I guess.
Magnolia Market and Silos isone of the big draws in town.
Now, they also have ValleyMills Vineyards.
Valley Mills Vineyards wasfounded in 2006, and it's a full
production boutique winery.
The vineyards cover over 30acres.
They make all their own winesfrom in-house from Texas grown
(19:03):
grapes.
And they specialize in theproduction of dry red wines, but
they offer other options.
They're open daily from nine orfrom twelve to six, and you can
book a tasting or a tour of thevineyard.
And they have special eventsand live music throughout the
year, so you may want to checkout their website, the Valley
Mills Vineyards.
(19:24):
But Waco also has fourbreweries in town if you like
going to brew pubs and checkingout the local breweries, along
with Balcones Distillery, whichis one of the premier whiskey
distillers in the state ofTexas.
They make great whiskey.
And they also have some greatplaces to grab a bite to eat.
(19:45):
I mean, I would recommend twoplaces.
There's a ton of them, butthere's two that I would
recommend if you eat Waco.
Cafe Homestead for good oldTexas country cooking.
I mean, they've got really goodfood.
And Papa Jack's for some fingerlicking good Texas barbecue.
But there's a lot I think TerryBlack has a barbecue place
(20:05):
there.
There's several places to eatthere.
But Papa Jack's, you need tocheck that place out.
So all in all, Waco makes for agreat trip.
I mean, you can check out IsaacBrock's grave site and all the
things to see and do in Waco.
I think you'll definitely enjoyit.
But it just goes to show I meanyou never know what's in these
small towns or just outside of atown.
(20:27):
A lot of history, a lot oflegends, a lot of things
occurred.
You just have to do a littledigging, and to me it's
interesting.
You go to some small town, youfind out that a famous
gunfighter was buried in thecemetery and his exploits around
town, or the man who said helived to be the oldest man in
recorded history.
Like I said, we may neverreally know if Isaac Brock lived
(20:50):
to be 122 years old, but I'msure that old man had a really
interesting life.
Well that's it for this week.
And if you know someone thatmight like the podcast, send him
a link to it.
I'd appreciate it.
Hit that like or subscribebutton.
I mean, that's the only thingthat help helps people see this
thing.
And until next time, safetravels.
Hi, and welcome to the Traveling Fool, the podcast
where we talk about traveldestinations, the history and
culture around thosedestinations, along with travel
tips and news.
I'm your host, Bob Bales, andtoday I'm going to take you to a
little place just outside ofWaco, Texas, and we're going to
talk about the incredible Texasman who was born in the 1700s
(00:22):
and lived until the 1900s.
That's if you believe thestory.
So stay tuned, and we'll beright back.
Now before we get started,please hit that like or
(00:49):
subscribe button.
I would really appreciate it.
And you can also go to thewebsite the traveling fool.com,
sign up for the monthlynewsletter.
That's where I send outinformation about the latest
travel news, along withsweepstakes to win a trip or two
and some other travel relatedcontests.
Okay, so let's get started.
We're going to talk about thisfellow named Isaac.
(01:10):
Now he claimed to have beenborn in Buncombe County, North
Carolina on March first,seventeen eighty seven, just
five years after the AmericanRevolution and one year before
the U.S.
Constitution became ratified.
Now, according to his story, asa young man he went to Georgia
to work in the gold mines, andafter several years went to
(01:30):
DeKalb County, Alabama to learnthe blacksmithing trade and
become an apprentice, so hecould later open up his own
establishment.
Now sometime around eighteenthirty-seven he met a girl named
Lucinda, whom he married andshe bore him four children
before dying in eighteen fortynine.
(01:52):
Sometime in September ofeighteen fifty two in Rusk
County, Texas, he married hissecond wife, a girl by the name
of Sarah.
She was around nineteen, hadcome from Alabama, and they had
twelve more children before herdeath in nineteen oh seven at
the age of seventy four.
(02:12):
Now if you believe this so far,Isaac was forty seven at the
time of his first marriage, andsixty four when he married the
second time.
