Gatesville

City of Gatesville, Texas
Gatesville, the county seat of Coryell County, is on the Leon River at the intersection of U.S. Highway 84 and State Highway 36, eighty miles north of Austin in the central part of the county. It was established on land donated by Richard G. Grant shortly after the county was organized in 1854 and took its name from nearby Fort Gates. James C. Newton became the first postmaster when the post office was established in July of that year. Gatesville was fairly isolated during the early years of its existence. Supplies had to be brought by wagon from Houston, 200 miles away. The town grew slowly in the late 1850s and little, if any, during the Civil War. Afterward, however, the town profited from the large influx of settlers moving to Texas to build new lives. In 1870 Gatesville was incorporated with a mayoral form of government; by 1880 its population had risen to 434, and it had become an important frontier supply station.
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Vivian Elizabeth Smyrl | © Texas State Historical Association
Gatesville at a Glance
Belongs to
Gatesville is part of or belongs to the following places.
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Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Gatesville is classified as a Town
Associated Names
- [Gates]
Locations
-
- Latitude
- 31.43875450
- Longitude
- -97.74420400
Has Post Office
Yes
Is Incorporated
Yes
Photos of Gatesville and surrounding areas

City of Gatesville, Texas
Historic Map of the City of Gatesville, Texas, circa 1884. Photograph by Augustus Koch.

Gatesville by the Numbers
Population Counts
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Population Counts
Gatesville
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
16,078 | 2019 | Texas Demographic Center |
15,751 | 2010 | Texas Demographic Center |
15,591 | 2000 | Texas Demographic Center |
11,492 | 1990 | Texas Demographic Center |