The Waco Citizen (Waco, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 71, Ed. 1 Friday, August 8, 1980 Page: 5 of 50
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THE WACO CITIZEN, FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1980 PAGE 5
“Why I Like ”
The letter below by Ms. Linda Oliver of 912 Maxfield in Bellmead
was chosen by the judges as the best letter received in the “Why I
Like Waco” contest. Ms. Oliver will receive $25 cash prize.
Following the winning letter are other entries we received in this con-
test. The Citizen staff wants to thank all the people who took the time
to sit down and tell us why they decided to make Waco their home.
Texas Once a Dream
As a youngster growing up on a farm in
Missouri, my imagination and curiosity was
sparked by the dreams of an old neighbor.
His name was Mr. Thurman. He and “the
Mrs.” (as he called her) had a large family,
and he labored hard to care for them.
His dream was to someday retire and
move to Texas. He spoke of his dream to
everyone, as if talking about it would make it
really happen. And always his wife smiled
and nodded, agreeing that someday Texas
would be there home.
Mr. Thurman’s dreams made it sound as
eternally rewarding as dying and going to
heaven. Having never been far from home, I
visualized it as such a wonderful, glorious
place. I never dreamed it would someday be
my home.
An unplanned set of circumtances led me
to Texas. However, it was by choice that I
decided to live in Waco. This decision was
made the first time I drove through it; I liked
Will, Attitude,
A life long dream of living in Texas was
completed with a purchase of a home in
Waco.
You’lls known as the “Hub of Texas”--
quite an honor that you should be proud of it
you are not aware of it.
To the people in Waco that say whats so
great about our town here goes-
Waco you are a small town growing into a
city in excess of 100,000 people. You have
clean fresh air to breath and easy access to
all parts of your sprawling city.
Let your imagination carry you to the past
and remember those Cotton Palace days and
the great industry they once represented.
Did you know that you have what was once
the longest suspension bridge in the world
and it is still standing and could be ser-
viceable. In its backyard is a Tall building
(ALICO) That had its basement & footings
dug by Fresno and horses and is still in use
by modern day business-
In the wake of its shadows on the banks at
the Brazos are big machines moving dirt for
a new park. Slowly moving up stream the
Brazos Queen shows off the beautiful sights
of today and yesterday-
For the out-of-doors types you provide
many views and experiences in the way of
Comeron Park, Lake Waco, Fort Fisher
(don’t forget to try one of Campell’s ham-
burgers at the Fort), a zoo, and outlying
areas of rolling hills and wide open spaces-
with night fall peace & quite abounds with
it immediately. The cleanliness, beauty,
historical impact, and friendliness-it all
convinced me Waco is where I want to live
and raise my family.
Now that Waco has been my home for
several years, I realize something about our
city. It is the embodiment of the whole state,
condensed into one city. If the whole, won-
derful, proud state of Texas was magically
reduced to a city, it would be Waco.
Waco has the lakes, rivers, hills, flat land,
trees, flowers, educational institutions,
businesses, entertainment, nationality of
people, and spirit to equal any place in
Texas.
As I frequently savor the thought that
Waco has it all, I think of Mr. Thurman
toiling for his family. I wonder if his dream
ever came true. Mine did.
Linda Oliver
912 Maxfield
Conscience, Opinion
the sound of cricketts penitrating the calm.
You are not with out the problems of
visible growth pains-letting your main town
area ghost town away into shopping centers
and suburbien, but with foresight which you
are showing, hopefully you will recover that
part of your cities heritage-
Waco you provide the education second to
one-Baylor University, Paul Quinn, MCC,
ad TSTI-a variety needed in todays varried
nd ever changing world-
You have an abundance of manufacturing,
Tourism, conventions, agribusiness,
education, medical facilities, a veterans
hospital, in essence a well rounded means of
income producing jobs and growth for the
community-
A bit of triva is in line-You have one of the
oldest and few. remaining western hat
manufaturers, you are the original home of
10-2-4 (Dr. Pepper), you have a 76 year old
man that rides a bike in excess of ten miles a
day-to the library, city hall, the bank, etc,
and least should we forget the Texas Hall of
Fame and Mussum for The Texas Rangers.
