Everything Copperas Cove is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Copperas Cove.
Killeen is more than just a military town. Sure, Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, is the heart of the place, and you can feel that patriotic spirit everywhere you go. But there's a creative pulse here too.
Killeen wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for the railroad. Back in 1882, when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe came through, that's when the town really sprung up. But its destiny wasn't just to be another whistle-stop. The arrival of what would become Fort Cavazos changed everything. Suddenly, Killeen wasn't just a place on the map; it was a support system for a whole lot of soldiers and their families. That relationship, though, it's never been without its challenges. Even during wartime, the town felt it. There was a German POW camp nearby during World War II; imagine that kind of thing existing so close to home. Nature has also left its mark. Folks here still remember the '69 tornado that tore through the town. But through it all, that military spirit, that resilience, it's what defines Killeen. You can see it in the way people support each other, the way they honor service. And even though we're close to the big city and the Cowboys, Killeen has its own identity, shaped by the Lampasas River, Stillhouse Hollow Lake, and the people who call it home.
Killeen wasn't always the town it is today. Like so many spots in Central Texas, it started as a whistle-stop, a place where the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway chugged to a halt back in 1882. What makes Killeen different from, say, Lampasas or Copperas Cove, is simply Fort Cavazos. The Army base, originally Camp Hood, arrived during World War II, and everything changed. The area's flat, open land was perfect for training, and suddenly, Killeen wasn't just a railroad town anymore. It became a military town, drawing soldiers and their families, and all the businesses that support them. Even a temporary fixture like the German POW camp nearby left a mark, embedding the area even further into wartime history. Today, you'll find folks visiting Stillhouse Hollow Lake for a little recreation, maybe catching a glimpse of the Dallas Cowboys on TV in a local sports bar. But what really draws people, and what keeps them here, is the sense of purpose, the feeling of contributing to something bigger than themselves. The locals will tell you it's about service. It's about the resilient, patriotic spirit that permeates everything, a spirit forged in the shadow of Fort Cavazos and tempered by events like the devastating 1969 tornado.
After Marsden Ogletree (1819-1896) and his family migrated from Georgia, he recieved a land grant in 1878. Inscriptions on two stones in this house indicate the structure was erected the same year. It served as the family home, grain store, and stopping place for the Lampasas to Belton stagecoach. Since the mail arrived by stage, a post office was opened here in 1879 with Ogletree as postmaster. Legend says that the settlement received the name "Coperas Cove" from a copperas-tasting spring in the cove of a nearby mountain. Samuel Gilmore served as the second Postmaster. In 1881 Gilmore's father-in-law Jesse M. Clements (1822-1900) and his wife Charley deeded land for the right-of-way to the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. The following year the railroad laid out the new townsite of Copperas Cove. Soon the center of the community, including the post office, moved over to the railroad. Later the town corrected the spelling of its name to "Copperas Cove." In 1891 Clements bought this house and used it as the headquarters for his large ranching operations. The old stone stagestop remains a visible link with the community's pioneer heritage.
Copperas Cove, once spelled Coperas Cove, is at the intersection of U.S. Highway 190 and Farm Road 116, twenty-four miles southwest of Gatesville in southern Coryell County. In the 1870s the community centered around a small store about two miles southwest of the present townsite. Late that decade residents of the community applied for a post office under the name Cove, but postal authorities rejected the name because a Texas post office by that name already existed. The name Coperas Cove was then submitted, inspired by the mineral taste of the water in a nearby spring. The Coperas Cove post office was established in March 1879 with Marsden Ogletree as postmaster. A feeder route of the Chisholm Trail passed through Coperas Cove, making the cattle industry of primary importance to the local economy. When the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway built its track across the southern corner of Coryell County in 1882, residents of Coperas Cove moved their community two miles to the northeast in order to take better advantage of the rail service. By 1884 the town had a steam gristmill-cotton gin, five general stores, a hotel, and 150 residents. By the mid-1890s the population had risen to 300, and residents had voted to form their own school district. Although cattle production continued to be important to the local economy, area farmers began to devote more of their resources to the production of cotton, small grains, and feed crops, and by 1900 farming was the dominant occupation. The spelling of the community's name was officially changed in 1901; at that time Copperas Cove had an opera house, three hotels, and a variety of businesses. A local private bank opened in 1906. By the time residents elected their first mayor in 1913, the population had grown to 600. The number of residents continued to increase through the 1920s, to a high of 650 in 1929. Copperas Cove began to decline with the onset of the Great Depression in the early 1930s. The local bank failed, several businesses closed, and many people left to look for work in other areas. By the 1940s only 356 residents remained. Copperas Cove received a much-needed boost in the early 1940s, when the United States government chose southeastern Coryell and northwestern Bell counties as the site for Camp Hood, a new military training center. By the 1950 census the community had grown to 1,052 residents. When the military established Fort Hood as a permanent base in 1950, Copperas Cove began to grow at an even faster rate, and the city limit eventually extended southwest into Lampasas County. The population was estimated at 4,567 in 1960, at 10,818 in 1970, and at 19,469 in 1980. Most of the new residents were either attracted by the job opportunities associated with Fort Hood or chose to remain in the area after retirement from the military. By 1990 Copperas Cove had several manufacturing establishments, a wide variety of businesses, a hospital, and a population of 24,079. In 2000 the population was 29,592.
