Field Guides
Gatesville, Texas
(Coryell COUNTY)
Military roots, river canyons, and the calm strength of the heartland.
Highlights
Coryell County is many things. Most of all, it is beautiful countryside. The elevations are enough to qualify for Hill County status, and generally, there is enough water to keep things green. The Courthouse is among the grandest in the state, earning a spot on our Texas Ten list of courthouses. It is logical to think of the area as a farming/ranching county blessed with extra natural beauty. True enough.
That is only half the story. Coryell County is also on the cutting edge of technology. In McGregor, Elon and his band of merry SpaceX engineers figure out how to build rockets that will enable human colonization of other planets. Current defense technology is on full display at Fort Hood, which Coryell and Bell Counties share. We cover Fort Hood in detail in our Bell County Field Guide and will avoid repeating the information here. However, the National Mounted Warrior Museum is a must-see, whether you are in Coryell or Bell County.
Beautiful countryside, how we defend our country, and rockets headed to space should be enough. Texas Ten’s favorite thing about, and an absolute must-do in Coryell County, is none of those. Instead, you can time-travel to the 1950s and 1960s by visiting The Last Drive-In Picture Show. Open every day except Christmas, showing first-run movies, for our money, it is the most authentic experience of its type anywhere.
The County Courthouse
One of the prettiest sites we see is when the Coryell County Courthouse reveals itself to travelers headed eastbound on State Highway 84. The land around Gatesville is beautiful, all rolling hills and greenery. The highway drops down into the town from the west, so the structure grabs your full attention as you come over a hill. The building is massive and commanding.
W.C. Dodson, a Waco architect, designed the structure. The courthouse opened in 1897. Dodson was prolific, responsible for 13 Texas courthouses, six of which are still in use as originally designed. The county commissioners gave Dodson carte blanche, with a few exceptions. They demanded a cupola with a Seth Thomas clock and a bell weighing at least 800 pounds to serve as the building’s pinnacle. That top also had to be copper-clad metal.
The limestone used was cut to size at the quarry and trucked by wagon to Gatesville. Those stones completed Dodson’s Second Empire Victorian design, made popular during Napoleon’s second reign over France.
There once was an eagle on the roof, but apparently the cowboys used it for target practice. The other interesting thing is that the lady Justice is not blindfolded, as is the usual practice, demonstrating that “Justice is blind.” The thought is that either Justice in Coryell County is omniscient or there was a bargain deal on statues.
Say what you will about meddling politicians, that group knew what they were talking about. The cupola adds majesty to the building. It also serves as the central point from which holiday lights fly in all directions, framing an even prettier winter picture.
Things To See And Do
Let’s start by reiterating the highlights. The Last Drive-In Picture Show has been open since 1950 and is still going strong. You will love it. The National Mounted Warrior Museum on Fort Hood is a testament to the importance and evolution of the cavalry. SpaceX in McGregor does not offer public tours, but chances are they will rumble the ground for you while you are around. The courthouse is certainly camera-worthy.
Those are just starting points. Coryell County is home to a state park. Not just any state park, but the first of its kind in our history, Mother Neff State Park. When Isabel Neff died in 1921, she left the acreage to the state for use as a park. We had no park system, but Isabel’s son (Pat) happened to be the governor. The rest is history, and Mother Neff State Park launched one of the best state park programs in the country.
The park fronts the beautiful Leon River as it runs through the county. Generally, the river is deep enough for water recreation. There are access points throughout the park. There are no rapids to speak of, so canoeing and kayaking work better than rafts and tubes. The river creates Lake Belton. As only a small fraction of Lake Belton is in Coryell County, we defer to our description in the Bell County field guide.
Depending on your stance on animal ethics, you may enjoy the Blue Hills Ranch or Topsey Exotic Ranch for wildlife tours. Both are well-executed; it’s just that some people are not in favor of the concept (Texas Ten is like Switzerland on these issues–strict neutrality). The Coryell Museum and Historical Center is an excellent local museum. The collection of spurs is probably the best in the world, which is why Gatesville is the official “Spur Capital of Texas.” If you feel the need for speed or are looking to go off-road, take your racer to Dove Nest Motorsports Club.
The 6S River Ranch provides almost any sort of animal experience you want: hunting, including exotics; fishing; horseback riding; and ranch tours. Or you can just hike. Stone Creek Ranch is a premier exotics hunting opportunity. The final hunting opportunity is for antiques. Check out the “Where to Drop a Dime” section for specific listings.
Food, Drinks, And Music (Eat Local!)
