Temple, Texas
City in the United States in Bell County
About Temple
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. As of 2020, the city has a population of 82,073 according to the U.S. census. Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas and is a principal city in the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood metropolitan area, which as of the 2020 Census had a population of 475,367. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 68 miles (109 km) north of Austin, 34 miles (55 km) south of Waco and 27 miles east of Killeen.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Temple is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
1 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Temple
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
- Timothy Davis per Wikidata
The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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- Website
- templetx.gov
Looking for your county, state and federal representatives too? See who represents 76501 or everyone in Texas.
Population over time
From 54,986 in 2000 to 82,073 in 2020 (+49.3%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 82,073 |
| 2010 | 66,102 |
| 2000 | 54,986 |
History
Temple was founded as a railroad town by the Gulf, 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.
Also in 1882, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway built through the town, and soon after, the GC&SF made Temple a division point. 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.
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 private Thanksgiving celebration attended by some of the town's leading men. It was held until 1923.
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 and now form the Baylor 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.
In 1886, the GC&SF was purchased by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, popularly known as the Santa Fe Railroad or simply the Santa Fe. The Santa Fe's Temple depot was the site of the largest Harvey 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.
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 and includes a large collection of Harvey House memorabilia.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.