Temple, Texas | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Temple | |
| Motto: Make Temple Great! | |
 Location withinBell County andTexas | |
| Coordinates:31°06′20″N97°25′15″W / 31.10556°N 97.42083°W /31.10556; -97.42083 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Counties | Bell |
| Settled | June 29, 1881 |
| Incorporated | 1882 |
| Founded by | Bernard Moore Temple |
| Named after | Bernard Moore Temple |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Tim Davis |
| • City Council | Members
|
| • City manager | Brynn Myers |
| Area | |
• Total | 76.00 sq mi (196.85 km2) |
| • Land | 71.17 sq mi (184.33 km2) |
| • Water | 4.83 sq mi (12.52 km2) |
| Elevation | 607 ft (185 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 85,416 |
| • Density | 1,102.1/sq mi (425.53/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 76501–76505, 76508 |
| Area codes | Area code 254 |
| FIPS code | 48-72176[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412046[2] |
| Website | www |
Temple is acity inBell County, Texas, United States. As of 2020, the city has a population of 82,073 according to theU.S. census.[4] Temple lies in the region referred to asCentral Texas and is a principal city in theKilleen–Temple–Fort Hood metropolitan area, which as of the 2020 Census had a population of 475,367.[5][6] Located offInterstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north ofAustin, 34 miles south ofWaco and 27 miles east of Killeen.
Temple was founded as arailroad town by theGulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad (GC&SF). The settlement began in 1880 as a GC&SF construction camp called Temple Junction. In January 1881, a post office was established, and the settlement was officially named Temple, after Bernard Moore Temple, the chief civil engineer of the GC&SF. The town was incorporated in 1882.[7]
Also in 1882, theMissouri, Kansas and Texas Railway built through the town, and soon after, the GC&SF made Temple a division point.[7] In its early years, Temple was a town of shacks and tents with a large number of saloons and tough characters found in the early West. Locally, it was nicknamed "Tanglefoot" because some residents found that the combination of muddy streets and liquor made walking through the town challenging.[citation needed]
Very shortly after the town was incorporated in 1882, two private schools were founded in the city: the Temple Academy was organized and a public school was established in 1884. In 1893, the annual Temple Stag Party began, growing out of a privateThanksgiving celebration attended by some of the town's leading men. It was held until 1923.[8]
The city became home to numerous medical clinics and the Santa Fe Hospital and Scott and White Memorial Hospital; the two hospitals merged in 1983[9] and now form theBaylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple. Temple's position as the largest city in Bell County was earned largely on account of its medical facilities and its importance as a major railroad junction.[7]
In 1886, the GC&SF was purchased by theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway,[10] popularly known as the Santa Fe Railroad or simply the Santa Fe. The Santa Fe's Temple depot was the site of the largestHarvey House restaurant in Texas, and the Harvey House organization also operated a dairy and vegetable farm near the city. Harvey Houses provided meals for Santa Fe passengers during stopovers and were also popular with local customers. The chain was famous for its high-quality food and its iconic uniformed all-female "Harvey Girl" waitstaff.[11]
The Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum, on the second floor of the Santa Fe Railroad depot at 315 West Avenue B, commemorates the significance of railroads for the city[12] and includes a large collection of Harvey House memorabilia.[11]
Temple is located northeast of the center of Bell County. It is the second-largest city in Bell County.[13] It is bordered to the southwest, on the opposite side of theLeon River, by Belton, the county seat.
