In 2023 we received a grant from the City of Waco to improve the historic Trolley Stop on 28th and Trice. We decided to remove the old wooden benches with splinters in them and install sleek and weather-resistant ones:
In 2024, we received another grant for the trolley stop, and we decided to apply for a Texas Historical Marker. Historical markers are awarded by the State of Texas after a competitive review process by both a County Historical Commission and the State of Texas. We are proud to say that Dean Highland’s trolley stop has been recognized as an integral part of Texas history. The official historical marker is still, as of December of 2025, being built by the foundry that creates the markers. You can read the essay that brought the historical marker to our neighborhood here. To accomplish this feat, we collaborated with Baylor University’s Texas Collection, the City of Waco’s Parks & Rec department, and the City of Waco’s excellent Neighborhood Engagement team.
In 2025 we restored and revitalized the landscape of the trolley stop. To do this, we partnered with the City of Waco’s Parks & Rec department, Waco Landscapes & Irrigation (a private contractor who donated most of its work to the neighborhood), and the City of Waco’s Neighborhood Engagement team. We reconnected an old irrigation system back to the trolley stop, trimmed the trees, revitalized the landscape, and ensured that City maintenance will be routine again. We also installed an interpretive sign that includes an old map of Waco’s electric railways and explains the broader significance of Dean Highland’s role in Waco. You can view the sign here, but do be sure to get out and see the trolley stop in person, too.
You can find it here:
And here is a closer gander of the trolley stop’s location:
