Belton, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Belton, Texas
City
Downtown Belton near Bell County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Beltown
Belton, Texas Location in Texas Show map of Texas Belton, Texas Location in the United States Show map of the United States Belton, Texas Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Bell
Established	1850
Named for	Peter H. Bell
Area
• Total	21.14 sq mi (54.74 km2)
• Land	20.23 sq mi (52.39 km2)
• Water	0.91 sq mi (2.35 km2)
Elevation	617 ft (188 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	23,054
• Density	1,131.30/sq mi (436.79/km2)
• Demonym	Beltonian
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	76513
Area code(s)	254
FIPS code	48-07492
GNIS feature ID	2409828

Belton is a city in the state of Texas, USA. It is the main city of Bell County. Belton is also the fifth largest city in the Killeen-Temple area. In 2020, about 23,054 people lived in Belton. The larger metro area had about 450,051 people.

Belton's Past: A Look at History

Belton around 1881.

People have lived in the Belton and Bell County area for a very long time, since at least 6000 BCE. Scientists have found signs of early people, like old campsites and burial mounds, near Stillhouse Hollow Lake and Belton Lake. The first known people were the Tonkawa tribe, who used to follow buffalo. Other tribes like the Lipan Apache, Wacos, Nadaco, Kiowas, and Comanche also lived here. By the 1840s, most tribes had moved away because of new settlements. However, small fights with the Comanche continued until the early 1870s.

Belton was first settled in 1850 and was called Nolanville. It was named after nearby Nolan Springs. In 1851, its name changed to Belton. This happened when it became the main city for the new Bell County. The county was named after Peter Hansborough Bell, who was the Governor of Texas at that time. By 1860, Belton had 300 people, making it the biggest town in the county.

Before the American Civil War, many people in Belton supported staying with the Union. A newspaper called "The Independent" was published there, and it was against Texas leaving the Union. The city also voted strongly for Sam Houston for governor, who did not want Texas to secede. However, in 1861, Bell County voted to leave the Union, and many local people fought in the Confederate Army.

After the Civil War, Belton faced some challenges. Federal troops were even called in to help keep peace. After the Reconstruction era, the city grew as a business hub. It was close to a major route of the Chisholm Trail, which was used for moving cattle.

In 1868, a group of women led by Martha McWhirter started the Woman's Commonwealth in Belton. This was a unique women's community that ran successful businesses, including a hotel. In 1899, the group sold their businesses and moved to Maryland.

Belton grew quickly in the 1880s. A new courthouse and buildings for Baylor Female College were built. However, a "railroad war" meant that the main railroad line bypassed Belton in 1881. Instead, it went through Temple, a town 8 miles to the east. By 1904, Belton had about 3,700 people. The town continued to grow, reaching 6,500 people in 1928. But the Great Depression hit hard, and the population dropped to 3,779 by 1931.

Belton started to recover before World War II. Fort Hood opened nearby in 1942. This large military base brought many people and a lot of economic activity to the area. By 1950, Belton's population was back up to 6,246, and by 1990, it had reached 12,476.

Belton's Location and Natural Features

A beach at the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Center.

Belton is about 60 miles (97 km) north of Austin. It is 137 miles (220 km) south of Dallas and 184 miles (296 km) west of Houston. The city is in the middle of Bell County. This is where the flat, fertile Blackland Prairie meets the Edwards Plateau, which has many springs, hills, and canyons. Belton is about 509 feet (155 m) above sea level.

The Leon River borders Belton to the northeast, with the city of Temple on the other side. Nolan Creek, which flows into the Leon River, runs through the center of Belton. The city is also near Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Lake. Its city limits stretch south along Interstate 35 almost to Salado.

The United States Census Bureau says Belton covers about 21.1 square miles (54.7 km2). Most of this is land, with about 0.91 square miles (2.35 km2) being water.

Belton's Weather

Nolan Creek Tube Chutes and swimming area.

Belton has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and short, mild winters. Spring and fall are usually pleasantly warm. Belton gets about 35.2 inches (894 mm) of rain each year, spread out fairly evenly.

