The settlement began in 1880 as a GC&SF construction camp called Temple Junction by the railway and known as "Tanglefoot" or "Mud Town" to residents.

[7] Also in 1882, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway built through the town, and soon after, the GC&SF made Temple a division point.

Locally, it was nicknamed "Tanglefoot" because some residents found that the combination of muddy streets and liquor made walking through the town challenging.

In 1893, the annual Temple Stag Party began, growing out of a private Thanksgiving celebration attended by some of the town's leading men.

Temple's position as the largest city in Bell County was earned largely on account of its medical facilities and its importance as a major railroad junction.

Harvey Houses provided meals for Santa Fe passengers during stopovers and were also popular with local customers.

The chain was famous for its high-quality food and its iconic uniformed all-female "Harvey Girl" waitstaff.

[13] It is bordered to the southwest, on the opposite side of the Leon River, by Belton, the county seat.

The city is located right on Interstate 35, running alongside the Balcones Fault with very varied geography.

Towards the east lies the Blackland Prairie region (a rich farming area), and towards the west, the terrain rises with low, rolling, limestone-layered hills at the northeastern tip of the Texas Hill Country.

[21] Over 100 years ago, the local economy began with the regional Santa Fe Railroad hospital.

Temple now thrives in a complex economy, with both goods distribution and its reputation as a regional medical center leading the way.

[27] Temple College offers two-year associate degrees in a variety of subjects, with strong programs in business administration, information technology, and nursing.

[31] A number of broadcast television channels are available in the city: KCEN-TV (NBC), KWTX-TV (CBS/Telemundo), KXXV-TV (ABC), KWKT-TV (Fox), KNCT-TV (The CW), plus several alternate broadcast channels including MeTV, Cozi, iON, MyNetworkTV, grit and local weather.

Amtrak serves the city with its Texas Eagle passenger train, which stops at the Temple Railway Station.

Temple has general aviation services via Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport.

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board has its headquarters in Temple.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates a regional office in the city.