Things to do in Waco: Homestead Heritage

  

VISITOR'S TIPS:

• There is no cost to tour the site, making it an excellent stop for Waco's slender-budgeted college kids looking for an afternoon of entertainment. However, the food at the Cafe isn't cheap, and the products in the shops can be quite expensive. Bring upwards of $50 if you want to do some serious shopping. 

• Be prepared to do a lot of walking. The shops aren't what I'd call close-set, and if you're not wearing comfortable clothes or shoes, you probably won't have a great time. You'll spend a fair amount of time walking from shop to shop if you want to see everything. However, the complex is beautifully landscaped and filled with inspiring views of nature, so the walking is really part of the experience.

• And speaking of your wardrobe choices, the shop employees and community members dress very conservatively. If you're uncomfortable with being the odd one out, reconsider traipsing around in shorts and high heels. I didn't pay attention to this rule during my first visit and I stuck out like a sore thumb. However, the Homestead Heritage people didn't openly stare or comment on my wardrobe choice, so you won't be made to feel uncomfortable, even though you may be differently dressed.  

• The people that work there are quite friendly and will answer questions if you ask, however, news organizations have reported that answers may come from a list of talking points provided to employees. I don't know if this is true or not, but it is a persistent rumor in the Waco community. 

• No one attempted to talk to me about my religion while I was there. I liked this. In fact, more strangers will try to talk to you about your religion on Baylor's campus than this self-professed religious community. This is a point in favor of Homestead Heritage. 

ON TO THE POST!

The shady, tree-lined drive leading to the visitors' complex of the Homestead Heritage site gives you a hint of what you'll find when you get there: a tourist site in harmony with the natural world. 

No high-rise condos or hotels here, no —the Visitors Center includes a few shops, a cafe and plenty of room to explore the immaculately landscaped complex that adjoins the group's land. Despite the prominence of nature and the prevalent flower beds and trees,  the manicured look of the place doesn't suggest wildness so much as a nature that has been subdued to the iron will and low-tech tools of its human inhabitants.   

Homestead Heritage is a religious organization which has come under fire for being cult-like from several news organizations, including the local CBS affiliate and the Texas Observer. If you see a member of the community around Waco, you'll certainly recognize them. The women wear long skirts, long-sleeved shirts and no makeup. The men typically wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. All this in spite of the punishing Texas heat.

The community calls to mind the Amish, with its emphasis on natural production and avoidance of modern technology and modes of dress.  

The Homestead Heritage community is involved in the life of Waco proper without being a part of it. Cafe Homestead is quite popular, with it's heavenly menu of freshly-prepared and naturally-produced food. The prices are reasonable, if not cheap — a plate will run you about ten bucks — and the selection is startling in its complexity, despite the smallness of the menu. The options range from falafel (my favorite) to a Mexican-style cheeseburger creation complete with a mouth-watering secret Taco sauce. There isn't a bad option on the menu. 

The selection of teas, tea blends and desserts seems to rotate, but like the menu proper, you can't go wrong with anything you choose. Dessert and drinks aren't included in the cost of a plate, so be prepared to go up in price to enjoy your meal accessories. 

Members of the community also frequent Waco's popular Downtown Farmer's Market, where there are several stalls from Homestead Heritage members who typically sell agricultural products.  

However, apart from offering delicious food for sale in the community, it's rare to see a Homestead Heritager walking around town. They keep to themselves.  Once I came across a group of them playing in Indian Springs Park downtown, and it surprised me. They looked quite out-of-place. I've often wondered if their distinctive dress doesn't make socializing in the Waco community difficult and a little awkward. Entering the Visitors Complex, though, you may feel a little out of place, especially depending on your mode of  dress. See the Visitors Tips, above. 

The Center is located a little off the beaten trail, about a 15-minute drive from Waco itself. Below are some pictures  I snapped last time I was there.

I'm not sure what this building was used for, but it was very picturesque. 

The shot comes from inside Heritage Furniture, the woodworking shop. Inside, in addition to the tools used in making the furniture, were several examples of the furniture itself, including award-winning pieces that have garnered attention at the State Fair. My favorite piece was an unfinished violin, below. The shop offers classes for those interested in making their own furniture.

The available professions appear segregated by sex. I saw no women in the blacksmith or woodworking shops, but no men in the pottery shop or the weaving building. 

The Gristmill, where grain products and fun baking mixes are sold, is powered by an old-fashioned water wheel. Like the other shops, the products struck me as a little expensive, but anything you buy is guaranteed to be of quality, and you're unlikely to find anything else like it, and so I'm okay with the prices.

The center was beautifully landscaped along the trails that led to each shop, featuring a variety of flowers and shrubs that provide a colorful afternoon for an amateur photographer like myself.