This congregation traces its origin to the emigration of Wends from the Saxony Region of Germany to nearby Lee, Robertson, and Fayette counties. They resettled in this area, then known as the Twin Mountain Community, in 1891. Led by the Rev. A. W. Kramer, the Wends began Lutheran worship in 1892 at the home of Christian Jacob, located approximately one mile southwest of this site. The congregation was officially organized under the direction of the Rev. John Paul Ridel in 1894. A church building, constructed in 1895 became the site of parochial school classes the following year. In 1899 the church properties and cemetery grounds were deeded to the congregation by A. E. Falke. A new church structure was completed at this site in 1914. A youth society, organized in 1915 and later affiliated with the International Walther League, was instrumental in the completion, in 1939, of the 60-foot native stone cross located near the church structure. The congregation's membership increased as military personnel from Fort Hood began to attend services soon after it was established as Camp Hood in 1942. Regional missionary work by this congregation was successful in spreading the Lutheran faith and was responsible for the establishment of four Lutheran churches in Central Texas by 1965.
According to oral tradition, this congregation was organized in 1872 as the Clear Creek Missionary Baptist Church by six families who resided in this area of east Lampasas County. The church petitioned for membership in the Leon River Baptist Association in 1876 and sent delegates to the associational meeting the following year. The Rev. Ambrose W. Elledge (d. 1884) served as first pastor and is buried in the nearby cemetery. In 1889 Joseph M. and Alice Carnes formally deeded land at this site to the church deacons, although a sanctuary had been here since the late 1870s. During the last few years of the 19th century, the congregation joined the newly formed Lampasas Baptist Association and grew to a membership of 66 under the leadership of The Rev. C. C. Greer. In 1912, a tornado and then a hailstorm caused damage to the sanctuary, but repairs sufficed to keep the building standing until the decision to rebuild was made in 1940. Over the years a brush arbor and later an open air tabernacle were used for revivals. Baptisms were held in the Lampasas River (5 mi. S) until 1975. The oldest legible tombstone in the nearby church cemetery is dated 1872.
The Second Armored Division was formed at Fort Benning, Georgia, on July 15, 1940, under the command of Maj. Gen. Charles L. Scott. Training of the new division was the responsibility of Col. George S. Patton, Jr. When Scott was appointed commander of the First Armored Corps in November 1940, Patton now a brigadier general and the most colorful of all the division's leaders, assumed command. Under his leadership the division continued training through 1941 and participated in general maneuvers in Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, and the Carolinas. While on these maneuvers Patton reportedly said the division would be "Hell on Wheels" when it met the enemy. The name stuck and became part of the division patch. The Second Armored Division's combat history in World War II covered three years, two continents, and ten countries. On November 8, 1942, the division landed on the shores of North Africa and took Casablanca. Eight months later it participated in the invasion of Sicily, fighting against the elite Hermann Göring Panzer Division. In November 1943 the division moved to England and began preparations for the invasion of Europe. It landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day plus 3, first engaging the Germans at Carentan, France. The division shattered the German defenses at St. Lo, crossed the Seine River north of Paris, passed through Belgium, pierced the Siegfried line, and entered Germany. During the Battle of the Bulge the Hell on Wheels division was part of Montgomery's Twenty-first Army Group. Breaking out, they raced nearly 100 miles and crossed the 1,153 foot Rhine River in an unprecedented seven hours while under mortar fire. On July 4, 1945, the Second Armored was the first American unit to enter Berlin. During World War II the division was recognized for distinguished service and bravery with 9,369 awards, including two medals of honor, twenty-three distinguished service crosses, and 2,302 silver stars, as well as nearly 6,000 purple hearts. In 238 battle days the Second Armored suffered 7,348 casualties, including 1,160 killed in action. The division returned to Camp Hood, Texas, in 1946 to retrain and rebuild. Still based at Fort Hood, the Second Armored Division furnished thousands of trained replacements to units serving in the Korean War. In 1951 the Hell on Wheels division returned to Germany to serve for six years in support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, then