While in Waco we went on many tours.
Two that I already blogged about are Share Our World: Magnolia Tour and Art Talk: Armstrong Browning Library and Museum
I am a big fan of tours. If you are too... then let's go on a van tour of Waco!
Easily the most talked about and easily recognizable building in Waco is the ALICO building.
That might be because it is the tallest building in Waco with 22 stories
Or it might be because it with stood the 1953 tornado that destroyed much of Waco.
Or maybe because it is 113 years old. It was built in 1910.
Or maybe because it is the 2nd oldest skyscraper in Texas, and Texas is BIG.
Or maybe because it is a historical landmark.
Whatever the reason we heard about it on both the Waco tour and the Magnolia tour.
If you are a fan of this fizzy drink then you might have liked to join a couple of the gals on the trip as they went to the Dr. Pepper Museum. They said it was very cool and one came back with a lot of Dr. Pepper paraphernalia.
The old church on the Magnolia property and one of the shotgun houses that was featured on Fixer Upper.
Out of all the things we saw on this tour, the Church Under the bridge is the most inspirational.
This picture you see here of the underside of a bridge for cars is the location of a church that has been going for 30 years.
Jimmy Dorrell and his wife Janet invited some of the homeless people under the bridge to eat with them and after while the group so big they started Mission Waco's Friday Morning breakfasts.
Some of the people under the bridge asked Jimmy to come do bible study with them. He said yes and the Church under the bridge was started.
They were closed during COVID and are up and running again. If you would like to read more this is a really interesting Q&A with Jimmy Dorrell, pastor of Church Under the Bridge
A very cool thing about the tour is that they took us to an ice cream shop and treated us all to a scoop of ice cream.
Next door to the Ice cream shop is a cute Coffee shop. They are both very close to Baylor University and the tour guide told us that this coffee shop was started by a Baylor student. In addition to a cool place to hang out, study and get coffee it is also a concert venue.
Like the church under the bridge I would not have given more than a passing nod to this colorful mural. It is the side of the East Waco Public Library and on the second panel to the right is Doris Miller. Who is Dorris Miller you ask? I did too. He is was a courageous young man that was born in Waco, Texas in 1919 and died during World War II defending his country and friends. He was a cook who was serving on a battleship during the attack on Pearl Harbor and he shot down 4-6 Japanese planes using a machine gun that he was not trained on because his fellow sailors were wounded. He was the first black American to be awarded the Navy Cross, for valor. The Nueclar powered aircraft scheduled to launch in 2029 will be named after Miller. What did I tell you, tours are the Best!
If I had more time in Waco I would have loved to explore Cameron Park, especially the great animal statues as you drive to the zoo. They were awesome. The van took us to this overlook.
What would a tour of Waco be like if we didn't get to see more things related to Magnolia/ Chip and Joanna/ Fixer upper.
Clint Harp was the wood worker on Fixer Upper and has a store that we got to visit. I bought the best wooden spatula, I have been looking one for so long and I love it!
| Little Shop on Bosque (Jo's first store) | ||
|---|---|---|
| One of the houses that was on Fixer Upper |
We also got to see The Castle which is Chip and Joanna's latest renovation season. I came home and immediately started watching it. It was so fun and gorgeous after a year of their renovations.
It was so fun to drive around together, get fun treats, and learn some of Waco great history.
Sources:
ALICO building
Q&A with Jimmy Dorrell, pastor of Church Under the Bridge
Dorris Miller
Share Our World Series
2021 posts are here 4 Year Hive Birthday (2021)
All the 2020 posts are here 3 year anniversary on HIVE
All the 2019 posts are here My 2019 Steem Journey
All the 2018 posts are here My Year Journey on Steem
