Gatesville is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Coryell County, Texas Coryell County ( ) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 83,093. The county seat is Gatesville. The county is named for James Coryell, a frontiersman and Texas Range ...

, United States. Its population was 16,135 at the 2020 census. The city has five of the nine prisons and state jails for women operated by the

Texas Department of Criminal Justice The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails ...

. The Patrick O'Daniel Unit (formerly Mountain View Unit), has the state's

death row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting executio ...

for women. Gatesville is part of the Killeen–

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

–

Fort Cavazos Fort Cavazos is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. The post is currently named after Gen. Richard E. Cavazos, a native Texan and the US Army’s first Hispanic four-star general. The post is located halfway between Austi ...

(formerly Fort Hood) metropolitan statistical area.

Geography

The city is located northeast of the center of Coryell County on the east side of the

Leon River The Leon River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. It has three primary forks - the North, Middle, and South Leon Rivers, which meet near Eastland and then run for around until it meets with the Lampasas River and the Salado Creek to f ...

, part of the

Brazos River The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 14th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater ...

watershed. The city is from

Waco Waco ( ) is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a U.S. census estimated 2024 population of 146,608, making i ...

. It is midway between

Austin Austin refers to: Common meanings * Austin, Texas, United States, a city * Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...

and

Fort Worth Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

. U.S. Route 84 runs through the city, leading east to Waco and west to Goldthwaite. Texas State Highway 36 passes through the eastern side of the city, leading northwest to

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

and southeast to

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, Gatesville has a total area of , of which , or 0.05%, is covered by water.

Climate

History

Gatesville was established in 1854 on land donated by Richard G. Grant (1808–1858), shortly after the organization of Coryell County. The name was taken from Fort Gates, which had been established in 1849 approximately five miles to the west. Gatesville was the western terminus of the Texas and St. Louis Railway, with the town having been reached in 1882. This line later became the core of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company, commonly known as the Cotton Belt.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,135 people, 1,986 households, and 1,151 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, 15,591 people, 2,640 households, and 1,752 families resided in the city. The population density was . There were 2,963 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 63.20% White, 27.00% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 8.49% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 14.73% of the population. Of the 2,640 households, 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were not families. About 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city, the age distribution was 11.7% under 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 53.9% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 63.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 59.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,534, and for a family was $36,543. Males had a median income of $30,625 versus $17,073 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $11,152. About 12.4% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over. The population doubled from 1980 to 2010 with to the establishment of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prisons. As of 2000, about 9,000 of the 15,591 residents were state prisoners.

Economy

Two manufacturing companies are located in Gatesville:
Kalyn Siebert
is a company that makes heavy-haul trailers and equipment for construction, oilfield and energy, national defense, and other specialized transportation requirements. * Laerdal Medical Corporation, a division of

Laerdal Laerdal is a multinational company that develops products and programs for healthcare providers, voluntary organizations, educational institutions, hospitals, and the military worldwide. Laerdal has over 2,000 employees in 26 countries. The hea ...

based in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

, is a manufacturer of plastic medical teaching supplies. The division, formerly known as Medical Plastics Laboratories, Inc., was founded in 1949 by three Gatesville doctors. In January 2000, it was sold to Laerdal."Company's Mr. Hurt makes model patient", by Pete Szilagyi, ''

Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...

,'' July 3, 1983, sect. AA, pps. 16–17

Prisons

Gatesville is the home of several prisons operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, including the Patrick O'Daniel Unit, which houses the women's death row. Gatesville is located on the northern edge of

, and as such is also dependent on the military for a part of its economy (besides Fort Cavazos, a large military vehicle repair facility is located on the east side of town). As of 2012, the prisons in the Gatesville area employ 2,600 people. Most of the employees live in Coryell County. Timothy F. Orwig (born 1949) of the '' Cove Herald'' said, "Correctional officers in gray uniforms have been a common sight in the town's businesses for years, and the job of a 'prison boss' was once a highly regarded career choice in Gatesville." Crain Unit Sign

Of the eight Texas Department of Criminal Justice general correctional facilities for women, which include five prisons and three state jails, four prisons and one state jail are in within the city limits. Entrance to TDCJ Mountain View Unit