returned to Fort Hood. The First Battalion, Fiftieth Infantry; Second Squadron, First Cavalry; First Battalion, Fourteenth Field Artillery; and First Battalion, Ninety-second Field Artillery fought in the war in Vietnam. The division sent brigades to participate in exercises in Germany from 1973 through 1979, and in 1987 the division was engaged in the largest deployment to Europe since World War II as a part of the Third Corps exercise "REFORGER 87" to demonstrate the ability to deploy and fight in support of NATO. On October 10, 1990, the division began to deploy more than 5,000 soldiers to Saudi Arabia. On February 24, 1991, the Second Armored entered Iraqi-held Kuwait. In 100 hours allied forces had taken back the emirate. Desert Storm had temporarily interrupted the inactivation of the division begun in 1990. Upon the division's return from Operation Desert Storm deactivation was continued, and the last unit became inactive on May 2, 1991, ending fifty-one years of continuous active duty. On May 23, 1991, the First "Tiger" Brigade was rededicated as the Third "Grey Wolf" Brigade of the First Cavalry Division, rejuvenating a Second Armored Division unit stationed at Fort Hood. In December 1992 the Fifth Infantry Division was redesignated the Second Armored Division, which in turn was redesignated in December 1995 as the Fourth Infantry Division (mechanized), stationed in Colorado.
Kempner is at the junction of U.S. Highway 190 and Ranch Road 2313, on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Lampasas River in southeastern Lampasas County. It moved a number of times during its early years of development. It was first settled in the early 1850s, when a number of families named Pickett moved to the area, which became known as Pickett Valley. The majority of the settlers were land and slave owners of prominence until the Civil War . The community was also briefly known as Brummersville during 1865. The Pickett cemetery is still located slightly west of Kempner. Around 1854 Dan W. Taylor moved to the area with a large herd of cattle and built a store for his men on Taylor Creek, two miles from the present townsite. He was an influential man in the community and was often consulted to settle local legal differences. A post office named Taylor's Creek was established in his store in 1873. After Taylor's death the community was named after a local landowner named Slaughter. The Taylor's Creek post office was discontinued in 1878, and that same year a post office named Slaughtersville was established. In 1882 the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was built through the area, two miles from the Taylor store, and the community's center finally became fixed when the post office was moved to a frame building near the railroad tracks and renamed Kempner after Harris Kempner , a Galveston merchant and director of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe. The first postmaster at the new location was Johnnie Chance. The coming of the railroad caused the population to double. The first rock store in town was erected by Jo Brown. By 1884 Kempner had two steam gristmills and cotton gins, a church, a district school, and telegraph service, and by 1896 a hotel had been built. Telephone service was available by 1914. In 1918 a Mr. Rancier organized a bank in Kempner; this establishment later failed, and the stockholders lost their accounts. The population of Kempner remained at an estimated 103 from 1904 to 1926. It rose briefly to 300 in 1927 but began to drop again in the 1930s, reaching 125 in 1933 and remaining at that level for a number of years. It began to rise again in the mid-1960s until it reached 420 in 1974, where it remained through 1990. Nine businesses were reported in 1986. By 2000 the population was 1,004 with fifty-four businesses. Annual festivals include the All-West Roundup and the Octoberfest.
5 alumni who reached major-college or pro sports
Copperas Cove High School has a proud tradition of developing athletes who have gone on to compete at the highest levels of professional sports. The school's alumni include several notable football players who made their mark in the NFL. These athletes represent the hard work and dedication fostered within the Bulldawg athletic programs, inspiring current students to pursue their own athletic dreams.
Among the distinguished former Copperas Cove Bulldawgs are Josh Boyce, a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, and Vontez Duff, a cornerback for the Chicago Bears. Charles Tillman also played cornerback for both the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers. T. J. Hollowell has continued his career in football as a linebackers coach for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. These individuals highlight the diverse paths former Bulldawgs have taken in the world of sports.
Robert Griffin III played quarterback for the Washington Redskins.
