Brazos River

Brazos River

River, central Texas, U.S. Formed in eastern New Mexico, it flows southeast 1,280 mi (2,060 km) into the Gulf of Mexico. The city of Waco is one of the largest on the river. Near its mouth it connects with the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The lower river valley was a major site of early Anglo-American settlement in Texas; one of the first English-speaking colonies there was founded by Stephen Austin at San Felipe de Austin in 1822. The river's original name was Brazos de Dios (“Arms of God”).