The Bell County Courthouse
Belton is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,623 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bell County[3].
Belton is part of the Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan area.
Geography
Belton is located at 31°3′32″N 97°27′48″W / 31.05889°N 97.46333°W / 31.05889; -97.46333 (31.058904, -97.463382)[4].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.2 square miles (34 km2), of which, 12.5 square miles (32 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 and north of Salado on Interstate 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 County 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 as the local junction and depot town. In 1913 the city experienced a major flood.[5] 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 census[1] of 2000, there were 14,623 people, 4,742 households, and 3,319 families residing in the city. The population density 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, 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 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 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 District 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, a private university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.[6][7] As of 2010, UMHB has an enrollment of 2,956.[8]
Sites of interest
The Bell County Museum is a Carnegie-funded structure.
The Bell County Expo Center is located in Belton and is the home of the CenTex Barracudas Indoor football team.
First Christian Church-next to the Bell County Courthouse.
For recreation, Belton has two major lakes: Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Lake. 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 Eads grew up in Belton. He graduated from Belton High School in 1985.
Bass player Pat Seals from the alternative rock band Flyleaf is from Belton.
Actor Rudy Youngblood of Mel Gibson's film, Apocalypto, 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 of classic rock's Little River Band 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, the basis of a famous article by Ernie Pyle, was a Belton native.
Physician W. Roy Smythe, M.D., Chairman of Surgery for Scott & White Memorial Hospital, the Scott & White Healthcare system and the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, grew up in Belton, and graduated from Belton High School in 1978.
Historian and rancher J. Evetts Haley 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 and Canyon in West 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.[9][10][11]
Culture
Home of the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame housed in the Bell County Expo Center.
External links
|
|
|
| A |
|
|
| B |
|
|
| C |
|
|
| D |
|
|
| E |
|
|
| F |
|
|
| G |
|
|
| H |
|
|
| J |
|
|
| K |
|
|
| L |
|
|
| M |
|
|
| N |
|
|
| O |
|
|
| P |
|
|
| Q |
|
|
| R |
|
|
| S |
|
|
| T, U |
|
|
| V, W, Z |
|
|
| Best Weather on the Web
.jpg)
Belton 
State of 