126 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Copperas Cove sits nestled in the transition zone between the rolling hills of Central Texas and the flatter plains stretching westward. The land here tells a story of ancient seas and gradual uplift. The underlying…
You're driving past the site of the First Baptist Church of Copperas Cove. Organized in 1885, the congregation first met in a schoolhouse before building their first sanctuary in 1890. Their second sanctuary, built in…
Copperas Cove High School in the military town of Copperas Cove, Texas (400 South 25th Street) is where Robert Griffin III was a three-sport star. On the track he set Texas state records in the hurdles — his 300-meter…
Copperas Cove, once spelled Coperas Cove, is at the intersection of U.S. Highway 190 and Farm Road 116, twenty-four miles southwest of Gatesville in southern Coryell County. In the 1870s the community centered around a…
After Marsden Ogletree (1819-1896) and his family migrated from Georgia, he recieved a land grant in 1878. Inscriptions on two stones in this house indicate the structure was erected the same year. It served as the…
Imagine stagecoaches pulling up right here, to this 1878 stagestop, a vital link in the Texas frontier's communication and transportation network. This unassuming spot was once buzzing with activity, connecting Copperas…
According to oral tradition, this congregation was organized in 1872 as the Clear Creek Missionary Baptist Church by six families who resided in this area of east Lampasas County. The church petitioned for membership in…
This congregation traces its origin to the emigration of Wends from the Saxony Region of Germany to nearby Lee, Robertson, and Fayette counties. They resettled in this area, then known as the Twin Mountain Community, in…
Kempner is at the junction of U.S. Highway 190 and Ranch Road 2313, on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Lampasas River in southeastern Lampasas County. It moved a number of times during its early years…
Shoemaker (Killeen, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Dylan Vinton (0.571 avg, 1 HR); Aiden Toth (0.552 avg).
The Second Armored Division was formed at Fort Benning, Georgia, on July 15, 1940, under the command of Maj. Gen. Charles L. Scott. Training of the new division was the responsibility of Col. George S. Patton, Jr. When…
The need for vast open spaces to train World War II tank destroyers led to the establishment of this Army post. Announced in January 1942, the initial completion was slated for that August. Originally spanning over…
You're driving past the home of the legendary 1st Cavalry Division, a unit with roots stretching all the way back to 1855 and Fort Belknap, Texas. This division boasts the oldest regiment in the U.S. Army, the Fifth…
You're driving past the birthplace of a true military innovator, Lieutenant General Andrew Davis Bruce. He's known as the 'Father of Fort Hood,' and he was the brilliant mind behind the Tank Destroyer Corps. Born in…
You're driving past Mayberry Park Cemetery. The only legible headstone here belongs to James Moses Cowan, who died in 1888. Local tradition says members of the O.M. Hood family are also buried here, though most graves…
You're driving past the Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery, a final resting place for many of Killeen's early German immigrants. The first burial here was Wilhelm Wolf, back in 1891, just a couple of years after the…
You're driving past the home of "Hell on Wheels" – the legendary Second Armored Division of the U.S. Army. Formed in 1940 to meet the challenges of mechanized warfare, this division became the first U.S. armored force…
You're driving past the W. R. Hughes Home, built in 1880. This wasn't just any farmhouse; it's a prime example of "Old Plantation" architecture. Look for those ornate gables and dormers, a touch of elegance for a farmer…
You're driving through Oakalla, a town that started taking shape in the 1850s with its first settlers. By 1879, the Oakalla Post Office was officially open for business. Imagine this: schools were private affairs until…
You're driving past the site of the Killeen Herald, a newspaper that's been the voice of this town since the very beginning. W.E. Bennett started it as a weekly back in June of 1890, just eight years after Killeen…
You're driving through Killeen, and right here is the site of a club that's been shaping this town for over a century. Back in September 1906, twelve women formed the Ladies Literary Society. Just a month later, they…
On October 16, 1991, during the busy lunch hour, a man named George Hennard drove his pickup truck through the plate glass window of a Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen and opened fire on the crowded dining room. In twelve…
You're driving past the site of the Maxdale Bridge, and believe it or not, this bridge has a dramatic backstory. Back in July 1913, Bell County Commissioners approved a bridge here to connect the Maxdale Community to…
You're driving past the Avenue D School in Killeen, built in 1923 to replace an earlier schoolhouse lost to fire. Look for the decorative stonework and those separate entrances for girls and boys – a detail from a…
You're driving past the Santa Fe Depot in Killeen, a building that played a big role in this town's history. It started in 1882 as a simple shipping point on the railroad, and the town was even named for a railroad…
You're driving past a piece of Killeen's history, the Bethel Primitive Baptist Church. This congregation started way back in 1864, meeting in a shared building in the Palo Alto Community. But when the railroad came…
You're driving past the First National Bank of Killeen, the oldest continuously operated bank in Bell County! Chartered way back on February 27th, 1901, it started out serving farmers. But as Killeen grew, this bank…
You're driving past Maxdale Cemetery, one of Bell County's oldest burial grounds. Established in the 1860s for the Pleasant Grove community, the land was donated by Frank McBryde, Sr. His 1883 post office application…
Killeen is more than just a military town. Sure, Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, is the heart of the place, and you can feel that patriotic spirit everywhere you go. But there's a creative pulse here too.
