Mount Carmel Center

If you lived during this time I think it's important to go but otherwise don't think kids would see the importance of this area. It's a bit off to just see a few memorial stones and nothing else much.

I met David on a plain trip to Texas he gave me his number on a tore off piece of paper.... he ask for me to come and visit the compound and said he thiught i would really love it there.

We stopped by on our road trip eastward because we grew up remembering the standoff that took place in the early 90s. The memorial and the grounds are open to the public but we made sure to be respectful to the folks still living on the grounds. There is a memorial with all the names when you first enter and then you can drive back to the current chapel, which is built on part of the foundation of the original compound. We were able to walk up to the original pool on the property and then headed into the chapel. Once inside the chapel, they have information on the walls talking about the background & founders of The Branch, a tribute to the victims of the fire, and photos of the compound before the fire. It was very surreal to be at The Branch because the incident there became a cultural moment in time for certain generations from one generation growing up watching the standoff take place on the news to the next generation knowing about it as a pop culture reference to the current generations not being aware about it (and knowing of Waco from the show Fixer Upper).

Worth a visit. There are no trespassing signs. But, I believe they apply to when the gates are closed. The church is still active and there is a memorial on the premises. It wouldn't make much sense to have a memorial that was closed off to the public. So, I believe visitors are allowed to respectfully pay a visit.

Drove out here in Mid July 2015. There is a open gate to the property with a "no trespassing" sign on it. We wanted to pay our respects but didn't want to interact with the people living there. You can go to google street view and go inside the gate. Nice to know where it happened but not much to see.