Now, it's not unheard of at thetime for older men to marry
younger women, even somebody intheir sixties marrying somebody
that was nineteen.
So the story is plausible sofar.
Now over the years Isaac hadtold people he was once a Texas
(02:35):
Ranger and he had served in theMexican American War and all
kinds of other exploits.
Now none of that has ever beenfound out to be true.
But what is true is that heserved in the Civil War.
Now some accounts say that ineighteen fifty eight Isaac moved
to East Texas, and in theeighteen sixties he tried to
enlist in the Confederate Armyas a blacksmith.
(02:58):
Some say either he was turneddown for being too old or that
he was accepted when he agreedto take the place of another
man.
But other newspaper accountssay that Isaac was pressed into
service and made to join, but inhis heart he was always a union
man.
So you're getting a lot ofdifferent accounts from a lot of
different places.
(03:18):
But what is known for a fact ishis age was listed as forty
eight years of age in theeighteen sixty federal census.
Now his enlistment papers as aprivate with Company H in the
Texas Infantry in eighteen sixtytwo lists his age as fifty
(03:39):
three years old.
Now Isaac later told onenewspaper that he had given
officials the wrong age just sohe could get in.
But after the Civil War, Isaacrelocates again and appears in
McClellan County, Texas, andsettled on the north side of the
Bosque River.
Now one of his children, Sally,recalled that they made a real
(04:03):
long trek from Smith County toWaco in eighteen seventy two,
and she remembered how herfather used to make his all
their own furniture, and hewould make everything for the
house.
She remembers that he wasshoeing horses well into his
nineties and walked the thirtyfive mile round trip from his
home into town just two yearsbefore he died from old age.
(04:26):
Now, some accounts say thatIsaac died in the home of one of
his daughters, while otherscontend that he died in the
county poorhouse.
Now I read one newspaperarticle, because I did a little
research on this, and onenewspaper article from nineteen
oh nine stated that he wasbrought to the county poorhouse
(04:47):
from his home the previoussummer.
Which would have been nineteenoh eight, and that he never
returned to his home.
It stated he was old, blind,and off his mental balance and
liable to hurt someone.
So he was tried for lunacy.
They had a trial.
The judge didn't find him to beinsane, but did order him to be
(05:08):
placed into the poorhouse.
The article went on to say thatthe superintendent of the
facility said he had never had amore docile and quiet male than
he and his wife had lookedafter Isaac and made him
comfortable.
The superintendent said Isaacdied peacefully in his sleep on
september third, nineteen ohnine, which, if you believe all
(05:30):
the stories, would make him onehundred and twenty two years and
one hundred and eighty fourdays old.
Now that would make him olderthan the oldest person in
recorded history who does havefully authenticated records.
Her name was Jeanne Calment, aFrench woman who lived to be one
(05:53):
hundred and twenty two and onehundred and sixty four days old,
and that puts Isaac at twentydays older than her.
Now, according to hisdescendants, Isaac was a man who
liked to pull one's leg andactually gave the birth date of
an uncle who had the same nameas a joke.
They said that the Isaac whowas born in seventeen eighty
seven in Buncombe County, NorthCarolina was actually his
(06:16):
mother's brother.
The eighteen eighty censusshows Isaac Brock of McClellan
County, Texas as a seventy fiveyear old farmer, not a ninety
three year old one.
However, other descendants saidthey've done their research,
and that while Isaac didembellish a lot of his exploits
like telling everybody he was aTexas Ranger and stuff, he was
(06:40):
actually that old when he died.
Now, we'll likely never knowIsaac's true age at the time of
his death.
However, Isaac was buried inChina Spring, an unincorporated
town just outside Waco, Texas,and his tombstone says born
March first, seventeen eightyseven.
Now most modern people orresearchers have put Isaac's
(07:04):
birth somewhere around eighteenoh five or right in that area,
which means that he would havebeen ninety five at the time of
his death, not a hundred andtwenty two.
But in either event, he livedto be an old man and obviously
saw a lot during his lifetime.
