MAGNOLIA TABLE
Magnolia Table just celebrated its first anniversary in Waco. Chip and Joanna Gaines have created a terrific restaurant. Service is excellent, and the food is scrumptious. Joanna’s taste is reflected throughout the décor and the menu. The food is straightforward comfort and filling. It was a busy Friday morning when I arrived. I was seated promptly, and Casey, my server, quickly advised me of the highlights of the menu. I selected the Farm Breakfast, which included eggs, bacon, tater tots, and a biscuit. Everything was excellent; I found the tots a bit dense for my taste, but the biscuit was light and buttery. I was chatting with Mike and Diane from Plano at the table next to me when Mike offered me a taste of his pancakes. They were out of this world good!
Magnolia Table can get busy and has been known to have a substantial wait time, but it’s worth the wait and your taste buds. Make sure to stop by when in Waco, I know you won’t be disappointed.
WACO MAMMOTH NATIONAL MONUMENT
The Waco Mammoth National Monument is the actual site where, in 1978, two local men, Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin, found a three-foot bone of a Columbian Mammoth. The Mammoth existed during the Ice Age. Teams were quickly dispatched to the site, and a building was ultimately constructed over it to preserve it. Of the 107 acres, only 2 acres have been uncovered.
Between 1978 and 1997, twenty-two fossil remains of mammoths were discovered. The best theory to date is that a nursery herd of mammoths drowned in the rising waters of the nearby Bosque River. The massive creatures were about fourteen feet tall and weighed about twenty thousand pounds, with tusks about sixteen feet long.
Jeremy, our Ranger tour guide, walked us through thousands of years of the area’s history surrounding this unique archaeological find.
https://www.nps.gov/waco/index.htm
HOMESTEAD CRAFT VILLAGE
Homestead Craft Village is located about five miles north of Waco. This unique craft village is the campus of the Ploughshare Institute for Sustainable Culture. Here you can learn hands-on the techniques used in each craft area, from ironwork to pottery.
I especially enjoyed Brazos Valley Cheese. After a tasting at Brazos, I purchased a wedge of cheese for my friends and me to enjoy. I understand from locals that Café Homestead offers a superior breakfast and lunch menu.
Don’t miss the unique village when in Waco. It’s well worth the short drive.
https://www.homesteadcraftvillage.com/
TEXAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame was the brainchild of Sports Editor Thad Johnson in 1949. The Hall of Fame opened initially been on May 23, 1981, in Grand Prairie, but closed in 1986. In 1990, members of the Waco community devised a plan to relocate the Hall of Fame to Waco.
On April 16, 1993, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame held its grand opening in Waco on the Campus of Baylor University. The museum also houses the Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame, the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, and Texas’ preeminent college conference, the Southwest Conference (SWC), in this 35,000-square-foot facility.
The Southwest Conference exhibit displays the grand history of college athletics in Texas. Unfortunately, the Southwest Conference was broken up in 1996. It is a walk down memory lane to review the teams’ mascots and famous games.
The Hall of Fame exhibit is enormous and jam-packed with every sport played today. From Heisman trophies to Nolan Ryan’s no-hitter baseballs, there is something here for everyone. The Tom Landry Theater and the artifacts inside are not to be missed.
The Friday Night Lights exhibit evokes memories of the pain and the glory of the high school football games we attended in our youth.
The Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame is a large exhibit about the history of the sport as well as its grand history in Texas.
The Hall of Fame inductees for 2019 were just announced: Tennis Star Maureen Connolly Brinker (deceased), NFL kicker Tony Franklin, Houston Texans Wide Receiver Andre Johnson, basketball star Nancy Lieberman, University of Arkansas Outland Trophy winner Loyd Phillips, MLB pitcher Greg Swindell and Dallas Cowboys Tight End Jason Witten. The ceremony will take place on March 30th and is sure to be a sellout.
MAYBORN MUSEUM
The Mayborn Museum is also located on the Baylor University Campus. I made a quick visit to the museum and enjoyed a look at the Strecker’s Cabinets of Curiosities and the Hall of Natural History.
The information on the Mammoth National Monument added to what I learned at the Monument earlier in the day. The Historic Village is an interesting look at life in the 1890s. Take some time here, adult and children will enjoy the stories held here.
https://www.baylor.edu/mayborn/
DR. PEPPER MUSEUM
The Dr. Pepper Museum, located in downtown Waco, offers a look back at the soft drink’s origins. The unique and refreshing drink was created by pharmacist Charles Alderton at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in 1885. It is America’s oldest soft drink.
By 1891, the Dr. Pepper Company had been born. The 1904 World’s Fair would be the drink’s major unveiling to some twenty million people. Dr. Pepper would soon become known worldwide.
The Dr. Pepper Museum is housed in the original 1906 Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company in downtown Waco. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the “Home of Dr Pepper.” While only a small portion of the building opened to the public in 1991, construction continued, and the entire building was opened in 1997. The museum continues its mission in preserving the history of this delicious soft drink. Visitors will now receive a soft drink with a ticket purchase. Visitors will walk back in time through the hallways of this iconic building and Waco’s original soft drink.
MAGNOLIA SILOS
The Magnolia Silos are a very popular destination in Waco. Chip and Joanna Gaines converted two old grain silos into a destination for food and fun. The Magnolia Market features housewares, and the Chips corner will make you understand what ‘Demo day’ is all about. The Silo Bakery usually has a line out the door, but service is quick for the delicious cookies and fantastic cupcakes.
The Silos also feature several food trucks. From barbecue to sandwiches, you can’t go wrong here for good eatin’.
