poor Waco has a bad reputation. a railroad publicity stunt that killed people in 1896, an attrocious lynching in 1916, an Air Force base closure, a downtown tornado in 1953 that killed 114 which hit at the same time as "urban renewal," and then the 1993 Branch Davidian siege nearby.

so instead of being known as a soft drink mecca, the birthplace of Dr. Pepper and Big Red, and a city with some nice architecture, it's known as "Whacko."

here's some pics from a hot day in May. the sane people are inside, avoiding the 110 degree heat. a heat most Americans can't imagine; i'm talking Kuwait-desert heat.

skyline from Dr. Pepper museum
1
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576921/original.jpg
2
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576547/original.jpg
3
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576545/original.jpg

one of the coolest masonic temples i've ever seen...
4
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576961/original.jpg
5
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576546/original.jpg
6
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576544/original.jpg

ewww...
7
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576548/original.jpg
8
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576549/original.jpg
9
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576550/original.jpg
10
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576551/original.jpg
11
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576552/original.jpg
12
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576553/original.jpg
13
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576554/original.jpg
14
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576555/original.jpg
15
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576556/original.jpg
16
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576557/original.jpg
17
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576911/original.jpg
18
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576912/original.jpg
19
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576913/original.jpg
20
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576914/original.jpg
21
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576915/original.jpg
22
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576916/original.jpg
23
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576918/original.jpg
24
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576919/original.jpg

this guy took Dr. Pepper to the big time
25
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576923/original.jpg
26
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576925/original.jpg
27
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576927/original.jpg
28
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576929/original.jpg
29
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576931/original.jpg
30
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576933/original.jpg
31
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576943/original.jpg
32
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576944/original.jpg
33
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576945/original.jpg
34
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576946/original.jpg
35
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576947/original.jpg
36
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576948/original.jpg
37
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576949/original.jpg
38
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576950/original.jpg
39
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576951/original.jpg
40
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576952/original.jpg
41
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576953/original.jpg
42
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576954/original.jpg
43
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576957/original.jpg

filming the indie movie "Sironia"
44
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576958/original.jpg
45
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576960/original.jpg
46
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576962/original.jpg
47
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576963/original.jpg
48
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576964/original.jpg
49
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129576965/original.jpg
50
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577032/original.jpg
51
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577033/original.jpg
52
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577034/original.jpg
53
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577035/original.jpg
54
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577036/original.jpg
55
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577037/original.jpg
56
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577038/original.jpg
57
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577039/original.jpg
58
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577040/original.jpg
59
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577041/original.jpg
60
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577042/original.jpg
61
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577043/original.jpg
62
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577044/original.jpg
63
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577045/original.jpg
64
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577046/original.jpg
65
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577047/original.jpg
66
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577048/original.jpg
67
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577049/original.jpg
68
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577050/original.jpg

geodesic dome funeral home
69
http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/129577051/original.jpg

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Most are broken.

Most are broken.

huh? all are loading for me.

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huh? all are loading for me.

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Might be an iPad. I usually browse with an iPad, and it always only loads about the first 25 pictures. For everything else, I have to go to a desktop/laptop. This is the only site I have experienced this on, though. But I have tried 4 different browsers for the iPad and they all behave the same for SSC.

I used to live in Waco as kid from 1987-1990 and still have a few friends there. It really hasn't changed much, but does have some beautiful sites, especially along the river and lake. By the way, I attended church at the one in picture 40. It is quite impressive inside as well...at least it seemed that way when I was 12. I also remember the video we had to watch on the Waco tornado in 6th grade science class. IMO, Waco never really recovered from that.

Always wondered what Waco looked like and the only reference to it is of course the David Koresh incident in 1993. It looks like a ghost town! Quite creepy!

Yep, that is Waco. I lived there from 1987-1989 and haven't visited since. The couple of years there were good.

It's great to see the downtown area again, however the "life" of the city is not in the downtown area which can give the impression the city is dead. Life is along or near the main drag of the city which is a road called Valley Mills. Like most places in Texas the pedestrian is a afterthought there but there are plenty of cars, people shopping, working and living their lives in that part of town. Plus my favorite thing about Waco was the HUGE lake, which I never tired of. LSyd, did you get any shots of the lake? Oh and Baylor University was alive and well along with a Historically Black University called Paul Quinn College (which I think has since relocated to Dallas).

Downtown Waco, at the time, was just a place to work. Nontheless, it is great seeing the city again.

Nice job, LSyd. :) You really have captured the essence of the downtown area. While most of it still has that abandoned feel, the area around the city hall has been revitalized, where numerous long-planned projects are finally happening. It has begun to resemble what a proper downtown should look like.

So many gems... :drool:

I love the Alico building!

Whats the deal on Baylor getting a new stadium?

God, that place seems DEAD. These pictures don't really do it justice.

I went to downtown Waco once in the middle of the day during a weekday, and saw no one.... kind of eerie.

As for that stadium, I think they're still in planning.

Nice pics Lsyd!

I love the Alico building!

Whats the deal on Baylor getting a new stadium?

Obviously still securing financing from donors for the project, etc, but back in November you may have seen the renderings they released; pretty impressive for sure.

http://www2.baylor.edu/baylorproud/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/BaylorStadium-conceptual-rendering.jpg

http://www2.baylor.edu/baylorproud/2011/11/baylor-regents-unveil-rendering-of-potential-on-campus-football-stadium/

I love the Alico building!


The ALICO Building had one of the most memorable Hollywood cameos in the opening scene of Midnight Cowboy! :yes:

:angel1:Obviously still securing financing from donors for the project, etc, but back in November you may have seen the renderings they released; pretty impressive for sure.

http://www2.baylor.edu/baylorproud/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/BaylorStadium-conceptual-rendering.jpg

http://www2.baylor.edu/baylorproud/2011/11/baylor-regents-unveil-rendering-of-potential-on-campus-football-stadium/
That looks really nice!:banana: Hope to see it built someday. :angel:

thanks for the replies

God, that place seems DEAD. These pictures don't really do it justice.

I went to downtown Waco once in the middle of the day during a weekday, and saw no one.... kind of eerie.

As for that stadium, I think they're still in planning.

the heat index was about 112 when i took these pics. i hadn't been so hot since i was in Kuwait.

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So many gems... :drool:

Yes, but did I miss the oldest building in town - the old Spannish Mission?

the heat index was about 112 when i took these pics. i hadn't been so hot since i was in Kuwait.

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It wasn't NEARLY that hot when I was there...