And like the quote, at the endof the movie, The Man Who Shot
Liberty Valance, one of my alltime favorite movies.
I love that movie.
(07:25):
But at the end of the moviethere's a quote The newspaper
man says, "Well, this is theWest, sir.
And when the legend becomesfact, print the legend".
Now Isaac Brock, he was buriedin China Springs Cemetery, and
that's located about fifteenmiles west of Waco, Texas.
But that's just one reason tovisit the Waco area.
(07:47):
And if you happen to be there,I would highly suggest going by
the cemetery and checking outIsaac's grave.
And who knows, maybe he was theoldest man to ever live.
But there's a lot to see and doin this little central Texas
town of Waco.
Now, for those not familiarwith Texas, Waco is, we've got
an interstate, interstate thirtyfive that runs North to South
(08:08):
from Oklahoma border downthrough South Texas.
And Waco is about halfwaybetween the Dallas Fort Worth
area and Austin on Interstate35.
It's a little closer to DallasFort Worth, but it's roughly the
halfway mark.
But there's a lot to see and doin Waco.
In fact, while Isaac wastelling everybody he was a Texas
(08:29):
Ranger, Waco does have theTexas Ranger Hall of Fame, and
they don't have any record ofIsaac ever being a member.
But the Texas Ranger Hall ofFame is definitely one place you
want to visit.
The Texas Rangers were formedin 1823 when Stephen F.
Austin, he's considered thefather of Texas.
He brought 300 families, calledthe old 300.
(08:50):
They brought him into Texasunder a grant from Mexico.
Well, in 1823, Stephen F.
Austin hired ten men to protect600 to 700 families who were
arriving in Texas.
And in 1835, just before theTexas independence from Mexico,
they were formally constitutedas an agency.
And within two years theynumbered over 300 men.
(09:11):
Now over the years the TexasRangers have evolved into one of
the country's most effectivelaw enforcement agencies.
And the Hall of Fame has sixgalleries with artifacts and
exhibits that depict the historyof the Rangers up through
modern times.
People like Frank Hamer, whowas instrumental in tracking
down and eliminating, I guessyou could say, Bonnie and Clyde
(09:33):
and other famous Texas Rangers.
But that's not the only Hall ofFame that's in Waco.
While you're there, visit theTexas Sports Hall of Fame.
That began as an idea in 1949to create a Texas Sports Hall of
Fame.
And it became a reality in 1951when Baseball Hall of Famer,
(09:56):
Tris Speaker, who was born inHubbard, Texas, became the first
person inducted.
And I know that unless you'rejust a rabid baseball nut,
you're going, oh who is thisguy?
Well, he was a Hall of Famerand he's I think he's still like
number five on the best battingaverage, and just I mean, he's
(10:18):
got tons of records.
But the Sports Hall of Fameused to be located in Garland,
Texas, until 1986, and it justkind of became dormant.
So in 1993, the Texas SportsHall of Fame reopened in Waco.
And it currently has over 400Texas sports legends showcased,
from boxing greats like JackJohnson and George Foreman to
(10:42):
Carl Lewis in track and field,Earl Campbell in football.
There's inductees from horseracing to stock car racing and
basketball to gymnastics, golfand rodeo, they're all
showcased.
If you're ever in Waco, I wouldhighly suggest checking it out.
And to get into the Texas Hallof Fame, you're going to find
people who were either born inTexas or played the majority of
(11:04):
their career here.
You've got a lot of modern dayHouston Astros like Jeff
Bagwell, a few others that arejust they weren't born in Texas,
but they're listed in TexasHall of Fame because we claimed
them.
They played here for 20 years.
Now while you're in Waco, youcan't help but go to Baylor
University.
Baylor is the oldestcontinually operating university
(11:26):
in the state of Texas.
It was chartered in 1845, andthe university actually opened
its doors in a place calledIndependence, Texas, which is
near Brenham and not too farfrom College Station, a little
bit east of Waco.
Well, we say a little bit East.