You're driving past the site of the First Baptist Church of Killeen. This congregation started way back in 1873, originally called the Baptist Church of Christ at Palo Alto. Just ten years later, in 1883, they moved…
You're driving through Central Texas, right now passing by Fort Hood, one of the largest military installations in the world. It all started back in 1942, right in the middle of World War II. The Army announced a new…
You're driving through Killeen, Texas, the birthplace of Oveta Culp Hobby. Born in 1905, she was a child prodigy of sorts, reading the Congressional Record by age ten and the Bible three times by thirteen! Her father, a…
You're driving through Killeen, a town that owes its very existence to a railroad. Back in 1881, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway bought land near an old community called Palo Alto. They platted this new town…
You're driving through Central Texas, maybe near Killeen where he was born, and you might be humming a tune you don't even realize. Tex Owens, born Doie Hensley Owens in 1892, penned the iconic country song "Cattle…
You're driving through Bell County, where Joseph Dennis arrived in 1840. He and his wife Isa migrated from Arkansas, settling first in Milam County. When Bell County was organized in 1850, Dennis was on the committee…
You're driving past the site of Pidcoke Baptist Church. Organized in 1884 as Harmony Baptist Church, the congregation started with just four members and met in the local schoolhouse. Their first sanctuary, built in…
You're driving past the birthplace of Killeen! Back in the early 1880s, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad pushed its tracks through this area. A simple switching station popped up, and a town grew around it. They…
You're driving past the site of the Hiram B. Reynolds Property, a house that's seen a century of Texas history. Reynolds, a successful businessman, built this unusually fine home in Killeen in 1915. It was a grand place…
You're driving past the site of a log cabin built right here in Bell County, Texas, back in 1863. John Churchill Gaines Blackburn, who came to Texas in 1853, built this home for his family. Just before he enlisted in…
You're driving past Long Meadows Cemetery, a final resting place for some of Lampasas County's earliest pioneers. Pleasant C. Cox, who patented this land, first scouted this area back in the 1830s. He and his wife…
Chaparral (Killeen, TX) placed on the 5A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Geno Ybarra (3 HR).
You're driving past Battle Branch, a place named for a violent chapter in the infamous Horrell-Higgins Feud. On the morning of March 26, 1877, brothers Tom and Mart Horrell were ambushed by gunmen hiding in the brush…
You're driving past Blackburn Cemetery, a quiet resting place that's also a military timeline. It all started in 1855 with John Porter Blackburn, a veteran of the War of 1812, who was the first to be buried here after…
You're driving past the McBryde Cemetery, a quiet resting place with roots going back to the 1800s. Mancel T. McBryde, who moved his family from Georgia in the early 1860s, established this cemetery in 1885. It was for…
You're driving past the Shade Denson House, built right around the Civil War. Denson himself fought for the Confederacy with Forney's Brigade. After the war, he served as Lampasas County sheriff from 1870 to 1874, a…
You're driving past the site of School Creek Baptist Church, named for a nearby stream. It organized in 1879, holding its first service that November in a small schoolhouse. The church later built its own building in…
You're driving past the Philip Smith House, built in 1856 right here in Lampasas. Smith was a teamster during the Texas War for Independence, hauling supplies for the army. Look at those thick, 24-inch walls made from…
You're driving past Live Oak Cemetery, a place with a bit of a mystery at its heart. Official records say Michael Young was the first person buried here in 1875. But local legend tells a different story – that it was…
You're driving past the site of Sharp Cemetery and Rock Creek Baptist Church, a place born from heartbreak. Emily LeSeur Haynes Sharp, who arrived in Texas with her first husband and a cotton gin, lost him in 1849.…
Ding Dong is a real place in Bell County, and yes, that means it is in Bell County. In the 1930s, two cousins named Zulis Bell and Bert Bell ran a country store at the crossroads. They hired a sign painter named C. C.…
This city's story is deeply tied to a major military installation nearby. As Fort Hood grew into a permanent Army post in the 1950s, the surrounding civilian population also began to increase. Land owned by two hog…
You're driving past Hughes' Springs, a place that was once a beacon of hope for the ailing. This sulphur spring was named for Moses Hughes, the first settler in this area back in 1853. Legend has it that his wife…
Harker Heights (Harker Heights, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Cannon Culp (0.473 avg, 1 HR); Nate Brown (0.444 avg, 3 HR); Seth Martin (0.425 avg, 1 HR).
