Waco Texas

We headed to Waco for one purpose, to see the National Monument. In 2015, Barack Obama designated the Waco Mammoth site a national monument, and put it under the management of the National Park System. The site is well worth a visit if you ever get anywhere near Waco.

Until the discover of these remains, scientists believed that Mammoths were loners, creatures that lived isolated. They believed that because remains were generally found alone. Here in Waco, they discovered remains of what were clearly a herd of Columbian Mammoth, moms and calves – essentially not unlike the Polar Bear denning site we had witnessed near Churchill Manitoba. At this point, scientists believe that the Columbian Mammoths, much larger than Wooly Mammoths, are the largest land mammals ever to roam North America.

Scientists believe the reason for so many remains here is that the area has been a marshy wetland for thousands of years. Mammoths were likely drawn here by water, but were likely more easily trapped in mud due to their weight and perished. If not for the conditions, a large-scale death event would not likely have occurred here as well.

We also learned that Dr. Pepper soda was originally invented in Wade Morrison’s historic Corner Drug Store in town. Charles Alderton, a druggist, created it by mixing an undisclosed combination of the usual soda fountain flavors in the 1880’s. For a long time, the only way to enjoy a Dr. Pepper was to show up at this Morrison’s Corner Drug Store in Waco.

In the early 1900’s, several investors got together and created the Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company to produce and distribute the soda. They apparently picked the site as it sat on a natural artesian spring which provided the early waters for the drink. Today, the Dr. Pepper museum occupies the original bottling plant, and is an interesting collection of all things Pepper, as well as artifacts related to many other non-cola iconic brands, many of which died over the years.

We also found the Waco Suspension Bridge. Built in 1870, it was the longest suspension bridge West of the Mississippi at the time. It was originally a toll bridge as it was the only way to cross the Brazos River without fording it, and folk were happy to pay the freight.

It turns out that the famous Chisholm Trail that brought all the Texas bred steers to the railheads in Kansas in order to get them to East Coast markets actually crossed the Waco Suspension Bridge when it opened. So, now we have walked the entire French Camino de Santiago, a bunch of the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. We can add the Chisholm Trail to that distinguished list.

Talk to you soon!