It could be 100, 200 miles, butI've actually been to
Independence and the ruins ofBaylor are located there.
(11:49):
But in 1861, Waco Universityopened in Waco.
And in 1886, they merged withBaylor and the university was
consolidated, and Waco becamethe home of the university.
So while you're there, drivearound on campus and check it
out.
You may want to visit theMayborn Museum Complex at
(12:10):
Baylor.
It offers natural historyexhibits, mammoths and skeletons
and dioramas and all kinds ofstuff.
They've got a big discoveryroom for kids.
Texas history displays androtating travel exhibits.
And while you're on the campus,check out the Baylor Bear
Habitat.
And that's where they havetheir live mascots that you see
(12:31):
on the football games and on TVand everything.
Their live mascots live at theBaylor Bear Habitat.
Stop by and check them out.
But drive around on campus andcheck it out you'd enjoy it.
Now in 1870, t he Wacosuspension bridge was built.
Goes across the river.
So what?
Well, for years the bridgeserved as a Chisholm trail
(12:54):
crossing driving cattle upnorth.
But at the time of itscompletion, in eighteen seventy,
it was the longest single spansuspension bridge West of the
Mississippi.
And it was built by cablesupplied by the John Roebling
Company, who actually built theBrooklyn Bridge in New York
(13:14):
City.
Today the Waco SuspensionBridge is a pedestrian only
bridge and takes only a fewminutes to walk across it from
end to end.
It crosses the Brazos River inWaco, Texas, and it's iconic.
It's actually a beautifulbridge.
While you're there, take a walkon that bridge and look out
over the Brazos River and gofrom one part of town to the
other.
(13:34):
Now, if you're from Texas, youshould know this, otherwise
we'll probably revoke your Texascard.
But if you're not from Texas,you may know it, you may not.
But in 1885 in Waco, Texas,there was a pharmacist, a fellow
by the name of CharlesAlderton.
And he created a uniquetwenty-three flavor blended
(13:54):
drink at Morrison's old cornerdrugstore.
And he named it, say it with menow, Dr.
Pepper.
That's right, making it thenation's oldest major soft
drink, older than evenCoca-Cola.
Well, the museum's housed inthe 1906 Artesian Manufacturing
(14:14):
and Bottling Company, the Dr.
Pepper Museum in Waco.
And this Artesian Manufacturingand Bottling Company building
is located in downtown Waco.
And it's actually listed on theNational Register of Historic
Places.
The Dr.
Pepper Museum is open yearround except major holidays.
And you can tour the museum byday, and I think there's a thing
(14:37):
where you they'll show you howto bottle your own drinks and
just it's a cool museum.
But at nighttime they have theparanormal tour and you can see
a part of the building that mostpeople don't get to see, like
down in the basement and stuff.
And over the years, severalpeople have seen and experienced
strange happenings going on atthis place.
So you might want to go on aparanormal tour while you're
(14:59):
there.
Now this place is cool.
The Waco Mammoth NationalMonument.
It stands at or it stands out,I should say, as a site where
fossils of twenty four Columbianmammoths and other mammals have
been uncovered.
The site is the largest knownconcentration of mammoths who
(15:21):
died from a recurring event,which is believed to have been a
flash flood.
The mammoths on site did notall die at the same time, but
rather during three separateevents that happened in the same
area.
Now Columbian mammoths livedsomewhere between ten thousand
to a million years ago, andresearch has indicated that
between sixty five thousand andseventy two thousand years ago,
(15:45):
a nursery herd of at leastnineteen mammoths were trapped
and drowned by rapidly risingflood waters from the Bosque
River.
Later floods trapped othermammoths and animals.
And you can go and check theplace out.
It's fascinating.
But the park is open from 9a.m.
to 5 p.m.
daily, except on majorholidays.
(16:08):
And now it's a national park.
But check it out, Waco MammothNational Monument.
Now if you want to see somelive critters, head over to the
Cameron Park Zoo.
It's really cool.