The average yearly temperature in Belton is 66.3°F (19.1°C). August is usually the warmest month, with an average temperature of 83.3°F (28.5°C). January is the coolest month, averaging 47.4°F (8.6°C).

Snow is rare in Belton, and it doesn't often stay on the ground. On average, there's only about 0.1 inches (0.3 cm) of snow per year. However, in February 2021, a big snowstorm hit Belton. It caused power outages and left many homes without heat for up to a week. The snow and ice made roads very dangerous.

While severe weather, like supercell thunderstorms, can happen in spring, Belton is not typically in the main tornado alley.

Who Lives in Belton?

The Bell County Expo Center in Belton.

In 2020, the census showed that 23,054 people lived in Belton. There were 7,453 households and 4,157 families.

In 2000, there were 14,623 people. About 37.3% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.69 people, and the average family had 3.23 people.

The city's population was spread out by age:

• 26.9% were under 18
• 18.4% were 18 to 24
• 26.5% were 25 to 44
• 17.1% were 45 to 64
• 11.1% were 65 or older

The average age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were about 95 males.

In 2000, the average income for a household was $32,052. For a family, it was $38,635. About 17.9% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 20.7% of those under 18 and 14.0% of those 65 or older.

Learning in Belton: Schools and Colleges

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Belton is served by the Belton Independent School District. This school district has three high schools, four middle schools, and nine elementary schools. The Texas Education Agency gave the district and its schools high ratings for student performance. Both Belton High School and Belton New Tech High School have been named among the best high schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek. Belton New Tech High School and South Belton Middle School are also known as Apple Distinguished Schools for their use of digital learning. The district also offers prekindergarten at Belton Early Childhood School.

Central Texas Christian School is a private Christian school for K-12 students. It is located near Temple but within the Belton Independent School District. About 570 students attend this school.

Higher Education Opportunities

Belton is home to the University of Mary Hardin–Baylor. This is a private Christian university that started in 1845. It is connected with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. About 3,898 students attend this university.

Fun in Belton: Parks and Recreation

A water park called Summer Fun in Belton, TX.

The city of Belton has 13 city parks. Some of the biggest parks include:

• Heritage Park: Located along the Leon River.
• Yettie Polk Park: This park follows Nolan Creek with a walking trail. The trail goes from downtown and Interstate 35 all the way to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
• Miller Springs Nature Center: Offers hiking trails along the Leon River below the Belton Lake Dam.

For outdoor fun, Belton has two large lakes:

• Belton Lake: On the Leon River, with 11 public parks maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
• Stillhouse Hollow Lake: On the Lampasas River, with four public parks.

These parks offer many things to do, like boat docks, picnic areas, hiking and biking trails, camping spots, restrooms, marinas, and sandy swimming beaches.

There is also a water park called Summer Fun Water Park. It has slides, a lazy river, and other exciting water activities.

Famous People from Belton

Many interesting people have connections to Belton:

• David Ash: A football player who graduated from Belton High School.
• Danny Barnes: A talented musician.
• George Eads: An actor who graduated from Belton High School.
• Miriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson: The first female Governor of Texas.
• Jerry Grote: An MLB baseball player who lived in Belton.
• Rick Hoberg: A comic artist known for his work on comics like All-Star Squadron and Green Arrow.
• Chris Marion: A musician from the band Little River Band, born in Belton.
• Khiry Robinson: An NFL football player.
• Ricky Sanders: An NFL football player who graduated from Belton High School.
• Pat Seals: A musician from the alternative rock band Flyleaf.
• Durham Smythe: An NFL football player who graduated from Belton High School.
• Walton Walker: A U.S. Army general officer.
• Henry T. Waskow: A Belton native who was the subject of a famous article by Ernie Pyle.
• William Wilbanks: An American criminologist and member of the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Rudy Youngblood: An actor who graduated from Belton High School.

Sports in Belton

Baseball

• Red Murff Field (2005)

See also

In Spanish: Belton (Texas) para niños