Bell County

The Bell county seat is a small town of 20,000 overshadowed by the county's two population centers of Killeen and Temple, and of course, Ft. Hood.

Courthouse has kept much of its original appearance.

The vault shown below was left over from the 1884 before the current 1885 courthouse was constructed.

Namesake of Bell County - Peter Hansbrouigh Bell, 3rd Governor of the State of Texas, 1849-1853, served in Congress from 1853-1857.  Never returned to Texas after 1857, although he lived until 1898.

Coffee stop at Amor Ciego in Belton.

The Bell County Museum is housed in the old Carnegie Library building.  Carnegie funded 32 libraries in Texas in the early 1900's - 13 of the original buildings remain.

One of the more interesting things I learned about Belton here was the story of the "Sanctified Sisters".  It is complicated...so I leave you this link.. you won't be disappointed.                                    http://www.texasescapes.com/ClayCoppedge/Sanctified-Sisters.htm

Laying of the Courthouse Cornerstone in 1884

A collection of "mustache cups"

Courthouse model.

Memorial to Confederate Heroes erected in 1916  - these are mostly found in the Eastern part of Texas where the Confederacy was more popular.  And of course, much of Western Texas was not settled by Anglos at the start of the War.