1845Government
Founded in 1845, it is a private Christian university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
1850Government
Belton was first settled 1850 and named Nolanville, taking the name of nearby Nolan Springs which were named after the Texan explorer Philip Nolan.
1851Government
In 1851, it changed its name to Belton after being named the county seat of newly created Bell County named after Peter Hansborough Bell, the Governor of Texas at that time.
1860History
In 1860, the population was 300, the largest in the county.
1861Military
Nonetheless, in 1861 Bell County voted for secession and many residents fought in the Confederate Army.
1866Military
Several pro-union sympathizers were lynched in 1866 and Federal troops were called in to protect the Federal Judge serving in the city.
1868Education
In 1868, Martha McWhirter, a prominent figure in Belton's non-sectarian Union Sunday School, created the Woman's Commonwealth, the only Texas women's commune of the 1800s.
1899History
In 1899, the group sold their holdings and relocated to Maryland.
1904Infrastructure
In 1904, Belton reported a population of 3,700.
1931History
However the town was decimated by the Great Depression and was down to a population of 3,779 only three years later in 1931.
1942Military
The town began to recover in the run up to World War II as Fort Hood was opened nearby in 1942, housing the tank destroyer Tactical and Firing Center.
1950History
By 1950, the city's population was back up to 6,246 and by 1990 had reached 12,476.
2000History
=== 2000 census ===
As of the 2000 census, there were 14,623 people, 4,742 households, and 3,319 families residing in the city.
2021Disaster
However, February 2021 brought a snowstorm to Belton that impacted many homes, forcing many people to live without power or heat for as long as a week.