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History · Belton

Belton’s history is
mostly unwritten

The public archives hold just one old photo of Belton. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.

1850established
1old images & papers
41historic places
3recent photos

The story

from WikipediaRead it all ↗

Belton and Bell County have been the site of human habitation since at least 6000 BCE. Evidence of early inhabitants, including campsites, kitchen middens and burial mounds from the late prehistoric era have been discovered in the Stillhouse Hollow Lake and Belton Lake areas. The earliest identifiable inhabitants were the Tonkawa, who traditionally followed buffalo by foot. Belton was also home to the Lipan Apache, Wacos, Nadaco, Kiowas and Comanche. By the 1840s most tribes had been pushed out by settlements, but skirmishes with the Comanche continued until the early 1870s.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

built from the dates on the items below
1850Established
1881Old map-Belton-1881Map
1890–1999Nothing yet. Family albums go here.
Be one of the first

Start Belton’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Belton’s history is told.

0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Famous people from BeltonWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Belton.Meet them →
By decade

Belton, decade by decade

1880s1 paper
Old map-Belton-1881MapOld map-Belton-18811881
1890s–
1990s
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
📷 Add from your album
Today3 photos
It's a peaceful night full of remembrance, tradition and fun. DVIDS372306CommonsIt's a peaceful night full of remembrance, tradition and fu…2011Steve's MINICooperS - damagedCommonsSteve's MINICooperS - damaged2009Dead Tree Stump, Stillwater Park, TexasCommonsDead Tree Stump, Stillwater Park, Texas2008
National Register of Historic Places

41 historic places in Belton

41 places in Belton are on the National Register of Historic Places, the country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

#17
In Texasby listings · most towns there have none
41places listed38 buildings · 1 district · 2 other
0National Historic LandmarksNone here yet
96historic buildings protectedcounting each building in a district
1974first listedOld St. Luke's Episcopal Church · newest: Walter J. Lee House, 1990

Where they are

Tap a dot for a photo and link. Districts show at their center.
Old St. Luke's Episcopal ChurchBell County CourthouseMiller-Curtis HouseCarnegie Public LibraryArthur Potts HouseBaylor Female College Historic DistrictBelton AcademyBelton Farmers' Gin CoopBelton StandpipeBelton Yarn MillCapt. Andrew Jackson Harris HouseCornelison HouseDr. Jacob Moore Frazier HouseDr. Taylor Hudson HouseEle Baggett HouseF. K. and Mary Austin HouseFirst Christian Church ParsonageGeorge and Martha McWhirter HouseGray Rental HousesHouse at 730 N. Beal St.James A. Ferguson HouseJames E. and Miriam Ferguson HouseJoel Elliott HouseJohn P. Hammersmith HouseL. B. Kinchion HouseMorey HouseMount Zion United Methodist ChurchR. F. and Lena Burford HouseSilas and Ellen Baggett HouseT. Hamp and Beulah Birdwell HouseV. R. Means HouseWilliam Beamer HouseBelton Commercial Historic DistrictH. A. and Helena Ware HouseHouse at 402 N. East St.J. Z. Miller HouseJames HouseMissouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad Bridge at the Leon RiverRobert Naismith HouseW. J. Venable HouseWalter J. Lee House
BuildingsDistrictsStructures

When they were listed

The Register began in 1966. Belton’s busiest decade was the 1990s.
Old St. Luke's Episcopal ChurchListed 1974Old St. Luke's Episcopal ChurchBuildingArchitectureReligionSocial historyBell County CourthouseListed 1976Bell County CourthouseBuilt 1884PoliticsArchitectureMiller-Curtis HouseListed 1983Miller-Curtis HouseBuildingArchitectureCarnegie Public LibraryListed 1985Carnegie Public LibraryBuilt 1904EducationArchitectureArthur Potts HouseListed 1990Arthur Potts HouseBuildingArchitectureBaylor Female College Historic DistrictListed 1990Baylor Female College Historic DistrictBuildingEducationArchitectureBelton AcademyListed 1990Belton AcademyBuildingEducationArchitectureBelton Farmers' Gin CoopListed 1990Belton Farmers' Gin CoopBuildingIndustryArchitectureBelton StandpipeListed 1990Belton StandpipeStructureTown planningEngineeringBelton Yarn MillListed 1990Belton Yarn MillBuildingIndustryArchitectureCapt. Andrew Jackson Harris HouseListed 1990Capt. Andrew Jackson Harris HouseBuildingArchitectureCornelison HouseListed 1990Cornelison HouseBuildingArchitectureDr. Jacob Moore Frazier HouseListed 1990Dr. Jacob Moore Frazier HouseBuildingArchitectureDr. Taylor Hudson HouseListed 1990Dr. Taylor Hudson HouseBuildingArchitectureEle Baggett HouseListed 1990Ele Baggett HouseBuildingArchitectureF. K. and Mary Austin HouseListed 1990F. K. and Mary Austin HouseBuildingArchitectureFirst Christian Church ParsonageListed 1990First Christian Church ParsonageBuildingArchitectureGeorge and Martha McWhirter HouseListed 1990George and Martha McWhirter HouseBuildingArchitectureReligionGray Rental HousesListed 1990Gray Rental HousesBuildingArchitectureHouse at 730 N. Beal St.Listed 1990House at 730 N. Beal St.BuildingArchitectureJames A. Ferguson HouseListed 1990James A. Ferguson HouseBuildingArchitectureJames E. and Miriam Ferguson HouseListed 1990James E. and Miriam Ferguson HouseBuildingArchitectureJoel Elliott HouseListed 1990Joel Elliott HouseBuildingArchitectureJohn P. Hammersmith HouseListed 1990John P. Hammersmith HouseBuildingArchitectureL. B. Kinchion HouseListed 1990L. B. Kinchion HouseBuildingArchitectureMorey HouseListed 1990Morey HouseBuildingArchitectureMount Zion United Methodist ChurchListed 1990Mount Zion United Methodist ChurchBuildingBlack historyArchitectureR. F. and Lena Burford HouseListed 1990R. F. and Lena Burford HouseBuildingArchitectureSilas and Ellen Baggett HouseListed 1990Silas and Ellen Baggett HouseBuildingArchitectureT. Hamp and Beulah Birdwell HouseListed 1990T. Hamp and Beulah Birdwell HouseBuildingArchitectureV. R. Means HouseListed 1990V. R. Means HouseBuildingArchitectureWilliam Beamer HouseListed 1990William Beamer HouseBuildingArchitectureListed 1990Belton Commercial Historic DistrictDistrictCommercePoliticsArchitectureListed 1990H. A. and Helena Ware HouseBuildingArchitectureListed 1990House at 402 N. East St.BuildingArchitectureListed 1990J. Z. Miller HouseBuildingArchitectureListed 1990James HouseBuildingArchitectureListed 1990Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad Bridge at the Leon RiverStructureTransportationListed 1990Robert Naismith HouseBuildingArchitectureListed 1990W. J. Venable HouseBuildingArchitectureListed 1990Walter J. Lee HouseBuildingArchitecture
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · styles from the National Archives catalog · photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place

Then & now

When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.

Stories next door

nearby towns’ history
📜 Temple📜 Morgan's Point Resort📜 Nolanville📜 Salado

From Wikimedia Commons (4) and the National Register (2). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.

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