Belton, Texas
Encyclopedia
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Bell County, Texas
Bell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. Bell County was founded in 1850. It is part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2000, the county's population was 237,974; in 2010 the U.S. Census Bureau reported that its population had reached...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 14,623 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Bell County.
Belton is part of the Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan area.
Geography
Belton is located at 31°3′32"N 97°27′48"W (31.058904, -97.463382).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 13.2 square miles (34.2 km²), of which, 12.5 square miles (32.4 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it (5.09%) is water.
Belton is just south of Temple
Temple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
and north of Salado
Salado, Texas
Salado is a village in Bell County, Texas, United States. Salado was first incorporated in 1867 for the sole purpose of building a bridge across the Salado Creek...
on Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
.
History
Belton was platted in 1850 with the name of Nolandville. It was given its current name in 1851, named after Texas' Governor, Peter Hansborough Bell. As the county seat of the like named Bell CountyBell County
Bell County is the name of two counties in the United States:* Bell County, Kentucky* Bell County, Texas...
the town seemed destined for growth. The l880's marked the town's brightest age, with the building of the courthouse, Mary Hardin Baylor buildings, and a "railroad war" in which, by 1881, Belton was bypassed by the railroad which built Temple, Texas
Temple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
as the local junction and depot town. In 1913 the city experienced a major flood. leading to the naming of Yettie Polk Park, from one of those who died. The town struggled along until the l942 creation of Fort Hood for tank training, and the town thrived.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,623 people, 4,742 households, and 3,319 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,171.3 people per square mile (452.4/km²). There were 5,089 housing units at an average density of 407.6 per square mile (157.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.67% White, 8.10% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 14.83% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.13% of the population.
There were 4,742 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 18.4% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,052, and the median income for a family was $38,635. Males had a median income of $31,304 versus $20,678 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,345. About 12.7% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The City of Belton is served by the following Belton Independent School DistrictBelton Independent School District
Belton Independent School District is a public school district based in Belton, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.-High Schools :*Belton High School...
schools:.
- Belton High School, serves 9th through 12th grade
- Belton New Tech High School at Waskow, serves 9th through 12th grade
- Lake Belton Middle School, serves 6th through 8th grade
- South Belton Middle School, serves 6th through 8th grade
- Belton Middle School, serves 6th through 8th grade
- Southwest Elementary, serves kindergarten through 5th grade
- Leon Heights Elementary, serves kindergarten through 5th grade
- Joe M. Pirtle Elementary, serves kindergarten through 5th grade
- Miller Heights Elementary, serves kindergarten through 5th grade
- Tarver Elementary, serves kindergarten through 5th grade
- Lakewood Elementary, serves kindergarten through 5th grade
- Tyler Elementary, serves kindergarten through 5th grade
- Sparta Elementary, serves kindergarten through 5th grade
Belton is also home to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
The University of Mary Hardin–Baylor, generally referred to as UMHB, is a Christian co-educational liberal arts institution of higher learning located in Belton, Texas, United States. Founded by the Republic of Texas in 1845 as "Baylor Female College," it has grown to approximately 2,700 students...
, a private university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas
Baptist General Convention of Texas
The Baptist General Convention of Texas is the oldest surviving Baptist convention in the state of Texas. The churches cooperating with the Baptist General Convention of Texas partner nationally and internationally with both the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,...
. As of 2010, UMHB has an enrollment of 2,956.
Sites of interest
The Bell County Expo CenterBell County Expo Center
The Bell County Expo Center is a 6,559-seat multi-purpose arena, in Belton, Texas. It was formerly the home of the Texas Bullets , the CenTex Barracudas and the Central Texas Stampede .It is the home of the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame....
is located in Belton and is the home of the CenTex Barracudas
CenTex Barracudas
The CenTex Barracudas was a professional indoor football team based out of Belton, Texas. They competed in the Indoor Football League. They played their home games at Bell County Expo Center....
Indoor football team.
For recreation, Belton has two major lakes: Belton Lake
Belton Lake
Belton Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Leon River in the Brazos River basin, 5 miles northwest of Belton, Texas, USA. The lake extends into both Bell County and Coryell County. Belton Dam and the lake are both managed by the Fort Worth District of the U.S. Army Corps of...
and Stillhouse Hollow Lake
Stillhouse Hollow Lake
Stillhouse Hollow Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Lampasas River in the Brazos River basin, 5 miles southwest of Belton, Texas, USA. The unincorporated town of Stillhouse Hollow in Bell County is adjacent to the reservoir, as are portions of Salado, a small town south of...
. There is also a water park, Summer Fun Water Park. Another notable recreation point is BLORA which is part of Ft. Hood and is located on Lake Belton
Belton is also home to a number of historic churches including First United Methodist Church, founded in 1850 and First Baptist Church, founded in 1853.
