Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. The city has a 2005 estimated total population of 120,465. It is the 26th largest city by population in Texas, and 195th in the US. The Waco MSA consists of McLennan County and has a population of 226,189.It is served by Waco Regional Airport. The city is the fly-in point for George W. Bush for his visits to his Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford and support personnel and reporters stay in the city's hotels. It is the home of Baylor University. The Dr. Pepper soft drink (originally referred to as "Waco") was established there. The city's name is also applied to a high-profile 1993 siege, despite it having taken place outside the city limits.---------Prior to the founding of the town, a Wichita Native American group known as the "Waco" or "Hueco" lived on the land of contemporary downtown Waco west of the Brazos River. In 1824, on an expedition to the Waco village, Thomas M. Duke reported the following to Stephen F. Austin: "This town is situated on the West Bank of the River about half a mile from the River. They have a spring almost as cold as Ice itself. All we want is some Brandy and Sugar to have Ice Toddy. They have about four hundred acres planted in corn, beans, pumpkins, and melons and that tended in good order. I think they cannot raise more than One Hundred Warriors." After Austin aborted the first attempt to destroy their village in 1825, he made a treaty with them. The Wacos were soon forced to abandon their village due to an invasion in 1830 by the Cherokee (who had been pushed westward in previous decades by colonization), and they moved upstream to what is now Palo Pinto County (west of Fort Worth).-------------------In March 1849, Shapley Ross built the first house in Waco, a double-log cabin on a bluff overlooking the springs. His daughter Kate soon became the first white child to be born in Waco.-----------Downtown Waco is small compared to most other cities, such as Dallas or Houston, however, each day 17,000 people commute to work in downtown. Downtown Waco was built around the Waco Suspension Bridge, which was a crucial crossing of the Brazos River. In May 1953, the worst tornado in Texas history struck downtown Waco killing 114, and injuring hundreds. It caused millions of dollars in damage, and dented Waco's economy for years to come. Downtown Waco is mainly known for the ALICO tower, which was completed in 1910, and was once the tallest structure in the Southwest. Downtown Waco is now the location of the famous Dr Pepper Museum, where Dr Pepper was first invented, and the McLennan County Courthouse.