Prairie Dell, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prairie Dell, Texas
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 Prairie Dell, Texas
Location in Texas
Prairie Dell, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Bell |
| Elevation | 758 ft (231 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 254 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1365725 |
Prairie Dell is a small, unincorporated community in Bell County, Texas, United States. This means it is not an official city or town with its own local government. According to the Handbook of Texas, about 12 people lived there in 2000. Prairie Dell is part of the larger Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metropolitan area.
History of Prairie Dell
Prairie Dell began as a country store in the late 1860s. This store was located on an important trail. This trail was used to herd cattle from South Texas all the way to Kansas.
A post office was first opened in Prairie Dell in 1877. It closed the very next year but then reopened in 1893. By 1896, the community was growing. It had 75 residents and several businesses. These included two general stores, a drugstore, a mill and gin, and a blacksmith shop. There were also two Baptist churches and one Presbyterian church.
The community's population was at its highest in 1904, with 134 people living there. By 1948, Prairie Dell had two churches and one business. The population later dropped to 20 people in 1964. In 1990, only one church remained in the community. By 2000, the population was 12 people.
Where is Prairie Dell?
Prairie Dell is found on Texas State Highway 35. It is about 13 mi (21 km) south of Belton. This location is in the south-central part of Bell County. It is also about 21 mi (34 km) south of Temple.
Learning in Prairie Dell
In 1903, Prairie Dell had a school with 129 students. There were two teachers at this school. This made it one of the largest schools in Bell County at that time. By 1948, the community had two schools. Today, students in Prairie Dell attend schools in the Belton Independent School District.
