Bethel lies on the upper northeast edge of the land originally granted to José de Jesús Grande on December 17, 1833.

[2] Although he agreed in his grant application to attract colonists to cultivate the land, little settlement occurred until after hostilities with the native tribes died down in the mid-1840s.

[3] Early settlers were situated around the land of Charles Gilmore (1796-1880) whose house served as the first polling place, school, and church.

By 1852, the community had a general store, a blacksmith shop and post office with Charles Gilmore as postmaster.

After World War II there was a slight increase during the time of major oil discoveries, in which it had 90 occupants.

[5] Bethel sits along U.S. Highway 287, 8 mi (13 km) southeast of the Trinity River in the northwestern part of Anderson County.