Waco you have a symphony, museum,
park, zoo, Heart o’ Texas coliseium, art
center, and beautiful old houses of years past
plus new developments that are tastefully
designed.
I am probably boring you with the many
interest of your city that you are aware of,
but am ving details to your citizens that they
should be proud of.
I am proud to be a member of your com-
munity, keep up your progressive attitude-
you are developing and you will become a
city enious of your big brothers & sisters to
the north & south.
Your name stands for Will, Attitude,
Conscience, and Opinion all of which con-
stitute to an endless time of steady and
progressive growth-
SteveBerggren
Box 1342
Waco Better Than Home
Even though I moved from Waco 5 years
ago I go back alot to visit my grandparents.
So you see I still get to see much of it.
I like Waco because everyone (including
me), in my family was born in Waco except
my father. I also like it because friends live
there, it has a bigger and better mall than
ours in Bryan, it has a nice zoo, it has lots of
restaurants and shopping centers to pick
from, and because it has a neat, new water
slide at Lions Park.
Molly Gritter
3815 Woodmere
Bryan, Tx. 77801
Wacoans Stick Together
I like Waco because everyone seems to
stick together when the rest of the big cities
are falling apart.
Waco people always come through when
someone needs them like a family whose
child is injured or disabled and needs some
help or just a hug to let them know we care.
Or a family house has been destroyed with
all their earthly possessions.
Waco always cares about their neighbors
who are left behind to pick up the pieces.
Of all the places I’ve lived WACO is the
Best.
Linda Eaton
3127 Lasku
Great People!
The best thing about Waco is the people! I
was born here and was graduated from Waco
High and Baylor University. After marriage
in 1942, my husband and I lived in 9 Texas
towns in 10 years; then we returned to Waco
because from here, you can go anywhere, but
you just don’t want to!
We were glad to have our 3 children attend
and graduate from Waco schools. We met
many friends at church in Camp Fire,
Scouting, Little League, tennis, football,
basketball, track events, music and dance
recitals.
Waco is located in the central part of Texas
where the beautiful Bosque River flows into
the Brazos. There is a 500-acre Cameron
Park. We have McLennan Community
College, Texas Technical Institute, Paul
Quinn College besides Baylor University, the
largest Baptist college in the world. We have
the Methodist Home for Children, Success
Motivation Institute, and WORD BOOKS,
Inc. Recent developments include Riverside
Drive and Waco Convention Center.
Waco was the home of Madison Cooper,
who wrote Sironia, U.S.A. Our airport is
named for Madison Cooper. We have many
fine banks, churches, schools, lovely homes,
a good lake, wonderful doctors and two fine
hospitals, both always in the process of
expanding. We have many good retirement
homes including the Regis and Stilwell.
There is a condominium called Lake Air
Towers. We have several well-developed
shopping centers.
As the fromer Governor Pat M. Neff used
to tell us students when he was President of
Baylor University, there are two kinds of
people: those born in Texas and those who
come here when they learn better!
Pawnee Martin
2316 North 9th, Waco, Tx. 76710
Waco Has Much to Offer
I am very glad to have this chance to say
just why I like Waco. I have been in Waco
just over a year, and I am very glad I moved
here. Waco has so much to offer, the schools
are great. The people are so friendly. The
unemployment rate in Waco doesn’t seem as
high as in other parts of the country. I like
the size of the town, not to big or to small.
Waco has one of the most beautiful lakes I
have ever seen, and so many nice clean
parks. Between the JC’S and the chamber of
commerce, there is always something going
on. One never has to be bored in Waco. There
is always some place to go, and something to
do. Waco is alot cleaner town than some of
the same size I have seen. The police dept,
seems to be very good, and very well run.
