Belton, TX
Music connected to Belton
About Belton
- • Miriam Amanda Ferguson, Texas's first female governor, was born near Belton.
- • The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a private Christian university, was founded in Belton.
- • Its strategic location on the Chisholm Trail drove Belton's early growth and commerce.
- • Belton was once a contender to become the Texas state capital.
- • The devastating flood of 1913 prompted the construction of Belton Lake.
- • Named in 1850 after surveyor Bell, it was incorporated in 1866.
- • With over 24,000 residents, it's smaller than its neighbor, Temple.
- • Sitting at 509 feet, the air is noticeably drier than Houston.
- • Healthcare and retail are major employers in Belton today.
- • Belton offers a warm, welcoming, and relaxed small-town feeling.
- • The Dallas Cowboys, 140 miles away, won five Super Bowls in the 70's and 90's.
- • Belton High School's football team won the state championship in 1950.
- • The area's geology is heavily influenced by the Cretaceous period limestone formations.
- • Belton Lake, a reservoir on the Leon River, is a prominent natural landmark.
- • The Leon River flows through Belton and is dammed to create Belton Lake.
- • White-tailed deer are commonly observed in and around Belton.
- • The Blackland Prairie ecosystem, characterized by grasses and wildflowers, is found in the area.
- • The area was inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Tonkawa and Comanche.
- • In 1852, Belton became the county seat of Bell County.
- • The Bell County Courthouse, built in 1884, is a notable example of Victorian architecture.
- • Interstate 35 passes through Belton, connecting it to major cities in Texas.