Neighboring Communities

BELTON
Founded in the 1850s as the county seat for Bell County, Belton boasts a downtown historic district, many fine Victorian era homes and over 160 historical markers in the city and surrounding areas. The rolling plains and wooded hills provide the area with a touch of serenity, while the two nearby lakes offer plenty of recreation opportunities. Fort Hood, 18 miles west of Belton, also plays a vital role in the area's economy.

Belton Lake, located on the Leon River, is a fisherman and boaters' haven, covering 12,300 acres with 136 miles of shoreline. Miller Springs Nature Center is located along the Leon River below the Belton Lake Dam. The nature center—operated as a classroom without walls—is on 266 acres of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' property in the historic Tennessee Valley.

Downtown Belton is home to a number of parks. The Central Texas Blackhawks, a member of the American West Hockey League, first hit the ice in 2002, using the Expo Center as its home ice.

Education
The Belton Independent School District (BISD) includes six elementary schools (k-4), one primary academy (pre-k, 2-3), two intermediate schools (5-6), a junior high (7-8) and two high schools (9-12). BISD has set standards above the state's requirements, and the Texas Education Agency has recognized Belton High School as one of the state's top schools. Belton also offers a wealth of higher education opportunities, including The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, the oldest institution of higher learning offering continuous education in Texas, is located within Belton.

COPPERAS COVE
Copperas Cove, a city with a proud heritage and a bright future, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for its citizens. Recreation is bountiful in Copperas Cove. The city park, with meandering creeks running through the tree-shaded grounds, has a picnic area, swimming pool, tennis court and plenty of room for baseball games, soccer and enjoying a lazy afternoon.

Education
Copperas Cove Independent School District includes seven elementary, two intermediate campuses, two junior high schools, one high school and one alternative campus. Local support and interest in the young people and the school system have been determining factors in promoting the high achievement levels obtained by students on state and national standardized tests. The many awards, trophies and certificates received by students and faculty alike demonstrate the professionalism, ability and caring of the entire school system. In addition to the public schools, private kindergartens and parochial schools are available.

Annual Events Include:
Rabbits Fest (May)
Ogletree Gap Heritage Festival (October)
Krist Kindl Market (December)

GATESVILLE
Gatesville is located north of the Fort Hood Military Reservation at the junction of U.S. Highway 84 and State 36. It is the county seat of Coryell County, with an approximate population of 15,591.

The shopping activity in Gatesville is located throughout the town with a combination of specialty, antique, craft, furniture, appliance and gift shops.
Gatesville is also home to six state-run prison facilities. The prison system employs over 2,800 people in the surrounding area. Gatesville has council-manager form of government with a mayor and six city council members. City Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month where the public is invited to attend. The fire department is strictly volunteer, with 33 volunteers and 14 pieces of equipment. The police department employs 12 full time officers, three reserve officers and has eight radio-equipped vehicles. There is a city-county airport at Gatesville with a 3,500 foot paved runway. Fuel service for planes is available. Use of the airport is free.

HARKER HEIGHTS
Harker Heights is right in the middle of where you want to be. The city has grown to its present population of more than 26,000. The city boasts that it is one of the fastest growing cities in Texas. The city provides an excellent quality of life to residents and businesses. Neighborhoods provide peace and quiet. Harker Heights is full of properties both for sale and rent, and claims to have the best value in housing investment in the area. Harker Heights is located on U.S. Highway 190 and is only five miles east of Fort Hood and 10 miles west of Interstate 35, which connects Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Stillhouse Hollow Lake is just five miles south of U.S. Highway 190.

The city also has a new city park, City Hall, Parks and Recreation Department and post office. Many new retail stores have opened in our local area, including an upscale mall on Highway 190. The city continues to sprout new housing developments and businesses.

Education
Harker Heights is part of the Killeen Independent School District and has some of the best elementary and middle schools in the district as well as a high school.

Annual Events Include:
City Golf Tournament (July)

KILLEEN
A short drive along Central Texas Expressway brings the well-documented growth statistics of Killeen to life. The concentration of population in the Greater Killeen area, combined with a low cost of living index, is the largest contributing factor in the growing service environment.

The ever-increasing military population at Fort Hood has, since World War II, driven the growing service environment. In addition to the 119,500 Greater Killeen residents, Fort Hood provides an additional 60,000 consumers, pushing the total number of residents using services to more than 170,000.

Five public athletic complexes, located on large tracts of land around Killeen, teem with activity during spring, summer and fall. Tennis, basketball, softball, swimming, even motor cross, rodeo and model airplane facilities are available. The Killeen Parks and Recreation Department operate eight additional neighborhood parks and five recreation centers, as well as the community center. Five public, military and private golf courses offer a variety of challenges to Killeen golfers. Four public and military bowling centers offer a variety of league and tournament play.

