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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: Agribusiness, education, health services.

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

Race/Ethnicity: (In percent) Anglo, 56.0; Black, 15.0; Hispanic, 26.4; Asian, 1.7; Other, 1.2; Two or more races, 2.0.

Vital Statistics, annual: Births, 3,528; deaths, 2,123; marriages, 1,576; divorces, 886.

Recreation: Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, museum; 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, gravel, limestone.

Agriculture: Corn, silage, wheat, beef cattle, dairies. Market value $183 million.

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

WACO (136,706) county seat; aerospace/aviation, manufacturing, higher education, medical services/hospitals, government/services; riverside park, historic suspension bridge, zoo; Waco Mommonth National Monument; wine festivals in April and October.

Hewitt (14,217) iron works, other manufacturing; hamburger cookoff in September.

West (2,940) 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 (10,655); Beverly Hills (2,025); Bruceville-Eddy (1,873, partly in Falls County); China Spring (1,378); Crawford (745); Elm Mott (300); Gholson (1,088); Hallsburg (504); Lacy-Lakeview (6,671); Leroy (336); Lorena (1,766); Mart (1,907) agricultural center, some manufacturing, museum, juvenile correction facility.

Also, McGregor (5,155) agriculture, manufacturing, distribution; private telephone museum; Frontier Founders Day in September; Moody (1,393) agriculture, commuting to Waco, Temple; library; Cotton Harvest fest in September; Riesel (1,027); Robinson (11,617); Ross (300); Woodway (8,955).

Part of Golinda (600, mostly in Falls County) and part of Valley Mills (1,220, mostly in Bosque County).