Historic Temple

CITY OF
TEMPLE
The city of Temple began as a railroad town
on June 29, 1881, when Temple Junction was
created as the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe
Railway pushed north from Galveston. On this
day, trains brought prospective buyers from five
cities in for a party, barbecue, and the auction of
town lots. Twenty-eight residential lots and 157
business lots were sold and the railroad even
refunded passenger ticket prices for those who
bought land. The new settlement was named in
honor of Bernard Moore Temple, the Santa Fe’s
chief engineer.
Today, the city of Temple remains proud of its
historic legacy in Texas history and continues to
serve as a major connection among the
international markets of Mexico via Laredo and
three of the largest metro areas in Texas: San
Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth. It is
also one of the leading medical centers in the
Southwest and includes Scott & White Hospital
and Clinic, King’s Daughters Hospital, and the
Olin E. Teague Veterans Center.
The city of Temple is governed under the
council-manager form of local government.The
mayor is elected at large, while the four-member
council is elected by district. The Council is
tasked with formulating public policy to meet
community needs. The city manager is the chief
executive officer for the city and is charged with
directing the day-to-day operations of the city.
The city is home to numerous manufacturing,
technology, and bioscience companies, as well as
several distribution service firms. Also within the
city are five award-winning school districts,
historic museums, the Azalee Marshall Cultural
Activities Center, Temple Symphony Orchestra,
Temple Civic Theatre, and the Frank W.
Mayborn Civic and Convention Center.
Temple’s historic district is located north of
the downtown district, and offers residents and
visitors alike a unique collection of fine, historic
mansions and middle class bungalows.
Throughout its history, the city of Temple has
grown steadily because of its diverse economy—
agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, and
medicine—and continues to shine as one of
Texas’ brightest stars.
For more information, visit the city of
Temple website at www.ci.temple.tx.us. For
visitor information on Temple, please visit
www.discovertemple.com.
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Above: A bird’s-eye view of downtown
Temple looking north. This mid-
1950's photograph shows a
progressive Temple looking much like
downtown Temple of today.
Below: Today, even with the passage
of a half-century, the Municipal
Building remains the hub of activity in
the downtown area.
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