The great city of Killeen, Texas has been my home forever, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I am a proud Killeenite and a total homer. With a population of over 150,000, the city has grown into a true metropolitan Texas, yet still has a small-town feel.
Killeen doesn’t always have the best reputation, but it is full of good people, many of whom have served our country. So, what is our city most famous for?
WELCOME TO THE GREAT PLACE
Like I said, Killeen is home to so many people who have served in the military, mostly in the military.
Yes, Fort Hood is our claim to fame. In recent years, this hasn’t necessarily been a bright spot. After two shootings and high-profile cases like Vanessa Guillen’s, Killeen doesn’t look like a large community from the outside.
While there is much work to be done to make Fort Hood all it should be to serve our men and women in uniform, there is absolutely no question that the ordinary citizens of Killeen love and respect our troops, and we do everything possible to make sure they know.
KILLEEN HAS A FORGOTTEN STORY
Many people know Killeen because of Fort Hood, but that’s not the only element that shaped Killeen’s identity. Our neighboring town of Temple really leans on its history as a railway town.
What newcomers to Killeen may not realize is that Killeen also started out as a railroad town. Many Texas cities have grown up around railroads and ours was one of them. In fact, our town is named after a Galveston railroad official, though history suggests he may never have set foot here.
Tour Texas states that Killeen was a stop for the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe trains. However, they note that the city didn’t really start to grow until the military chose it as the location for a new base to train troops and test anti-tank weapons during WWII.
KILLEEN’S PRIDE
So yes, Killeen is most famous for Fort Hood. Despite the problems that have plagued the base, we can be proud to be a community that supports our servicemen and welcomes them to settle after their service is done.
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