Gatesville, Texas | |
|---|---|
 Coryell County courthouse | |
| Nickname: Spur Capital of Texas | |
 Location of Gatesville, Texas | |
| Coordinates:31°26′02″N97°45′30″W / 31.43389°N 97.75833°W /31.43389; -97.75833 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| County | Coryell |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| Area | |
• Total | 10.52 sq mi (27.24 km2) |
| • Land | 10.50 sq mi (27.20 km2) |
| • Water | 0.015 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 817 ft (249 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 16,135 |
| • Density | 1,180/sq mi (456/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC–6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 76528 |
| Area code | 254 |
| FIPS code | 48-29168[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410577[2] |
| Website | ci |
Gatesville is a city in and thecounty seat ofCoryell County, Texas, United States. Its population was 16,135 at the 2020 census.[4] The city has five of the nine prisons and state jails for women operated by theTexas Department of Criminal Justice.[5] ThePatrick O'Daniel Unit (formerly Mountain View Unit), has the state'sdeath row for women.
Gatesville is part of theKilleen–Temple–Fort Hood (formerly Fort Cavazos) metropolitan statistical area.
The city is located northeast of the center of Coryell County on the east side of theLeon River, part of theBrazos River watershed.
The city is 30 miles (48 km) fromWaco.[6] It is midway betweenAustin andFort Worth.[7]
U.S. Route 84 runs through the city, leading east 37 miles (60 km) to Waco and west 50 miles (80 km) toGoldthwaite.Texas State Highway 36 passes through the eastern side of the city, leading northwest 32 miles (51 km) toHamilton and southeast 35 miles (56 km) toTemple.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, Gatesville has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23.1 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.05%, is covered by water.[8]
| Climate data for Gatesville, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–2021) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 95 (35) | 100 (38) | 98 (37) | 102 (39) | 102 (39) | 108 (42) | 112 (44) | 112 (44) | 112 (44) | 104 (40) | 93 (34) | 90 (32) | 112 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 60.3 (15.7) | 64.4 (18.0) | 71.2 (21.8) | 78.0 (25.6) | 84.5 (29.2) | 90.8 (32.7) | 95.1 (35.1) | 96.2 (35.7) | 89.6 (32.0) | 79.8 (26.6) | 69.5 (20.8) | 60.9 (16.1) | 78.4 (25.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 48.1 (8.9) | 51.7 (10.9) | 59.1 (15.1) | 66.1 (18.9) | 73.9 (23.3) | 80.4 (26.9) | 83.6 (28.7) | 84.0 (28.9) | 77.4 (25.2) | 67.5 (19.7) | 57.1 (13.9) | 48.7 (9.3) | 66.5 (19.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.8 (2.1) | 39.0 (3.9) | 47.0 (8.3) | 54.2 (12.3) | 63.3 (17.4) | 70.0 (21.1) | 72.1 (22.3) | 71.7 (22.1) | 65.2 (18.4) | 55.2 (12.9) | 44.6 (7.0) | 36.5 (2.5) | 54.6 (12.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −6 (−21) | −8 (−22) | 13 (−11) | 27 (−3) | 33 (1) | 48 (9) | 56 (13) | 53 (12) | 36 (2) | 21 (−6) | 13 (−11) | −4 (−20) | −8 (−22) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.32 (59) | 2.54 (65) | 3.22 (82) | 3.19 (81) | 4.14 (105) | 3.39 (86) | 2.97 (75) | 2.97 (75) | 2.94 (75) | 4.18 (106) | 2.63 (67) | 2.53 (64) | 37.02 (940) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.2 (0.51) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 4.6 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 5.1 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 57.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Source:NOAA[9][10] | |||||||||||||
Gatesville was established in 1854 on land donated by Richard G. Grant (. The name was taken fromFort Gates, which had been established in 1849 approximately five miles to the west.[11][12][13]
Gatesville was the western terminus of theTexas and St. Louis Railway, with the town having been reached in 1882.[14][15] This line later became the core of theSt. Louis Southwestern Railway Company, commonly known as the Cotton Belt.[16]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 434 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,375 | 216.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,865 | 35.6% | |
| 1910 | 1,929 | 3.4% | |
| 1920 | 2,499 | 29.5% | |
| 1930 | 2,601 | 4.1% | |
| 1940 | 3,177 | 22.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,856 | 21.4% | |
| 1960 | 4,626 | 20.0% | |
| 1970 | 4,683 | 1.2% | |
| 1980 | 6,078 | 29.8% | |
| 1990 | 11,492 | 89.1% | |
| 2000 | 15,591 | 35.7% | |
| 2010 | 15,751 | 1.0% | |
| 2020 | 16,135 | 2.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 9,347 | 57.93% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 2,557 | 15.85% |
| Native American orAlaska Native (NH) | 52 | 0.32% |
| Asian (NH) | 102 | 0.63% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 13 | 0.08% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 20 | 0.12% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 440 | 2.73% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,604 | 22.34% |
| Total | 16,135 |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 16,135 people, 1,986 households, and 1,151 families residing in the city.
As of thecensus[3] of 2000, 15,591 people, 2,640 households, and 1,752 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,794 inhabitants per square mile (693/km2). There were 2,963 housing units at an average density of 341 per square mile (132/km2). Theracial 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% weremarried couples 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. Theper capita income for the city was $11,152. About 12.4% of families and 14.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, 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.[21]
Two manufacturing companies are located in Gatesville:
Gatesville is the home of several prisons operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, including thePatrick O'Daniel Unit, which houses the women's death row. Gatesville is located on the northern edge ofFort Hood, and as such is also dependent on the military for a part of its economy (besides Fort Hood, a large military vehicle repair facility is located on the east side of town).[23]
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 theCove 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."[24]
Of the eight Texas Department of Criminal Justice general correctional facilities for women, which include five prisons and three state jails,[25] four prisons and one state jail[25] are in within the city limits.[26][27]
TheChristina Melton Crain Unit prison (formerly Gatesville Unit), theHilltop Unit prison, theDr. Lane Murray Unit prison, and the Linda Woodman Unit state jail are co-located among one another. In addition thePatrick O'Daniel Unit, a prison with the State of Texas female death row, is in Gatesville. One prison for males, theAlfred D. Hughes Unit, is in Gatesville.[25] As of 2012, the 5,552 female prisoners and 2,958 male prisoners were over half of the population of the city.[24]
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.[25]
Gatesville previously hosted theGatesville State School and theMountain View State School, juvenile correctional centers of theTexas Youth Commission.[28][29] The Mountain View State School closed in 1975,[29] and the Gatesville State School closed in 1979.[28] The buildings were transferred to the Texas Department of Corrections and were used as prisons for adults.[28][29]
TheUnited States Postal Service operates the Gatesville Post Office.[30]
TheGatesville Independent School District is the area school district.[31]
Gatesville has a public library.[32]
All of the county is in the service area ofCentral Texas College.[33]
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."[24]
Donated in 1991, the Coryell County Museum in Gatesville is home to the Loyd and Madge Mitchell Collection of about 10,000 pairs ofspurs, thought to be the largest such collection in the world. In 2001, the 77thTexas Legislature designated Gatesville the "Spur Capital of Texas".[34][35]
As of 2014, theLast 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 remainingdrive-in theaters in Texas; of those 17, it is one of oldest and longest continuously running.[36][37]
The Gatesville High School Hornets were the 2000 TexasUIL 4A high-school football champions.
Municipalities and communities ofCoryell County, Texas,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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