Old name, new houses
South Nolan Creek roots and a subdivision boom since 2000
A railroad hamlet for most of a century, then a fast-growing suburb.
The town started as Nolan Valley, named for the creek, which takes its name from the explorer Philip Nolan. A post office opened in 1878, the Santa Fe line arrived in the early 1880s, and the name became Nolanville in 1883. Belton, down the road, had briefly used that name before 1851.
For most of the next century it stayed small, with about 200 residents and six businesses when it incorporated in 1966. The census count reached 2,150 in 2000, 4,259 in 2010 and 5,917 in 2020. Most of that growth arrived as new subdivisions rather than infill, which is why so many houses are reaching the same age at once.
That growth means most houses are 2000s and 2010s subdivision homes on slabs. Builder-grade plumbing from those years is reaching its first major repairs: the original water heater, plastic supply fittings, budget faucet cartridges and toilet fill valves.
A tank heater typically lasts about 10 to 15 years, so many first heaters here are already past due. The usual warning signs are rust at the drain valve, popping as the burner fires, or a damp ring on the garage floor under the pan.
Water and permits
WCID No. 3, 439 WSC and a city strict about permits
Two water providers, a clear permit list and the creek through town.
Water depends on the address. The city says most residents are served by Bell County WCID No. 3, while homes along the northern boundary get water from 439 Water Supply Corporation. A meter or street-pressure question goes to whichever name is on the bill.
The permit list is specific. Installing or replacing a water heater needs a permit, and so does installing or replacing a water softener. Work is inspected under the 2024 International Plumbing Code, and inspection requests filed online before 4 p.m. are handled the next business day.
The town sits on South Nolan Creek and the Santa Fe line, with US 190 carrying traffic to Killeen in the west and Belton in the east. Fox Park on North 10th Street joined the city in 2014, and Monarch Park’s first phase plans a splash pad and pavilion.