What follows is a brief timeline covering the history of the group in the years leading up to the raid in 1993
1918: BULGARIAN IMMIGRANT VICTOR HOUTEFF JOINS A 7TH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN ILLINOIS
1934: AFTER A DISPUTE OVER THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION, HOUTEFF FORMS HIS OWN RELIGIOUS GROUP
1935: HOUTEFF MOVES TO WACO, ESTABLISHING THE ORIGINAL COMMUNE ON 189 ACRES IN AREA OF WHAT IS NOW VANGUARD SCHOOL
1940: THE GROUP HAS 64 RESIDENTS AND HOLDINGS INCREASE TO 377 ACRES
1942: HOUTEFF CHANGES THE GROUP’S NAME TO DAVIDIAN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS
1955: HOUTEFF DIES AND IS SUCCEEDED BY HIS WIFE, FLORENCE. AT ITS PEAK, DAVIDIANS NUMBER 20,000 TO 30,000 WORLDWIDE
1955: FLORENCE HOUTEFF SENDS OUT A MESSAGE THAT THE EXPECTED KINGDOM WOULD BE ESTABLISHED ON APRIL 22, 1959. HUNDREDS OF FOLLOWERS DISPOSED OF THEIR PROPERTY AND BUSINESSES AND MOVED TO THE COMMUNE.
1957: WACO BUYS CULT'S PROPERTY FOR $700,000 (IT'S NOW A RESIDENTIAL AREA); THE CULT BUYS PROPERTY 10 MILES EAST OF WACO.
MAY 5, 1959: ONLY 450 MEMBERS REMAIN AT THE COMPOUND AND ARE SPLIT AGAIN WITH THE LARGEST GROUP FOLLOWING RIVAL LEADER BEN RODEN WHO CHANGED THE NAME TO BRANCH DAVIDIANS.
1978: BEN RODEN DIES AND IS SUCCEEDED BY HIS WIFE LOIS
1984: DAVIDIANS ARE TORN BETWEEN LOIS RODEN'S SON, GEORGE, AND VERNON HOWELL
1985: A HOWELL-RODEN RIVALRY CULMINATES IN HOWELL'S GROUP BEING FORCED OFF THE PROPERTY AT GUNPOINT.
1986: LOIS RODEN DIES.
1987: HOWELL AND SEVEN MEN ENGAGE IN A GUN BATTLE AT THE PROPERTY, NOW CALLED MT. CARMEL, AGAINST GEORGE RODEN.
NOVEMBER 1987: HOWELL AND THE SEVEN ASSOCIATES ARE CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER.
1988: THE SEVEN ASSOCIATES ARE FOUND INNOCENT AND A MISTRIAL IS DECLARED IN THE CASE AGAINST HOWELL. CHARGES ARE DISMISSED.
1989: RODEN IS CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF A 56 –YEAR-OLD ODESSA MAN.
DECEMBER 1990: RODEN IS FOUND NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY AND SENT TO VERNON STATE HOSPITAL.
FEB. 28, 1993: FEDERAL AGENTS TRY TO SERVE ARREST AND SEARCH WARRANTS ON HOWELL (WHO NOW CALLS HIMSELF DAVID KORESH)