You're driving past the Slater Cemetery, the last vestige of a once-thriving community. Slater was a farming and ranching hub in the late 1800s, boasting two churches, a post office, a school, and businesses by the…
You're driving past the Adkins House, built in 1868 by Doctor J. A. Adkins. This pioneer physician had a unique way of collecting payment for his services. Instead of cash, he often accepted building stone from his…
You're driving through what used to be Youngsport, a community that started in January of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1846</say-as>. Francis L. Mudd first claimed land here along the Lampasas River. Just a…
You're driving through Harker Heights, a town that owes its existence to two landowners and a demand for water. In 1957, Pinckney Cox and Harley Kern started selling off their land, creating a new community. But with…
You're driving through Burnet County, heading past the community of Briggs. It started out as a watering spot called Springs, then Gum Springs, and later Taylors Gin. Stephen Taylor set up the first general store here…
Methodists have been holding services in Lampasas since 1866, with Reverend William F. Cummins as the first known pastor. The congregation built a sanctuary in 1880, sponsored Centenary College four years later, and…
You're passing the site of the Briggs State Bank, built in 1909. This limestone and brick building was the heart of a town that thrived on cotton and wool for fifteen years. But by the mid-1920s, farming changes hit…
You're cruising through Nolanville, and right here is the site of a school that's been educating kids for over a century. The first log schoolhouse went up around 1854, just as Bell County was dividing into districts.…
You're driving through Harker Heights, near where John Granberry Herrington and his wife Elvira Jane settled in Bell County in 1873. After building their home and farm, John Herrington passed away in 1903. His family…
You're driving through Briggs, a town with a story of resilience. Settlers from the Old South arrived here in the 1860s and 70s, building a community and holding services at nearby Gum Springs. The town got its post…
You're driving past Pleasant Hill Cemetery, one of the oldest burial grounds in Bell County. It all started back in 1855 with the first interment, J. Carmack. He was laid to rest on the farm of Fleming Trigg Cox, a…
You're driving past Comanche Gap, a natural break in the mountains that served as a crucial Indian trail and an escape route. Imagine this: March of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1859</say-as>. The Comanches…
You're driving past the Lampasas County Courthouse, a real beauty that's stood watch over this town since 1884. Before this grand building, county business happened wherever there was space. But when the railroad rolled…
You're driving past Lampasas' oldest cemetery, established in the mid-1850s. The first marked burial here was Rebecca Hughes in 1854. Later, William and Cynthia Cook bought this land, and the graveyard became known by…
You're driving through Lampasas, and right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1892</say-as>, a pivotal meeting took place that officially launched a Texas institution. Thirteen women, representing the…
You're driving past the site of Hanna Springs, once a booming health spa in Lampasas. Hundreds flocked here in the late 1800s to soak in the healing sulphur waters, first developed by John Hanna. The area's reputation…
You're driving through Lampasas County, and right here is the site of the Hart House. Built just after the Civil War, it started as a simple two-room stagecoach stop and hotel. But the 1870s were booming for local…
You're driving past the site of the Keystone Hotel, a famous stagecoach inn built in 1870 by J. L. N. Gracy. Notice the unique keystone arches in the windows – that’s where the hotel got its name! Oxen hauled the native…
You're driving through Lampasas, and right here stood the Santa Fe Depot, built in 1904. More than just a train station, this was the heart of town for news and socializing. It replaced the old mule car that used to run…
You're driving through Lampasas County, a place that played a unique role in the Civil War. While many counties sent men off to fight, Lampasas had a different challenge: keeping the home front safe from Native American…
You're driving through downtown Lampasas, and right here are two historic buildings that rose from the ashes. In August of 1884, a massive fire swept through town, gutting many structures. But Lampasas rebuilt, and…
You're driving through Lampasas, and right here stands the old county jail, built way back in 1883. Imagine this solid native stone structure, originally sporting some fancy Romanesque trim, holding firm against the…
You're cruising through Lampasas, and right here is the Manuel Hardware Building. Built back in 1884, this Italianate-style structure started out hosting the First National Bank. By 1899, W.F. Barnes owned it, but just…
You're driving past the Old Cook Home, built in 1861. It's constructed from native stone and lumber that was hauled here by wagon. Just nearby lies the county's very first cemetery. Imagine the stories these old stones…
You're driving through Lampasas, a town that, like so many others on the Texas frontier, craved culture. Look to your right, or imagine it standing here from 1883 to 1894: the Elks Opera House. It wasn't just for fancy…
You're driving past the Little Hotel in Lampasas, a structure born from leftovers! After the main Gracy Hotel went up in 1870, they had extra stone. So, they built this smaller hotel, also in 1870, using the leftover…
You're driving through Lampasas, and right here is the site of the city's first public school building, erected in 1895. Before this, classes were held in rented spaces, but this new building aimed to raise educational…
Lampasas is more than just a peaceful little town in the heart of Texas, it’s a place that’s quietly nurtured some remarkable talent.
