Directions to the Mt. Carmel Site in Waco

Posted by Steven Benjamin (wertq) on February 18, 2009, 12:47 pm

I just thought some may be coming by here looking for directions to Mt. Carmel or some in here may be going there for the first time. Despite the political histories involved, I don’t think new comers should have any difficulty in accessing the site provided they show up during daylight hours. There is a back way into the site which is only in truth about 5 minutes from town. I don’t know all the names of the roads, but have been down it a couple of times. Not too hard to find, but for sake the traditional directions are listed here, these are the ones I was first given, and it will take you through about 5 to 8 miles of rural route, at least it felt that way driving it, and is about 15 or 20 minutes tops from the main highway {35}. After you get there, if you want to go the back way into town which is much quicker, follow EE Ranch Road all the way to the end, take a left on Old Mexia Road, follow that road all the way to the end it will change names, and there be a stop sign but I don’t really recall, anyway it will become Campground Road, but will still be the same road and it will end at loop 340, take a right, you will be in town in about 2 minutes. Now this is the quick way to town from Mt. Carmel and also the quick to Mt. Carmel from town especially if your going to be in the motel districts. But, most people in the region will give the following directions which are in truth the long way, but more widely known to the locals there. Mount Carmel Massacre Site Address: Waco, TX COMING FROM AUSTIN, You will travel I-35 north to loop 340. You will take a right, and the sign will say Loop 340/HWY 6 you will go about 5 or 6 miles I think, but for certain, I know you will cross one bridge which goes over a set of train tracks, then you will go under another bridge, an overpass and there will be a little conveince store on your left, that is your last chance for gas, so keep it in mind, cause it gets country from there. Not too far though. After going under the underpass you will take a right about a mile or two up the road not long after the 4 lanes become two, the road you will turn on will be Hwy 2491 (Elk Rd) about five miles east of Loop 340. You’ll come to a split in the road, but stay on 2491 which bears to the left. Look for the large blue water towers on your right. Double EE Ranch Rd will be right across from the water towers. They will be the only water towers on the road to that point, so they are not hard to miss. Not far from the split you’ll see large, wavy metal gates on the left (Double E Ranch Rd). Just beyond that property is a gravel road on the left (Double EE Ranch Rd). Turn down that gravel road, I think it may be paved now, but a hundred yards or so down You will see a house on the left, that is the house the agents were living in for several months before the seige. right across the road is the entrance to Mt. Carmel, from the main road The Mount Carmel property is a short distance on the right, a city block or so at best, likely less. Now like I said, those directions will take you about 10 or 15 minutes, 20 depending on how you handle country drives, to arrive from the main Hwy 77/I-35 which runs North and South. From Mt. Carmel, if your immediate interest is gas or eats, like I said, the back way is only about 5 or 10 minutes total to arrive in town. I have got family on Mexia road. I was once told they could “SEE MT. CARMEL” that is a bit of an exagerration depending on the context. They could most definitely see those funnels of smoke, but I am sure most of Waco could as well, certainly anyone on the North side of town, and I was told my family bunkered down on the side of the house opposite Mt. Carmel during the intial seige, and that is most believable, with all those rounds being fired from both sides. It is in truth maybe a mile or less from Mt. Carmel as the crow flies. And I used to hang out with some rowdy rednecks who use to love to shoot thier SKS rounds into the woods adjacent thier property. After a year or so, A guy came by once, making inquiry, and pleading, “PLEASE STOPS SHOOTING YOUR GUNS…I Live Two miles on the other side of those woods, and me and my wife hear those rounds fly over our heads and have been scared to death. I have been hearing those shots go off, and hunting the source for MONTHS!!” yeah, those bullets people shoot in the air, eventually have to come down somewhere, and can still have the velocity to kill. I have been in a couple gunfights, I won’t list the details, but I can tell you I have also been shot at when I was empty handed and unsuspecting, and there is whole ‘nuther’ level of terror when your taken unsuspecting to those rounds above your head. If you are going to go to Mt. Carmel, and have never been, I recommend being polite if you should encounter anyone. But I can tell you from years of experience, they know people will come, and if like last year or in years past even when Clive was there, the gate will be open, and you likely will not be approached unless you are known to someone. They will watch from afar, let you take your pictures, walk around the outside of the Chapel, look at the different stuff around, and in truth there wont be much, even less now, as reports the Bus has been removed, the old Motorcycle as well. It will just be a pond to your immediate left upon driving through the gates, if you should venture near the pond, be careful for snakes, Clive once told me it was reported to have water moccasins and then as you look beyond the pond you will see an orchid, beyond the orchid a small chapel. Still at the entrance…the new chapel off in the distance…imediately To the right will be a large Tree or two, and a small building which used to be the Mt. Carmel Museum. I am told it is Charles Pace’s “wellness center” now, where he practices his business of Massage therapy. Last year to the right of the Chapel was a small Goat flock, they may or may not be there. Mostly what overtakes one there is memories of something much larger, something both historic and tragic, to a few, something truly important on prophetic levels, but to many the quiet prarie winds, mingled with the memories of that fateful timeframe is indeed spiritial to say the least. If you are planning to go to pay homage in memorial this year, I reccomend you call Clive in advance, to announce your intentions that he may arrange accomadations suitable, and provide you with the info you need to make your own accomadations as well. His number is 254-714-0115. He can best be reached in the evenings during the week. I reccomend leaving a message if you get his answering machine. -Benjamin     P.S. Here is a link to a map which will help… http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/1308