Coryell County is of decent size and has three population centers: Gatesville, Killeen, and Copperas Cove. We cover Killeen in the Bell County field guide, so that we will break down your dining options for Gatesville and Copperas Cove..
As Copperas Cove is the biggest, we will start there. Some of the standouts include Campfire Bar & Grill, which caters to carnivores who love a lively atmosphere, featuring live music on weekends; Bobby B’s Southern Cooking, offering authentic soul food; and Nelson Brew Works, serving pizza and excellent beer brewed on-site.
We are just getting started. By category, we like Lil’ Tex, Maria’s Place, and Herb and Earnie’s Family Diner for cafe meals. Tex-Mex has at least four contenders in El Catrin Bar & Grill, El Corral, and San Miguel Arcangel Mexican. Local burger specialists include Black Meg’s and The Dalmation. Italian and Pizza can be any of Giovanni’s Italian, Bella Serra Italian, or Village Pizza.
“Asian/Seafood/Miscellaneous” gets its own paragraph because there are many. Seoul Garden (extensive sushi included), Thai Kitchen, Szechuan Chinese, Yongs Oriental Market and Korean Grill, Hot Wok, Beijing China Cafe, and Toa’s Ohana Hawaiian all qualify.
In Gatesville, there is an eternal question: Who does casual steak better, Junction on Route 36 or Rancher’s? Try them both and decide for yourself. The Feed Mill offers a Texas-style cafe experience for lunch or dinner on Friday nights. There is also a duo of burger entries at Park Street Burgers and Burger Boy. It may be a Noah’s Ark thing, because there are also two barbecue places vying for low and slow supremacy, J & M’s Hill Country Bar-B-Q and Bare Bones BBQ. Two Italian spots? If you include pizza, we can do that: Prima Pasta and Studebaker’s Pizza.
If there is one food type that we are likely to have more than two restaurants, what type would you guess? You are correct. Tex-Mex gets three! New Rodeo Mexican Grill, Taco Damian’s, and La Hacienda Mexican Grill. In summary, you have choices in every food group.
Where To Drop A Dime (Shop Local!)
While the square in Gatesville is not a tremendous retail mecca (Leaird’s Furniture is a fixture downtown that occupies a chunk of the space, but its offerings tend toward the utilitarian rather than the memorable), there are scattered finds. The Salty Senorita, Moos Boutique, 1854 Mercantile, Sassi’s Boutique, The Pink Pearl, and the Hummingbird Boutique all offer a variety of finds in women’s wear and accessories. Leon River Mercantile specializes in western wear for the family. The Parrot Imports works in the funky art realm for the outdoors. Market Day hits the craft market.
Shopping in Copperas Cove is, let’s call it, specific. There are some stores you might find only in major cities–we are not really sure why they flourish in the Cove, but they do. In that category you have Underground Games, a tremendous gaming and card store; The Norns by Witches Closet, a metaphysical supply store (we are guessing “if you know, you know” We don’t.); Game Xchange (everything video games); Crossed Sabers Gift Shop (devoted exclusively to the 1st Cavalry); and 1st edition Bookstore (a bookstore with a wicked sense of humor).
Beyond these one-of-a-kinds, there are women’s fashion boutiques (Amoriskye House of Fashion, Cactus Lilly, Maurices) and vintage/unique decor stores (Artisan Alley Boutique, Decor & More, Five O’L Heifers, The House on Main).
Special Places To Lay Your Head (Stay Local!)
Lots of options here. For hunters or for anyone out of season, try The 6S River Ranch or Stone Creek Ranch. Otherwise, by area, the following options are available.
In or near Gatesville:
Spencer’s Inn on Main (six-suite boutique motel)
Pennington Grove (two-bed, two-bath cottage)
Ranch Life for a Family or Group
In the countryside:
In or near Copperas Cove:
For The Professional Traveller (Campgrounds and RV Parks)
Near Gatesville:
Flaunt Le Roy Park (City park, currently being upgraded)
Near Coperas Cove:
Countryside:
Special Events
The big show each year is Gatesville’s Chivaree, held in early June. We were not sure what a “chivaree” is. The standard definition is a noisy procession…to harass a newly married couple or an unsuitable spouse. We hope that Gatesville kept the noisy procession, but that it is not harassing newlyweds. There is a huge car show, top-notch concerts, and a fun run. Gatesville also celebrates its world-leading spur collection with Spurfest in September. Also in June is one of Texas’s most interesting bicycle races, the Fire Ant Tour. Copperas Cove hosts events five times a year. The whole county comes together for the Youth Fair in January.
