Neighborhoods of Waco

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Waco, a Texas city of around 120,000, is unusual in that it, unlike most cities its size, has areas that are referred to much like many larger cities. These aren't official government neighborhoods, but rather common names given by the residents.

Waco is first divided into three "sides": the North Side, the South Side, and the East Side. Each side is then broken up into different sectors, or neighborhoods. Many sectors have their own history, culture, and even slang and accents.

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[edit] North Side

The North Side of Waco is actually west when looking at a map. This area started out as pasture and farmland when Waco was founded in 1849, but it was quickly developed starting in the 1920's. It was unharmed by the 1953 Tornado, but has, like the other two sides, fallen victim to Urban Decay as the more wealthy move out to Woodway, Hewitt, and Crawford. The North Side is Waco's most diverse side, with a blend of White, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian cultures.

There are eight sectors in the North Side. They are:

  • Parkside
  • Transeco (Pronounced TRANS-əko)
  • Providence Heights
  • Parkdale (also called the Westside)
  • North End (also called Cedar Ridge)
  • Upper Bosque
  • Lower Bosque
  • Lakeside/Greenleaf

[edit] South Side

The South Side, to the east in reality, is home to the heart of Waco. It is where the city was born and much of its history was created. It was a prospering area until 1953, when it was devastated by the Tornado of 1953. It also suffers from Urban decay, although the area around Baylor University is being renewed. The South Side is a largely Hispanic community, and is home to many restaurants and stores of the Mexican culture.

There are eight sectors in the South Side. They are:

[edit] East Side

The East Side, to the north and on the other side of the Brazos River, is a historically African-American side. Once the center of African-American culture in Texas, it too was harmed by the 1953 Tornado. The East Side made a significant recovery, only to fall again when Paul Quinn College, a historically black college, moved to Dallas in 1990. The East Side has never recovered since. Although all three sides experience prevalent gang activities, gang violence is rampant in the East Side. The City of Waco is taking steps at not only eliminating violence, but restoring the East Side's pride as well.

There are three sectors in the East Side. They are:

  • Carver Park
  • Elm
  • Brooklyn

[edit] Other Sectors

There are other sectors in Waco that do not fit into one of the three sides. They are:

  • East Industrial (North of the East Side)
  • West Industrial (South of the North Side; near Hewitt; often called Hewitt)
  • Buena Vista (Northeast of the East Side; near Bellmead)
  • Steinbeck Bend (Northwest of the North Side; near the airport)
  • China Spring (North of Lake Waco)

[edit] Surrounding Cities

Though not a part of Waco, these cities depend deeply on Waco's economy:

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