Lampasas has always been a town with two reputations. The sulphur springs that bubble up in Hancock Park drew health seekers from across the country in the late 1800s. People came to soak in the mineral water and drink…
You're driving past where folks once plunged into healing waters! Back in 1902, businessmen drilled for oil here, but instead, they hit sulphur water. Word spread about its medicinal qualities, and soon, a new well was…
You're driving past the site of Lampasas' very first coeducational college, Centenary College, founded way back in 1883 by the local Methodist church. It started strong with 174 students paying just 25 dollars a…
You're driving through Lampasas County, a place that was once the backdrop for a bloody family feud. It started between the Horrell and Higgins families, neighbors turned bitter enemies after the Civil War. In 1873, a…
You're driving through Lampasas, a town that owes its very existence to a land grant and a bit of a name change. Back in 1838, John Burleson was awarded over a thousand acres for his Texas Revolution service. His…
You're driving through Central Texas, and right here in Lampasas County, you're passing through land settled by Moses Hughes. He arrived in Texas as a teenager in 1835, fleeing Alabama with his family and a whole host…
You're driving through Lampasas, and right here, the Sulphur Creek basin carved a scar across town. Floods have hit Lampasas before, but nothing prepared them for Mother's Day, May 12th, 1957. After a long drought,…
IraDell and J.B. Storm started flipping burgers in Lampasas in 1950 under the name Dairy Cue. Now an open-air, place-your-order-at-the-window Hill Country…
You're driving through Lampasas County, a place whose very existence is tied to healing waters. Back in November of 1853, Moses Hughes and his wife Hannah moved here, seeking relief from her illness in the area's famous…
You're driving through Lampasas County, and right here is Sulphur Creek, the lifeblood of this area. Back in 1853, settlers like Moses Hughes were drawn here by the springs, like Gooch Spring, seeking relief for…
You're driving through Lampasas, or maybe just passing nearby. Back on July 23rd, 1885, right here in Lampasas Springs, a group of thirty-one bankers from across Texas met to form the Texas Bankers Association. It was…
You're driving through Lampasas County, formed way back in 1856 from Travis and Bell counties. The name 'Lampazos' comes from the Spanish, meaning 'cockle-burs,' which were apparently everywhere! The first settlers…
You're driving past the site of Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Lampasas. Catholics here started organizing services in 1880, and built their first church in town in 1885. The congregation has seen several buildings on…
You're driving past Lampasas, a town once known as 'The Saratoga of the South' for its healing mineral springs. Back in 1929, a building was constructed using materials from a Baptist dining hall, right here near the…
You're driving through Lampasas, and just ahead is the Malone-Manuel House. Frank Malone, a banker here in the 1880s, didn't just build a home; he helped found the Texas Bankers Association right here in Lampasas in…
You're driving past Hancock Springs in Lampasas, a place folks have sought out for its healing waters since the 1850s. Back then, Native Americans already knew about these curative springs. Soon after, white settlers…
You're driving past what's left of the Hancock Springs Bathhouse, a reminder of Lampasas' heyday as the "Saratoga of the South." Back in the 1850s, settlers discovered these mineral springs and their supposed curative…
You're driving past the site of the grand Park Hotel in Lampasas. Opened in 1883, this 300-foot-long resort was built to capitalize on Lampasas' booming popularity as a health and relaxation destination, thanks to its…
You're driving through Lampasas, home of Stanley Walker, a giant of Texas journalism. Born right here in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1898</say-as>, Walker carved out a legendary career. He honed his skills in…
You're driving past the Lampasas area, home to Thomas Pratt, a man who served Texas through its most formative years. He fought in the Army of the Republic of Texas in <say-as interpret-as="date"…
You're driving past Oak Hill Cemetery, originally the City Cemetery, established in 1872 when Hartwell Fountain sold ten acres to the City of Lampasas. It got its current name, Oak Hill, in 1908. For over fifty years,…
You're driving through Lampasas, but the story of James Jackson Beeman stretches all the way back to the very beginnings of Dallas. Born in Illinois in 1816, Beeman arrived in Texas in 1840. He helped carve out the…
You're driving through Lampasas, and we're talking about Garrison Greenwood. He left Illinois to avoid Indian Wars, arriving in Texas in 1833. Greenwood helped found Fort Houston and set up a Ranger post on the Trinity…