Education
The University of Central Texas (UCT) offers higher level baccalaureate and graduate programs. Founded in 1973, this private, non-profit, co-educational independent university is located midway between Killeen and Copperas Cove and adjacent to Fort Hood. The Central Texas College District might well have a familiar ring to many newcomers. Its international scope includes six campus locations and more than 180 locations at military installations worldwide. Under its umbrella, the system serves over 50,000 students annually. Of these nearly 6,000 students per semester attend the main Killeen campus, and an additional 2,000 attend the CTC Fort Hood campus. CTC offers over 100 associate degree and certificate programs in academic, professional and vocational/technical fields.

The heart of any community's education system is generally its public school system. The Killeen Independent School District serves approximately 29,000 students in Killeen, Harker Heights, Fort Hood and Nolanville. Its educational network covers four high schools, eight middle schools and 25 elementary schools, Career and Technology Center, Pathways Learning Center and two alternative campuses. Now numbered among the 50 largest school districts in the state, KISD has shown continuous growth since its inception in 1882.

Annual Events Include:
Veterans' Day Parade (November)
Christmas Parade (December)

LAMPASAS
Chartered in the year 1873, Lampasas sits at the intersection of three major U.S. highways: 190, 183 and 281. Because of this crossroads location, Lampasas has long been the gateway to the Highland Lakes area as well as the Central Texas Hill Country. Single-family housing units are available as well as several apartment complexes. Several mobile home parks and a RV park operate in the community, with limited space for campers, trailers and motor homes. Visitors will also find above average motel accommodations when planning a stop in Lampasas.

Education
The mission of Lampasas Independent School District is to develop and encourage lifelong learners and to share in the responsibility of educating the total child. L.I.S.D. schools seek to be student-centered. The needs and abilities of the individual are the principal concern. The district strives to prepare the student physically, mentally, socially and morally toward the full realization of their highest capacities so they can take their place in a changing society. A student population of over 3,000 is served by the following campuses: Lampasas High School, Challenger High School, Lampasas Middle School, Hanna Springs Intermediate School and Kline Whitis Elementary School.

Annual Events Include:
Every year during the second week of July, Lampasas hosts their annual "Spring Ho" Festival.

SALADO
Rich in history and charm, today Salado is blessed with numerous art galleries, antique and bookshops that are in keeping with the culture and traditions of the village.

Education
Salado Independent School District serves the community of Salado. Salado I.S.D., with its student population of 1,000, provides a small school setting with exemplary academic and athletic programs. Students outperform other students in Texas on the state test, Texas Assessment of Academic Skills. Salado I.S.D. students consistently exceed the national average on the SAT and ACT with some students going on to National Merit Scholarships. Salado I.S.D. offers advanced technology including distance-learning capabilities. Students construct websites and Power Point presentations. Salado I.S.D. is housed on three beautiful campuses, which boast native gardens and an outdoor amphitheater.

Annual Events Include:
Quilt Show (April)
Texas 100 Fine Art Show (May)
Salado Art Fair (August)
Christmas in October (October)
Christmas Stroll (December)

TEMPLE
Temple, the second largest city in Bell County, is located on Interstate 35 about 30 minutes from Fort Hood. It has a unique economic base in three major areas: medical services, manufacturing industries and warehouse/distribution facilities. The city of Temple offers a wide variety of homes in a broad range of styles, sizes and prices. Families appreciate the "kid-friendly" neighborhoods, only minutes away from work, schools, churches and shopping areas. Affordable apartments and quality retirement condominiums contribute to the city's comfortable, diverse lifestyles.

Temple has three public swimming pools, two movie theaters with 11 indoor screens, one youth center, 16 softball and baseball fields, more than 13 public tennis courts, four football fields, one bowling center and a skating rink. There are two public 18-hole municipal golf courses. Wildflower Country Club has an excellent 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, pool and dining facilities surrounded by the Wildflower residential development.

Education
The Temple Independent School District supports nine elementary schools, three middle schools, one public high school and one alternative school. Enrollment in the entire district is 8,506. TISD students have earned 168 National Merit honors since 1988 and have had five appointments to U.S. military and service academies. Temple High School SAT scores have exceeded state and national averages for 10 consecutive years. There are seven private schools and more than 25 daycare centers.

Temple College is a two-year, fully accredited institution with a full range of associate, technical and certification programs. The college has over 3,000 students and an additional 3,000 in continuing education and training programs. Recently the college received a $575,000 training grant through the Texas Skills Development Fund to train employees of local companies.

