Why Temple
Situated in Central Texas along Interstate 35, Temple is the second-largest city in Bell County and a principal hub of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood metropolitan region. Positioned 68 miles north of Austin, 34 miles south of Waco, and 27 miles east of Killeen, the municipality covers 74.9 square miles. Its geography is varied as it sits directly along the Balcones Fault. To the east lie the rich farming lands of the Blackland Prairie, while the terrain to the west rises into the low, rolling, limestone-layered hills that mark the northeastern edge of the Texas Hill Country.
The community traces its origins to 1880, when it was established as a Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad construction camp called Temple Junction. Officially named after civil engineer Bernard Moore Temple and incorporated in 1882, the settlement rapidly grew into an important railway junction. In its initial years, muddy streets and numerous saloons earned the frontier town the local nickname Tanglefoot. As the community developed, early educational institutions and rail-associated medical clinics were founded, laying the foundation for the city's future growth.
Today, Temple is widely recognized as a major health care and educational center. It is home to several large facilities, including the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, McLane Children's Medical Center, and the Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center. Higher education in the city includes campuses for the Texas A&M College of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine, alongside Temple College, a two-year institution established in 1926 that offers degrees in fields such as nursing, business, and information technology.
Visitors can explore local heritage at the Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum, situated on the second floor of the historic Santa Fe Railroad depot on West Avenue B. The building once housed the largest Harvey House restaurant in Texas, famous for its high-quality meals and uniformed waitstaff. Today, the museum displays railway artifacts and Harvey House memorabilia that detail the train system's significance to the area. Additionally, the local food culture includes the Temple Bottling Company, which produces Dr Pepper made with Imperial Cane sugar.
Travelers can reach Temple directly via Interstate 35 or by train using Amtrak's Texas Eagle passenger service, which stops at the local station. Freight rail corridors also traverse the town. Regional transit within the area is operated by The HOP bus system. Air travel is supported locally by general aviation services at Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport, while commercial passenger flights are available at nearby airports in Killeen, Waco, and Austin.
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