Brief History of Gatesville
Gatesville began in 1854 after the county was created. Richard Grant, an Indian trader and local landowner, donated the townsite. It was named for Old Fort Gates (1849-1852), which had been established 5 miles east for Indian protection. The Fort, named for U.S. Army major G. R. Gates, was the first settlement in the county. For a few months Fort Gates served as county seat, but then Gatesville was chosen. The town grew slowly at first, suffering from intermittent Indian raids, but the period from 1870 to 1882 saw great progress. In 1870 the town was incorporated and in 1872 a courthouse was built. When St. Louis & Southwestern railroad ran a spur line to Gatesville in 1882, the citizens held a gala welcoming celebration. With the railroad came prosperity and many new homes and businesses. A fine opera house, frontier symbol of culture, was erected and numerous civic improvements were initiated. The economy of the area is based on ranching and agriculture. Source: >https://www.historictexas.net/...
Here are a few of our favorite things to do when visiting this historic Texas town
1 Spend a couple of hours at the Coryell Museum
Hey, history buffs and Texas enthusiasts—this one's for you! Coryell County has been a game-changer in shaping the Lone Star State’s story, and The Coryell Museum & Historical Center is your backstage pass to dive into all the action. Picture this: rare artifacts, cool exhibits that show what life was like back in the day, and real-life locals ready to share stories and answer your burning questions about life in Central Texas. It’s not just history—it’s a time-travel adventure you don’t want to miss. Come check it out and help keep the spirit of Texas alive for the next gen!
2 See a movie at The Last Drive-In Picture Show
This iconic drive-in movie theatre has both a drive-in and an indoor cinema. Not many of these left in Texas, in fact, this is likely the last one!
3 Visit Raby Park (the City park)
The park is near the downtown square. It has frisbee golf, a track for running or walking, play areas, and old Texas Alamo vibes!
4 Visit the Cedar Chest Antique Mall in nearby McGregor
With 32000 square feet of antiques and Texas memorabilia, and possible Joanna Gaines sightings (less than 20 minutes from Magnolia), there is also the chance that you will experience the daily testing of SpaceX Raptor rocket engines. The first time I heard this in McGregor I thought someone had dropped a bomb on the store. The townspeople are quite used to it and will chat with you about their love-hate relationship with Elon Musk
5 Experience SpaceX rocket blast
While I am not aware of an official tour, it is quite possible that you may hear the testing of SpaceX Raptor or other engines from nearby McGregor. Particularly in the winter (because of the effect of cold air on sound waves), the loud sound and window rattling of the testing can be heard and felt in Gatesville. SpaceX has a live test feed on YouTube so you can check to be sure we are not in a nuclear war when this happens.
6 Eat at The Feed Mill
Across Main Street from the town square, this restaurant is a local's favorite and has some cool Gatesville vibes. Prices are amazingly reasonable.
Facebook The Feed Mill
7 Eat at The Junction on Route.
They have live entertainment most weekends.