Annual Events Include:
Temple College Annual Jazz Festival
(March)
Temple Chamber of Commerce
Military Appreciation event (August)
Texas Train Festival
(September)
Texas Early Day Tractor and
Engine Association Show (October)
The City of Temple Christmas Parade (December)

SURROUNDING AREA
Austin
Austin is located approximately 60 miles south of Fort Hood and can be reached by taking Interstate 35 South. It is the capital of Texas, with a population of more than 600,000.

Austin's attraction has much to do with its cultural and recreational scenes. Austin has the most artists and softball players per capita of any Texas city. Tourists in Austin will also find famous Sixth Street night life, 28 miles of park-like hike and bike trails, the University of Texas campus, Barton Springs Pool (a spring-fed pool as large as three football fields), Austin Symphony Orchestra, ballet, the theater and the popular Capital 10,000 foot race.

Dallas
Dallas is located northeast of the Fort Hood military reservation and can be reached by taking Interstate 35E North to the intersection of Interstate 30. The city is approximately 160 miles from Fort Hood. It is the county seat of Dallas County, with a population of 1,199,809.

The Dallas area offers the tourist shopping, recreation, arts and culture, family fun and the best in professional sports. Dallas is home to the Dallas Cowboys football team (five-time Super Bowl Champions), Dallas Mavericks basketball, Texas Rangers baseball, the Dallas Stars (1999 Stanley Cup champions), Dallas Burn and the Dallas Sidekicks professional soccer team. The city also hosts the annual Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Classic and the Verizon Byron Nelson PGA Classic.

For more information on Dallas, contact the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1201 Elm St., Suite 2000, Dallas, TX 75270; or (214) 571 1000. Call the 24-hour Dallas Events Hotline at (214) 571-1301 or visit Dallas on the World Wide Web at http://www.dallascvb.com.

Fort Worth
Fort Worth is located approximately 30 miles directly west of Dallas and approximately 160 miles north of Fort Hood. It is home of the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show as well as the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Its companies manufacture handcrafted saddles and F-16 fighter aircraft. World-class museums offer everything from agricultural exhibits to world-class masterpieces.

Originally settled in 1849 as an Army outpost at a fork of the Trinity River, Fort Worth was one of eight forts assigned to protect settlers from Indian attacks. Today, the Historic Stockyards District looks much the same as it did 100 years ago when Exchange Avenue was filled with cattle bound for the Kansas packinghouses and railroad yards. For the ultimate Cowboy experience, visit Fort Worth, "Where the West Begins."

Georgetown
Georgetown is located 25 miles north of Austin on I-35. Known for its small town charm, Georgetown offers an exciting weekend getaway for the whole family.

A 1997 Great American Main Street Award winner, the Historic Downtown Square has shopping abound with over 30 unique shops where you can find that one-of-a-kind gift at any of the specialty, antique or gift shops. A variety of dining on the Square, from Cajun to Chinese, can meet any taste.

San Antonio
San Antonio is located southwest of the Fort Hood military reservation and can be reached by taking I-35 South, approximately 150 miles until it intersects with I-37 south at downtown San Antonio.

San Antonio is the eighth largest city in the United States and one of the top tourist destinations in the country. San Antonio has never lost touch with its heritage while keeping pace with a fast-changing world. Your entertainment options in San Antonio are virtually limitless. There are so many things to see and do in San Antonio at little or no cost. Theme parks are fast becoming the most popular of San Antonio's destinations. San Antonio has a wide variety of things to do, whether it's soaking in the culture of the River Walk while enjoying a guided boat ride, taking in the proud history of The Alamo, or cheering at a home game for the NBA's Spurs.

While in San Antonio, stop by the Visitor Information Center (across the street from the Alamo) at 321 Alamo St., or call (800) 447-3372.

New Braunfels
Right on the beaten path between Austin and San Antonio is the beautiful town of New Braunfels. With the scenic Texas Hill Country as its backdrop and the crystal clear Comal River as its centerpiece, this charming city of German Heritage is a Texas Natural for family fun.

Waco
The city of Waco, located in McLennan County, sits on the beautiful Brazos River in the "Heart of Texas." Interstate Highway 35, which runs through the center of the city, allows accessibility for tourism and business travel.

Waco's low cost of living, low crime rate, neighborhood associations, excellent schools, unique shops, fine homes, recreational facilities and friendly hometown atmosphere contributed to its nomination as an All American City in 1996. Waco is also home to three higher educational institutions: Baylor University (part of the Big XII conference), McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College. The city of Waco is located approximately 50 miles north of Fort Hood and can be reached by taking I-35 North.  read more...

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