McLennan County Historical Commission

Welcome!

Welcome to the website for the McLennan County Historical Commission!

This commission was created to provide leadership and coordinating services in the field of archeological, historical, and cultural preservation focusing on McLennan County, Texas.

We are charged with the duty of implementing and maintaining programs, services and projects aimed at promoting, restoring, and preserving historically significant information, structures, sites, and landmarks in this county.

We welcome your interest and invite you to learn more about our programs.

In honor of Black History Month, we are proud to highlight the work of Charles Perkins and his research on the Black Freedom Colonies in McLennan County (1865-1895). Please explore the brochure below to learn more about this vital local history. Additionally, mark your calendars for June 15th, when the West Waco Library will host a special event honoring Charles's work—more details to come!

The Latest

Local History Handbook Moves Online

Good news for Waco history lovers! The landmark 1972 “Handbook of Waco and McLennan County, Texas” has officially entered the digital age. The book, long used by researchers, students, and genealogy enthusiasts, is now searchable and available online for free thanks to a digitization initiative led by the McLennan County Historical Commission. This project marks…

Crucial post-Civil War role of Waco, McLennan County Black Churches gets spotlight with event, book

Black churches in McLennan County provided a crucial transition into free communities for Black residents in the decades after emancipation from slavery, said a Waco historian who will share his findings in a Thursday talk at East Waco Library. Read the article →

The Elite 11: A Juneteenth Journey Through McLennan County’s Black Heritage

In this powerful Juneteenth documentary, Charles L. Perkins Sr., Secretary-Treasurer of the McLennan County Historical Commission, uncovers the buried history of 11 historically Black communities in Central Texas—what he calls “The Elite 11.” Through 3,000 miles of travel, over 800 hours of research, and invaluable interviews with living griots like Mrs. Inez Harris-Easley and TC…

1873 Bird's Eye View of Waco, TX

The Crash at Crush: On September 15, 1896, two locomotives hit each other at full speed as a publicity stunt in the newly created "town" of Crush, Texas, in McLennan County.

The Waco Tornado: Still one of the deadliest tornadoes on record, the Waco Tornado ripped through Waco on May 11, 1953, taking 114 lives. Image courtesy The Texas Collection, Baylor University.