You're driving past the Lampasas area, home to James S. Gillett, a man who wore many hats in 19th-century Texas. Born in Kentucky, Gillett arrived here and quickly became a lawyer and a fighter. He saw action as a Major…
You're driving past the site of King Baptist Church. A Baptist congregation organized here in 1875, holding services in a log schoolhouse and baptizing in Cowhouse Creek. The church was deeded land in 1880 and built its…
You're driving past Cedar Knob Cemetery, a final resting place with a story that stretches back to the earliest days of settlement along the Lampasas River. It all started with Parker Milton Levy, who came here in 1842…
You're driving through Nolanville, a community with roots stretching back to the earliest days of Bell County. <break time="400ms"/> It started as Nolan Valley, named for the creek that itself honored the explorer…
You're driving past Prairie View Cemetery, established in the early 1890s. It began as the churchyard for the First Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and includes graves of pioneer settlers and veterans.
You're driving through the old Harman community, once centered right here. In 1891, M.F. Harman donated land for a school and gathering spot. The community moved the school to a new location in 1904, but by 1917, they…
You're driving past Adamsville, and just off the road here, you can imagine the rumble of industry back in 1872. That's when brothers Perry and Jasper Townsen built their steam mill on Mill Branch. This wasn't just any…
You're driving through Coryell County, and right here is a piece of Texas history: Mother Neff State Park. This isn't just any park; it's the very first state park in Texas! It all started in 1916 when Isabella Eleanor…
You're driving through what was once the Texas frontier, and right here in Coryell County, you passed near Fort Gates, commanded by Colonel Carlos Adolphus Waite. Waite was a career soldier, rising through the ranks and…
You're driving through Coryell County, headed towards Pearl. Did you know this town's post office was once called Wayback? It all started with a petition to name it Swayback, after a nearby mountain. But a clerical…
You're driving through Coryell County, and right here is Pidcoke, a town with a name that almost didn't stick. It all started in 1850 when the Rev. Richard Burton Pidcocke family and their colonists came from England,…
You're driving through eastern Coryell County, near Farm Road 1114. You're passing through The Grove, a community established around 1859 and named for the live oak trees that still dot this landscape. By the late…
You're driving through northeastern Coryell County, near where the historic Chisholm and Bosque Trails once crossed. Right here, a spring once known as Buchanan Springs became a vital watering hole for travelers and…
You're driving through what was once the Texas frontier, near present-day Coryell County. Right here, a young doctor named Edward W. Johns began his career in the U.S. Army. Arriving at Fort Gates in 1849, he served on…
Right here in Coryell County, Texas, you're passing through the birthplace of William Buck Bagby. <break time="400ms"/> Born in 1855, Bagby wasn't destined to stay in Central Texas. <break time="400ms"/> After studying…
You're driving through Hay Valley, a rural community just northwest of Gatesville. This area was settled in 1870 by George Washington Tanner and his wife, Martha. They established a successful farm and stock-raising…
You're driving through Coryell County, not far from Gatesville, and you're passing through what used to be Leon Junction. It got its name from the Leon River and a railroad that never quite made it. But don't worry, the…
You're driving through Coryell County, not far from Gatesville. Right here is Levita, a town that started with a name change. It was originally Simpsonville, but the post office needed a unique name, so Mont Simpson…
You're driving through West Texas, maybe past San Angelo, or perhaps heading towards Paint Rock. Right here, a century ago, William Columbus Redman was chasing the news. He was a printer by trade, and in 1882, he moved…
You're driving through what is now Coryell County, Texas, a place that once held land granted to Algernon Sidney Thruston. Born in Kentucky, Thruston was a lawyer who came to Texas in 1835, raising a company of soldiers…
You're driving past the site of the United Presbyterian Church of Adamsville. It began in 1880 as the Pleasant Valley Cumberland Presbyterian Church, organized with 19 charter members. Services were held in a…
You're driving past the John Patterson House, built between 1879 and 1880. John Patterson was a true pioneer here. He was the very first person to cultivate land in this county, way back in 1854. He also served as a…