Temple Junior College was founded in 1926 to serve post-secondary students in eastern Bell County, Texas. Classes were originally held in the basement of the Temple High School until 1957, when the campus moved to its present location on the city's south side. Racial segregation at the college ended that same year. A separate junior college district was created in 1955 and in 1959 it acquired its own board of regents. The name of the college was changed to Temple College in 1996.