The Christina Melton Crain Unit prison (formerly Gatesville Unit), the Hilltop Unit prison, the Dr. Lane Murray Unit prison, and the Linda Woodman Unit state jail are co-located among one another. In addition the Patrick O'Daniel Unit, a prison with the State of Texas female death row, is in Gatesville. One prison for males, the Alfred D. Hughes Unit, is in Gatesville. As of 2012, the 5,552 female prisoners and 2,958 male prisoners were over half of the population of the city. Patrick O'Daniel Unit (then Mountain View Unit) opened in July 1975, Crain opened in August 1980, Hilltop opened in November 1981, and Hughes opened in January 1990. The Murray Unit opened in November 1995, and the Woodman Unit opened in June 1997. Gatesville previously hosted the Gatesville State School and the Mountain View State School, juvenile correctional centers of the Texas Youth Commission. The Mountain View State School closed in 1975, and the Gatesville State School closed in 1979. The buildings were transferred to the Texas Department of Corrections and were used as prisons for adults.

Post office

The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

operates the Gatesville Post Office.

Public education and educational resources

The Gatesville Independent School District is the area school district. Gatesville has a public library. All of the county is in the service area of

Central Texas College Central Texas College (CTC) is a public community college in Killeen, Texas. Founded in 1965, it has branch campuses in Europe and on military installations across the U.S. History Central Texas College was established by a vote of the citizen ...

.Texas Education Code, Section 130.171, "Central Texas College District Service Area"

Parks and recreation

Since 2000, the Prison Boss Cookoff, a barbecue competition that serves as a fundraiser for the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation, has been held every year. Orwig described it as "a family gathering of prison workers."

Other highlights

Donated in 1991, the Coryell County Museum in Gatesville is home to the Loyd and Madge Mitchell Collection of about 10,000 pairs of

spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...

s, thought to be the largest such collection in the world. In 2001, the 77th

Texas Legislature The Texas State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a p ...

designated Gatesville the "Spur Capital of Texas"."Spur Capital"
, by Martha Deeringer, '' Cowboys & Indians'' December 2011; "Official Capital Designations", State of Texas"

Texas State Library and Archives Commission The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) refers to the state government agency in the state of Texas that supports the reading, learning, and historical preservation needs of Texas and its people. The agency is charged with preserv ...

As of 2014, the ''Last Drive-In Picture Show'' in Gatesville, opened by Gene Palmer in 1955 — and, as of 2004, owned by his son, Audie Gene Palmer (1957–2004) — was one of 17 remaining

drive-in theater A drive-in theater/theatre or drive-in cinema is a form of movie theater, cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor movie screen, a projection booth, a concession stand, and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, c ...

s in Texas; of those 17, it is one of oldest and longest continuously running."Last Drive-In Picture Show Information"
, (retrieved February 23, 2014)"Drive-ins Making Big Comeback Across Texas", ''

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

'' via

Dallas News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...

, July 31, 2005, pg. 6A The Gatesville High School Hornets were the 2000 Texas UIL 4A high-school football champions.

Notable people

* William Blankenship (born 1928), opera tenor *

Bart Bryant Barton Holan Bryant (November 18, 1962 – May 31, 2022) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Early life Bryant was born in Gatesville, Texas, the son of a Baptist pastor. He attended New M ...

(born 1962), professional golfer *

Cotton Davidson Francis Marion "Cotton" Davidson (November 30, 1931 – December 23, 2022) was an American football quarterback and punter in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL). Davidson attended Baylor University, and pla ...

(1931–2022), former AFL and NFL quarterback * Dan Edwards (1926–2001), professional football player * Mary Beth Harrell (born 1956), regional TV talk-show host and former prosecutor for the City of

* Taurean Henderson (born 1983), former NFL football player * David Holt (born 1946), musician * Jim Miller (1866–1909), outlaw who lived on the Plum Ranch, outside of Gatesville * Frank S. Page, pastor *

J. D. Sheffield Jesse David Sheffield II, known as J. D. Sheffield (born August 13, 1960), is a physician from Gatesville, Texas, who was a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives. On July 14, 2020, Sheffield was defeated in his re-election ef ...

(born 1960), physician and state legislator * Benny Thomasson (1909–1984), Texas fiddler * Bulldog Turner (1919–1998), NFL football player * Mike Weaver (born 1951), former WBA boxer

References

External links

*
Gatesville Chamber of Commerce
* {{authority control Cities in Coryell County, Texas Cities in Texas County seats in Texas Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood metropolitan area