It's 52 acres of naturalhabitats and close-up
encounters, and the animalcollection that is housed at the
zoo, includes more than 1,700animals representing 300
(16:31):
different species.
You know, a night in uh whenwas it?
2009, the zoo opened up whatthey call the Asian forest.
It features criticallyendangered Orangutans and
Sumatran tigers and Komododragons.
But it is a really well-runzoo.
And it's just really cool.
(16:53):
They've got a ton of animals.
And I love a good zoo.
If you're there, you got kids,even if you don't have kids,
head up to the Cameron Park Zooand check them out.
And Cameron Park is a huge areaout there.
It's got hiking trails andpicnic trails and just all kinds
of stuff.
So you can make a day out ofit.
Now I do have to admitsomething.
(17:14):
I have never watched thistelevision show.
But there's a show called FixerUpper starring Chip and Joanna
Gaines.
I've seen their little ads onTV, but I've never watched the
show.
But they're from Waco.
And they've opened up a placecalled Magnolia Market at the
Silos.
It's about five acres.
(17:35):
It's got these two big grainsilos there, and the area is
about five acres in size, andit's owned by these two.
And like I said, they're bestknown for their I think it's on
HGTV, fixer upper TV series.
But they completely transformedthe landmark of these silos,
(17:56):
which helped to change the cityas well as the surrounding
areas.
The grounds include about a12,000 square foot retail store
where they sell all their stuff,and it's located in the
historic grain barn, and there'soffice building there, there's
a food truck park, there'spicnic tables, a garden store, a
(18:19):
bakery, a lawn area.
It's a big deal.
And admission to the grounds isfree unless they're having
their special events.
I saw one thing which said thatthere was like a million
tourists coming to visit thismagnolia market at the silos.
So if you're into the home andgarden thing or if you want to
go shopping for something foryour home and just check out a
(18:42):
cool area, I guess.
Magnolia Market and Silos isone of the big draws in town.
Now, they also have ValleyMills Vineyards.
Valley Mills Vineyards wasfounded in 2006, and it's a full
production boutique winery.
The vineyards cover over 30acres.
They make all their own winesfrom in-house from Texas grown
(19:03):
grapes.
And they specialize in theproduction of dry red wines, but
they offer other options.
They're open daily from nine orfrom twelve to six, and you can
book a tasting or a tour of thevineyard.
And they have special eventsand live music throughout the
year, so you may want to checkout their website, the Valley
Mills Vineyards.
(19:24):
But Waco also has fourbreweries in town if you like
going to brew pubs and checkingout the local breweries, along
with Balcones Distillery, whichis one of the premier whiskey
distillers in the state ofTexas.
They make great whiskey.
And they also have some greatplaces to grab a bite to eat.
(19:45):
I mean, I would recommend twoplaces.
There's a ton of them, butthere's two that I would
recommend if you eat Waco.
Cafe Homestead for good oldTexas country cooking.
I mean, they've got really goodfood.
And Papa Jack's for some fingerlicking good Texas barbecue.
But there's a lot I think TerryBlack has a barbecue place
(20:05):
there.
There's several places to eatthere.
But Papa Jack's, you need tocheck that place out.
So all in all, Waco makes for agreat trip.
I mean, you can check out IsaacBrock's grave site and all the
things to see and do in Waco.
I think you'll definitely enjoyit.
But it just goes to show I meanyou never know what's in these
small towns or just outside of atown.
(20:27):
A lot of history, a lot oflegends, a lot of things
occurred.
You just have to do a littledigging, and to me it's
interesting.
You go to some small town, youfind out that a famous
gunfighter was buried in thecemetery and his exploits around
town, or the man who said helived to be the oldest man in
recorded history.
Like I said, we may neverreally know if Isaac Brock lived
(20:50):
to be 122 years old, but I'msure that old man had a really
interesting life.
Well that's it for this week.
And if you know someone thatmight like the podcast, send him
a link to it.
I'd appreciate it.
Hit that like or subscribebutton.
I mean, that's the only thingthat help helps people see this
thing.
And until next time, safetravels.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.