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Physical Features: Central Texas county of mostly Blackland prairie, but rolling hills in west; drains to Bosque, Brazos rivers and Lake Waco, Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir, Lake Creek Lake; heavy, loam, sandy soils.

Economy: A leading distribution, government center for Central Texas; diversified manufacturing; education; aerospace; health care; bank, insurance headquarters.

History: Tonkawas, Wichitas and Wacos in area. Anglo-American settlers arrived in 1840s. Indians removed to Brazos reservations in 1854. County created from Milam County in 1850; named for settler, Neil McLennan Sr.

Race/Ethnicity: (In percent) Anglo, 56.5; Black, 15.5; Hispanic, 25.9; Other, 2.1.

Vital Statistics, annual: Births, 3,515; deaths, 2,057; marriages, 1,489; divorces, 1,009.

Recreation: Texas Ranger Hall of Fame; Texas Sports Hall of Fame; Dr Pepper Museum; Cameron Park; drag boat races April and May; zoo; historic sites, homes; museums; libraries, art center; symphony; civic theater; Baylor University events; Heart o’ Texas Fair in October.

 Minerals: Sand and gravel.

Agriculture: Beef cattle, corn, wheat, hay, grain sorghum, soybeans, turkeys, dairy cattle. Market value $104.7 million.

Education: Baylor University; community college; Texas State Technical College.

WACO (124,805) county seat; higher education, government/services, varied manufacturing; hospitals; riverside park, zoo.

Hewitt (13,549) iron works, other manufacturing; hamburger cookoff in September.

West (2,807) famous for Czech foods; varied manufacturing; Westfest Labor Day weekend.

Waco Suspension Bridge, built in 1869. Photo by John Pronk.

Other towns include: Axtell (300); Bellmead (9,901); Beverly Hills (1,995); Bruceville-Eddy (1,475, partly in Falls County); China Spring (1,281); Crawford (717); Elm Mott (300); Gholson (1,061); Hallsburg (507); Lacy-Lakeview (6,489); Leroy (337); Lorena (1,691); Mart (2,209) agricultural center, some manufacturing, museum, juvenile correction facility.

Also, McGregor (4,987) agriculture, manufacturing, distribution; private telephone museum; Frontier Founders Day in September; Moody (1,371) agriculture, commuting to Waco, Temple; library; Cotton Harvest fest in September; Riesel (1,007); Robinson (10,509); Ross (283); Woodway (8,452).

Part of Golinda (559, mostly in Falls County) and part of Valley Mills (1,203, mostly in Bosque County).