Killeen
Rich with history dating back to the 1800's, Killeen, Texas is a remarkable town with a remarkable history. Killeen is the place where William “Wild Bill” Scoggins lassoed the smokestack of the Santa Fe steam engine as the railroad marched through Texas. Named in honor of a railroad dignitary born in Ireland and calling Galveston, Texas home, Killeen was a small until 1942 when Camp Hood was established. Camp Hood is the site where tank and tactical training took place for the U.S. Army following the start of World War II. Encompassing 160,000-acres of land to the northwest of Killeen, Camp Hood overran much of the prime farmland that Killeen once had to offer. Because of the instability of the area throughout the 1940's, in 1950, Camp Hood became Fort Hood, a permanent part of Killeen.Today, Fort Hood is as much a part of Killeen as the Texas sunrise. Naturally, there is a large concentration of military service members and their families, which makes up the majority of the community. Now rich with services and amenities for travelers and residents, Killeen is a thriving city with a great deal to offer.