Waco is growing, and more people really are
Waking up to Waco. I like the way the people
are always trying to improve things. The
new fashion mall for instance. Waco pays
attention to it’s youth. They try to keep the
kids busy in the summer, weather with jobs,
are recreation, the kids pretty well stay out
of trouble. I could go on and on, but to me
Waco is just a great a great place to live, and
to raise kids.
Beverly Nath
P.S.
I came here from Iowa, and just love
everything about it. I won’t want to leave
here.
“Waco Has It All”
It has been my home since I was 18 yrs
old”
Like they say it is a friendly town-good
neighbors-
I know from experience, one can always
get a job of some kind, may not be what one
wants, but you dan always have and eye out
for something blitter. I can remember during
the depression I' needePwork bad with 2 kids
2-4~so I took the first thing I could find-
would you believe-a tavern but as I said I
was lookin and got a job with Leslie Chicken
Shack-
We have lived in this house since 1945—It
isn’t the prettest house in Waco but it is
among the best in homes.
We love it, our kids, and grandkids love it.
Even our friends kids like to come visit-
It never changes-but who wants a change-
We don’t try to keep up with anyone-
I feel very lucky to live here in Waco-have
a good Christian husband and kids-
We are close to church grocery store-
laundry and bus line-who could ask for
anything more-
“Waco has it all”
We have watched Waco grow and love
every inch of it.
If one wants a job and good life-come to
Waco my home town
M. Stengel
1008 S. 19th
Waco Nice
I am writing in on your contest because, I
do like many things about Waco. Most people
are very nice, and I was born in Waco. I was
born June 17th, 1935 at Providence Hospital
and until about over a year ago Oct. thought
Waco couldn’t be beat. But then the City of
Waco allowed the Magic Music to put a Metal
building, in out neighborhood. They can be
heard for apx. 4 to 5 city blocks. Almost all
the other business in the area have closed
and went home or etc. But about 9:00 p.m.
Thur. Fri. Sat. night they take control of the
neighbor-hood. Some City officials have
driven by and said it wasn’t bad. But if you
won’t to go to bed after a hard day’s work it
something else. We wouln’t mind sound-
proofing our house so we could sleep but the
Disco Sound can’t be controled. Some neigh-
bors have Prem-Istone, panneling storm
windows and insulation. They can still hear
the banging of the drums. My Doctor suggest
we move, but so far we haven’t been able to
because of loss of value of our property & the
city wants to go up on taxes. What I want to
let the people all over the U.S. Canada,
Mexico & England know, Waco is nice, but if
you want to sleep on Friday, Thursday &
Sunday night, don’t buy property in hearing
range of the Magic Music if noise bothers
you. Ask about 100 others, in the area.
Martha Schmidt
2401 Colonial
Proud to Be a Wacoan
I have visited a sister here quite often-
coming from Houston where I lived a
number of years since coming from Okla.
Now since the loss of my husband and later
my daughter I sold my home and brought a
mobile home here two years ago this Oct.
Continued on Page 7
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V®
Sixty Years of Serving
As Hillcrest Baptist Hospital enters her
60th year, we the staff of Hillcrest rededicate
ourselves to the provision of quality patient
care.
In a time of highly advanced technology,
inflation and excessive regulations, we will
continue to provide quality health care at the
most reasonable cost consistent with pro-
fessional standards.
Hillcrest is a local institution, staffed by
committed people, ever responsive to the
medical needs of Waco and the Central Texas
community.
^Caring and Serving...Our Purpose is
more than just our motto—it reflects the love,
thoughtfulness and genuine personal interest
for which each of us at Hillcrest strives as we
serve the people of this area.
■ I ■ Hospital
Alton Pearson, President
(817) 756-8011
) . Box 5100 V
3000 Herring
ESP IV
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Foster, C. A. The Waco Citizen (Waco, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 71, Ed. 1 Friday, August 8, 1980, newspaper, August 8, 1980; Waco, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth621463/m1/5/?q=waco+tornado: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .