Question: Which Texas city once claimed the title Cotton Capital of the South?
Answer: Waco. In the late 19th century, more cotton was bought and sold in Waco than in any other non-port city, with 120,000 bales processed in its warehouses and compresses in 1893. The city’s strategic location along the Brazos River and its development as a hub for multiple railroads provided access to lucrative markets for cotton farmers across Central Texas.
Waco’s role in the cotton industry inspired the creation of the Texas Cotton Palace in 1894. Although a fire destroyed the grand event hall the following year, it was rebuilt in 1910 and hosted a two-week exposition to showcase the crop until 1930. Today, while cotton production has shifted to West Texas, the city hosts the Waco Cotton Palace Pageant every year in celebration of its heritage.
