Baylor University has been an integral part of Waco’s development since it moved to Waco from Independence in 1886. Founded in 1845 by R.E.B. Baylor, William Tryon, and James Huckins in Independence, Texas, the university moved to Waco when Independence began to decline due to its lack of a railroad line. Once there, Baylor merged with a local college called Waco University. Baylor University was one of the many institutions of higher learning that earned Waco the nickname "the Athens of...
