Waco, Texas story
The Texana Treasure
The massive archives of The Texas Collection.
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If you want to know everything there is to know about the Lone Star State, head to the Carroll Library Building. Inside is The Texas Collection, one of the largest privately held collections of Texana in the world. Founded in 1923 with a gift from Dr.
Kenneth Hazen Aynesworth, it has grown into a behemoth of history. We're talking nearly 200,000 volumes and over 1.4 million photographs. It even holds the panoramic views of Waco captured by photographer Fred A.
Gildersleeve. It's an archival treasure chest that keeps the spirit of Texas documented for everyone to see.
Updated June 2026