River, central Texas, U.S. Formed in northern Texas, it flows southeast 840 mi (1,351 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 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").