Temple is situated within a relatively short drive of most of the major cities of Texas: 124 mi north toFort Worth, 130 mi north-northeast toDallas,[14] 65 mi southwest toAustin, 147 mi southwest toSan Antonio, and 168 mi southeast toHouston. The city is located right onInterstate 35, running alongside theBalcones Fault with very varied geography. Towards the east lies theBlackland Prairie region (a rich farming area), and towards the west, the terrain rises with low, rolling, limestone-layered hills at the northeastern tip of theTexas Hill Country.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 74.9 square miles (194 km2), of which 70.1 square miles (182 km2) are land and 4.8 square miles (12 km2) are covered by water.[15]
| Climate data for Temple, Texas | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57 (14) | 62 (17) | 70 (21) | 77 (25) | 84 (29) | 90 (32) | 95 (35) | 95 (35) | 89 (32) | 80 (27) | 68 (20) | 59 (15) | 77 (25) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35 (2) | 39 (4) | 46 (8) | 54 (12) | 63 (17) | 70 (21) | 72 (22) | 72 (22) | 66 (19) | 56 (13) | 45 (7) | 38 (3) | 55 (13) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.13 (54) | 2.69 (68) | 3.19 (81) | 2.59 (66) | 4.51 (115) | 4.23 (107) | 1.93 (49) | 2.25 (57) | 3.70 (94) | 3.97 (101) | 2.94 (75) | 2.75 (70) | 36.88 (937) |
| Source: weather.com[16] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 4,047 | — | |
| 1900 | 7,065 | 74.6% | |
| 1910 | 10,993 | 55.6% | |
| 1920 | 11,033 | 0.4% | |
| 1930 | 15,345 | 39.1% | |
| 1940 | 15,344 | 0.0% | |
| 1950 | 25,467 | 66.0% | |
| 1960 | 30,419 | 19.4% | |
| 1970 | 33,431 | 9.9% | |
| 1980 | 42,483 | 27.1% | |
| 1990 | 46,109 | 8.5% | |
| 2000 | 54,514 | 18.2% | |
| 2010 | 66,102 | 21.3% | |
| 2020 | 82,073 | 24.2% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 96,267 | [17] | 17.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[18] | Pop 2010[19] | Pop 2020[20] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 34,176 | 36,675 | 41,976 | 62.69% | 55.48% | 51.14% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 8,818 | 10,815 | 12,031 | 16.18% | 16.36% | 14.66% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 200 | 226 | 281 | 0.37% | 0.34% | 0.34% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 805 | 1,336 | 2,090 | 1.48% | 2.02% | 2.55% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 33 | 72 | 158 | 0.06% | 0.11% | 0.19% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 56 | 68 | 354 | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.43% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 710 | 1,216 | 3,660 | 1.30% | 1.84% | 4.46% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9,716 | 15,694 | 21,523 | 17.82% | 23.74% | 26.22% |
| Total | 54,514 | 66,102 | 82,073 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 82,073 people, 28,276 households, and 18,036 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010census,[3] 66,102 people, 23,359 households, and 15,878 families resided in the city. The population density was 834.2 inhabitants per square mile (322.1/km2). The 28,005 housing units averaged 359.8 per square mile (138.9/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 68.1% White, 23.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% African American, 2.1% Asian, 0.6% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 3.3% from two or more races.
Of the 23,359 households, 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were not families. About 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city, the population was distributed as 24.1% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,240 and for a family was $42,795. Males had a median income of $30,858 versus $22,113 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $25,740. About 10.8% of families and 12.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over. Temple's homeless population is approximately 1.9%. Assistance to the homeless is provided by Feed My Sheep and the Salvation Army.[21]
Over 100 years ago, the local economy began with the regionalSanta Fe Railroad hospital. Temple now thrives in a complex economy, with both goods distribution and its reputation as a regional medical center leading the way. Baylor Scott & White Health is the largest employer in the area with about 12,000 employees, most located atBaylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple.
Temple is home to many regional distribution centers and is headquarters to two large, multinational companies,Wilsonart International andMcLane Company,[22] as well as parentMcLane Group. In addition to some manufacturing, also a developing customer service/ call center industry exists. Temple is also home to the Temple Bottling Company, which producesDr Pepper (withImperial Cane sugar).
Temple is within 30 miles (48 km) ofFort Hood and military personnel contribute a portion of the city's economy.