Notable residents
Actor George EadsGeorge Eads
George Coleman Eads III is an American actor, best known for his role as Nick Stokes on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.-Early life:...
grew up in Belton. He graduated from Belton High School in 1985.
Bass player Pat Seals from the alternative rock band Flyleaf
Flyleaf
Flyleaf is an American alternative metal band, formed in the Belton and Temple, Texas regions in 2000. The band has charted on mainstream rock, Christian pop and Christian metal genres. They performed around the United States in 2003 until releasing their eponymous debut album, Flyleaf, in 2005....
is from Belton.
Actor Rudy Youngblood
Rudy Youngblood
Rudy Youngblood is a Native American actor, musician, dancer and artist. He was born in Belton, Texas.-Acting career:...
of Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
's film, Apocalypto
Apocalypto
Apocalypto is a 2006 American epic action-adventure film directed by Mel Gibson. Set in Yucatan, Mexico, during the declining period of the Maya civilization, Apocalypto depicts the journey of a Mesoamerican tribesman who must escape human sacrifice and rescue his family after the capture and...
, graduated from Belton High School.
Model Jaclyn Poole of America's Next Top Model Cycle 16 graduated from Belton High School in 2009.
Musician Chris Marion
Chris Marion
Chris Marion is an American musician best known as a member of Little River Band and for his contribution to the gospel music industry....
of classic rock's Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
was born in Belton in 1962.
Rapper/Producer Noki Swazay hails from Belton and has a tattoo of the iconic Belton Water Tower on his right arm.
Henry T. Waskow
Henry T. Waskow
Henry Thomas Waskow was a US Army captain memorialized in Ernie Pyle's dispatch "The Death of Captain Waskow," which in turn was faithfully portrayed in the movie The Story of G.I. Joe...
, the basis of a famous article by Ernie Pyle
Ernie Pyle
Ernest Taylor Pyle was an American journalist who wrote as a roving correspondent for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain from 1935 until his death in combat during World War II. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944...
, was a Belton native.
Physician W. Roy Smythe
W. Roy Smythe
W. Roy Smythe is Professor with Tenure and Chairman of Surgery for the Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Health System and the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. He also holds the Glen and Rita K. Roney Endowed Chair in Surgery...
, M.D., Chairman of Surgery for Scott & White Memorial Hospital
Scott & White Memorial Hospital
Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Bell County, Texas, was founded in 1897, when Dr. Arthur C. Scott and Dr. Raleigh R. White, Jr., opened the Temple Sanitarium in Temple, Texas. Caring for the heart of Texas between Dallas and Austin, Scott & White, with more than 800 physicians and scientists, is...
, the Scott & White Healthcare system and the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine was established in 1977 and joined the Health Science Center in 1999. Thomas "Sam" Shomaker, M.D., J.D., began as the sixth dean of the College of Medicine on August 1, 2010....
, grew up in Belton, and graduated from Belton High School in 1978.
Historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and rancher J. Evetts Haley
J. Evetts Haley
James Evetts Haley, Sr., usually known as J. Evetts Haley , was a Texas-born political activist and historian who wrote multiple works on the American West, including an enduring biography of legendary cattleman Charles Goodnight...
was born in Belton and is buried beside his first wife, Nita Stewart Haley, in the Moffat Cemetery. However, he spent most of his life in Midland
Midland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
and Canyon
Canyon, Texas
Canyon is a city in Randall County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,875 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randall County. It is the home of West Texas A&M University and Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. Palo Duro Canyon State Park is some twelve miles east of Canyon...
in West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
.
Football player David Ash is the starting quarterback for The University of Texas' football team.
George Jo Hennard shouted "This is what Belton did to me!" immediately before commencing the Luby's massacre
Luby's massacre
The Luby's massacre was a mass murder that took place on October 16, 1991, in Killeen, Texas, United States when George Hennard ″Jo Jo" drove his pickup truck into a Luby's cafeteria and shot 23 people to death while wounding another 20, subsequently committing suicide by shooting himself...
.
Culture
Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame
- History :Now housed in the Historic Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards. The organization, dedicated to the sport of rodeo and the recognition of Texas' contribution to that sport, the TRCHF was founded in 1975 by Johnny Boren and a group of Belton, Texas, businessmen...
housed in the Bell County Expo Center
Bell County Expo Center
The Bell County Expo Center is a 6,559-seat multi-purpose arena, in Belton, Texas. It was formerly the home of the Texas Bullets , the CenTex Barracudas and the Central Texas Stampede .It is the home of the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame....
.
External links
- Official website
- The Belton Journal - Texas's oldest continuously published weekly newspaper (since 1866)
- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
- SeeBelton - General info on Belton, including calendar of upcoming events