A Texas town defined by its prisons, spurs, and a unique industrial history
In short: Gatesville, Texas, is a city where correctional facilities house over half the population and the local economy relies heavily on state institutions and military support. Beyond its reputation as a prison hub, this Coryell County seat holds the world's largest collection of spurs and a storied, long-running drive-in theater.
Located along the Leon River in the Brazos River watershed, Gatesville was founded in 1854 on property gifted by Richard G. Grant. Its name honors Fort Gates, a military outpost established five years earlier nearby. The city's growth trajectory shifted significantly in the late 20th century; between 1980 and 2010, the population doubled, largely driven by the expansion of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison system. By 2012, the area's correctional facilities employed 2,600 people, and the inmate population—comprising thousands of men and women—represented more than 50% of the city's total residents.
The city hosts five of the ten state-operated prisons and jails for women, including the Patrick O'Daniel Unit, which contains the state's female death row. This institutional presence has deeply influenced local culture, even inspiring the annual Prison Boss Cookoff, a barbecue fundraiser for correctional officers. However, the town's identity is multifaceted. It is recognized as the 'Spur Capital of Texas' due to the Coryell County Museum's collection of roughly 10,000 pairs of spurs, considered the largest of its kind globally. Additionally, the Last Drive-In Picture Show, which opened in 1955, remains one of the oldest continuously operating theaters in the state.
Economic life in Gatesville extends beyond the prison system. The city maintains ties to the nearby military installation at Fort Hood and hosts specialized manufacturing, such as Kalyn Siebert’s heavy-haul trailer production and Laerdal Medical Corporation’s facility for medical teaching supplies. Despite its resilience, the city faces challenges; in March 2026, a fire destroyed several historic downtown structures, including the office of the local newspaper, which had served the community for over a century. This event resulted in the loss of decades of undigitized archives, marking a significant moment in the preservation of the city's long-standing history.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Gatesville, Texas
- Also: Wikidata — Gatesville · CC0
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