Fore! (Golf Courses)
Coryell has two good options: Gatesville Country Club (actually semi-private so that anyone can play) and Hills of Cove Golf Club, an excellent municipal course. Both are 18-hole tracks. If that is not enough for you, there are many more courses in Bell County and McLennan County..
1308 Golf Course Rd.
Gatesville, Texas 76528
(254) 865-6917
1408 Golf Course Rd.
Copperas Cove, TX 76522
(254) 547-2606
Getting to Coryell County
Coryell County is generally in the middle of Texas, if not the exact center. Gatesville, the county seat, is situated at the intersection of State Highways 84 (running east-west) and 36 (running north-south). The closest interstate is I-35, which passes through Waco (the nearest city) and is 38 miles east of Gatesville. The east-west interstates, I-20 and I-10, are both far away. From the state’s geographic center in Brady, you would drive for an hour and fifty minutes east.
Flyers on major carriers have it tough. Waco Regional Airport, located 55 minutes from Gatesville, handles American Airlines flights, all of which depart from or arrive at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. It is a 50/50 proposition whether you want to take the connecting flight from DFW or simply drive from a big airport. Driving is actually closer to Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (one hour and forty-five minutes) than to DFW (two hours and twenty minutes). The good news is that smaller planes have it much easier. Gatesville Municipal Airport is a quality municipal airport. For slightly larger craft, McGregor Executive Airport works great. If you are headed to Copperas Cove, Draughton-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (Temple), or Killeen Regional Airport will work well.
History
Native Americans have roamed the area that is now Coryell County since approximately 12,000 B.C. By 4,500 B.C., ancestors of the Tonkawas were the primary inhabitants. In the coming centuries, the Lipan Apaches, Kiowas, and Comanches all visited the area. European settlement began in concept in 1825, when the area was part of what was eventually known as the Robertson Grant, from the Mexican government. Not much happened in the area until 1849, when the U.S. Army built and activated Fort Gates. The Fort was the last in a string of encampments meant to protect settlers against the Indian threat.
As the settlement line moved west, the Army abandoned Fort Gates in 1852. Two years later, the legislature established the county. The name Coryell came from an early landowner; Gatesville was selected as the county seat by election and named after the abandoned fort. By 1860, the population had grown to over 2,300, with almost all residents engaged in subsistence farming or trading. The county was not dependent on slaves, who only numbered 306 at that point. Despite the weakness of the plantation economy, Coryell County supported succession and the Confederacy with fervor. The opposition continued through Reconstruction. When the first free vote occurred, Coryell County voted unanimously against the Radical republican candidates.
Although reconstruction devastated the economy, the rebound was fairly quick. By the 1870s, Coryell County was a prosperous farming county, with roughly 60% of the land devoted to crops and 40% used for livestock. One branch of the Chisholm Trail ran through Coryell County; Copperas Cove got its start as a camping spot for drivers and grew into a shipping point for cattle.
The next decade brought the railroad and further development. Between the 1880s and 1950s, Coryell County followed the same path as many of Texas’s agricultural counties. Relative prosperity as long as the weather held, until the Great Depression. Devastation as the economy collapsed, followed by a reaction to those events through improved land management.
World War II, however, has a more lasting impact on Coryell County than most places. The population swelled as Fort Hood and related facilities grew. The difference was that Fort Hood remained while the Army abandoned many World War II facilities. Although much of Fort Hood is in Bell County, Copperas Cove experienced significant growth, outpacing Gatesville. The establishment of a large state prison in Gatesville further diversified the economy. Modern Coryell County maintains this interesting mix of agriculture and government industry.
Today, Coryell County is the 48th most populous county in Texas, with approximately 85,000 residents. Given the significant military presence, the ethnic breakdown is a bit unusual for rural Central or West Texas. 54% of the population is Caucasian, non-Hispanic; 21% are Hispanic; 14% are African-American; 9% are of mixed race; and 2% divided among other races/ethnicities.
Coryell’s median family income nearly tracks that of the statewide average, while Coryell’s poverty rate is less than the rest of the state. Coryell County has an impressive high-school education rate, but it substantially lags behind the state and nation in post-secondary degrees.
Reconstruction turned Coryell to conservative Democrats, and the County remained committed to that course until Nixon’s 1972 landslide. After 1972, the county has become increasingly more Republican. In 2024, it was a 70/30 split.
Famous people from Coryell County include Baylor legend and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and a predecessor, Baylor and NFL star Cotton Davidson. R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe spent several years of his youth in the area. Texas Governor and Baylor president Pat Neff was born in Coryell County. He moved to McGregor in McLennan County, but his family remained in Coryell.