Book excerpt: Founded in 1881 by the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Company, Temple, Texas became a railroad town overnight. The company purchased 181 acres and then auctioned off parcels to prospective buyers interested in providing services for railroad equipment and passengers. Though early on Temple had several unfortunate nicknamesMudville, Tanglefoot, and Ratsvilleit soon shed its image as a muddy, rat-infested land, became a major junction for four railway lines, and offered a land of opportunity for commerce. The railway would bring flattering new nicknames like Progressive Temple and Prairie Queen as well as a chance to be part of the American Dream.