History

Early Beginning
Temple had its beginning as a railroad town. On June 29, 1881, Temple Junction was created as the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway pushed north from Galveston. On this day, trains brought prospective buyers in for an auction of town lots. 157 business lots and 28 residential lots were sold, and the rest, as they say, is history. The new settlement was named in honor of Bernard Moore Temple, the Santa Fe's chief engineer; however, he would never live in the town that bore his name.
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City Expansion
The railroad lured a diverse population including doctors, lawyers and merchants. The city was incorporated in 1882, and by 1884 its 3,000 residents were served by 3 churches and a school, as well as 2 banks, 2 weekly newspapers, an opera house, and a waterworks, among others. Temple boomed, soon exceeding the size of nearby Belton, the county seat of Bell County. Attempts to relocate the county government to Temple failed.

Medical Center


Today, the city is one of the leading medical centers in the Southwest, and includes:
  • Baylor Scott and White Hospital and Clinic (1897)
  • Olin E. Teague Veterans Center (1943)
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Growth


Temple has grown steadily because of its diverse economy - agriculture, transportation, manufacturing and medicine. It continues to shine as one of Texas' brightest stars.

Continued History


Read more about the history of Temple.
 

Want To Know More?


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