TEMPLE, Texas — The City of Temple celebrated its 142nd birthday on Thursday, June 29.
The city shared a post about its birthday, saying "From the friendly faces that make our community special to the breathtaking sights that surround us, there's so much to be grateful for. Thank you to our residents who have made Temple a place we love."
To help celebrate this historic town, below are some fun facts about Temple, Texas' early history.
1. Temple was originally founded as a railroad town in 1881
According to Discover Temple, the city was founded on June 29, 1881 as a railroad town when the Temple Junction was created by the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad.
2. Temple was named after Bernard Moore Temple
Bernard Moore Temple was a chief engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad.
3. Temple was once known as 'Tanglefoot' or 'Mud Town'
According to the Texas Historical Survey Committee, during Temple's early days, it was a town of "shacks" and "tents" with a large number of saloons "and tough characters found in the early West." Locally, residents called the town "Tanglefoot" or "Mud Town" because of how muddy streets and liquor made it difficult to walk, per the committee.
The town wouldn't officially be named Temple until the first post office was established in January 1881.
4. Temple was a major settlement for Czech immigrants
During the 1800s, hundreds of Czech immigrants settled in Temple, according to Britannica. Today, the SPJST Museum houses more than 18,000 books written in Czech, as well as many artifacts.
5. The town was incorporated in 1882
When Temple was incorporated, there were two private schools with a public school being established in 1884. By then, there were around 3,000 residents, three churches, a school, two banks, two newspapers, an opera house, waterworks, and businesses, according to the Texas Almanac.
Happy Birthday Temple, Texas!
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