Temple is largely served by theTemple Independent School District. The district has one high school, three middle schools, nine elementary schools, and three supplemental learning programs (early childhood center, alternative learning center, and an innovative academy high school program). Students within the local school district attend highly regardedTemple High School.[23] In addition to award-winning academic/honors programs in arts and sciences and theInternational Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, the high-school has a thriving athletic program. In addition, small portions of the city are served byBelton ISD,Troy ISD, andAcademy ISD.[24]
Several private schools serve Temple, including Christ Church School,Saint Mary's Catholic School (PreK–8),[25]Providence Preparatory School (PreK-12), the associatedHoly Trinity Catholic High School,[26] andCentral Texas Christian School (K–12).[27]
Temple College offers two-year associate degrees in a variety of subjects, with strong programs in business administration, information technology, and nursing. Temple College was the first college located in Temple, and opened in 1926.[28]
Temple is home to one of theTexas A&M College of Medicine campuses. It operates in conjunction with theBaylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple and theOlin Teague Veterans' Hospital Center. TheBaylor College of Medicine also has a campus in Temple affiliated withBaylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple.
The main city newspaper is theTemple Daily Telegram. Radio stations licensed in Temple include FM stations KVLT-FM, KBDE-FM, KLTD-FM, and KRYH-LP;[29] and AM stations News Radio 1400,[30] and a number of other nearby radio stations can be heard in Temple.[31] A number of broadcast television channels are available in the city:KCEN-TV (NBC),KWTX-TV (CBS/Telemundo),KXXV-TV (ABC),KNCT-TV (The CW), plus several alternate broadcast channels including MeTV, Cozi, iON, MyNetworkTV, grit and local weather.[32] For cable and satellite television service, Temple is served byCharter Spectrum (formerly Time Warner Cable),DirecTV,Dish Network, andGrande Communications.[33]
TheHill Country Transit District (The HOP) operates three bus routes within the city, with an additional bus connection toKilleen.
Temple was founded as a railroad junction and serves as a major freight railroad hub to this day. Both theUnion Pacific Railroad andBNSF Railway have mainlines serving the city, and a BNSFrail yard andlocomotive maintenance facility are located here.Amtrak serves the city with itsTexas Eagle passenger train, which stops at theTemple Railway Station.
Temple hasgeneral aviation services viaDraughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport. Whilecommercial airline service is not currently available in the city, Temple is served by these nearby airports:
In 2009, theTexas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) proposed the Texas T-Bone High Speed Rail Corridor that would create ahigh-speed rail line fromDallas-Fort Worth toSan Antonio and another line fromHouston that would connect with the first line.[34] While the location for the connection of the two lines had not been officially established, the mayor at the time, Bill Jones III, made an effort to ensure that connection happened in Temple.[35] Temple would be a stop along the line, regardless of where that connection between the two lines would be. The next year in 2010, TxDOT received a federal grant to conduct a study for a line connectingOklahoma City with San Antonio, and Temple was in the pathway of that line.[36] In 2013, a consultant for the Texas High Speed Rail Corporation stated that the only two connections being considered for the two lines were a connection in Temple and a connection in San Antonio; they expected to make that decision by the end of 2014. The organization also indicated that they plan to have the high-speed rail in operation by 2025.[37] If that connection occurred in Temple, the Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan area, with a population of 420,375, would be within about 45 minutes of Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.
Temple is known as a regionalmedical center, with four major hospitals:Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's Medical Center, Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, and McLane Children's Specialty Clinic. Baylor Scott & White Health is the largest employer in town with over 11,000 employees.
TheTexas State Soil and Water Conservation Board has its headquarters in Temple.[38]
Temple is policed by the Temple Police Department and the Bell County Sheriff's Office. TheTexas Department of Criminal Justice operates a regional office in the city.[39] TheTexas Highway Patrol maintains an office on I-35 in Temple.[40]
TheUnited States Postal Service operates a regional office in the city.[41]
Municipalities and communities ofBell County, Texas,United States | ||
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| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
