McLennan County, situated in Central Texas, has been home to humans for thousands of years. Established by the Texas Legislature in 1850, it was named after Neil McLennan, one of the first settlers. Since 1872, the county's political history has been dominated by the Democratic Party, with the exception of 1928 when Republican Herbert Hoover won the presidential election. In 1981, local lawyer Rollin Khoury made history by becoming the first Republican to win a seat in the state legislature from McLennan County. The McLennan County Republican Party was formed in 1954 and held its first primary elections that year.
The Waco and Northwestern Railroads opened tracks between Bremond and Ross in 1872, providing McLennan County with access to markets in Houston and Central Texas. This helped to revive the county's economy after the Great Depression. McLennan County was part of the colonization grant that Robert Leftwich obtained from the Mexican government in 1825 and became part of the Robertson colony. One of the earliest land grants in the area was to Thomas Jefferson Chambers on April 26, 1832. During World War II, McLennan County made significant contributions, including Rich Field, Doris Miller (awarded the Navy Cross for heroism in Pearl Harbor) and James Connally (a renowned local fighter pilot).Built in 1901, the McLennan County Courthouse is a functioning justice center as well as Waco's most impressive civic building. By 1987, the number of Mexican Americans in McLennan County had increased to 18,872, making up 10 percent of the population.
The data presented on this page does not reflect the opinion of McLennan County and its employees or that of Zippia.
