Why visit Gatesville
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 25 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include The Last Drive-In Picture Show, Coryell County Courthouse, Faunt Le Roy Park and Raby Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 96°F; January lows average 36°F.
Weather in Gatesville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Gatesville
Gatesville is a city in and the county seat of Coryell County, Texas, United States. Its population was 16,135 at the 2020 census. The city has five of the ten prisons and state jails for women operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The Patrick O'Daniel Unit (formerly Mountain View Unit), has the state's death row for women.
From the Wikipedia article Gatesville, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
The Last Drive-In Picture Show
Cinema and theater · 2.2 mi
2912 Highway 36, Gatesville
Museums and landmarks7
Coryell County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Building in Gatesville, Coryell County, Texas
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes25
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.3 mi
2509 Highway 36 Business, Gatesville
Su-Th 10:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-23:00
Prima Pasta
Restaurant · Italian · 1.2 mi
2503 East Main Street, Gatesville
Tu-Sa 10:30-22:00; Su 10:30-21:00
Ranchers Steak House & Grill
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.9 mi
107 North Highway 36 Bypass, Gatesville
Mo-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa 07:00-14:00
El Tapatio
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.9 mi
1509 West Main Street, Gatesville
Su-Th 06:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-23:00
J & M's Hill Country Bar-B-Q
Restaurant · Barbecue · 1.5 mi
2601 East Main Street, Gatesville
We-Mo 11:00-21:00
La Hacienda Mexican Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.5 mi
2558 East Main Street, Gatesville
06:00-21:00
New Rodeo Mexican Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.0 mi
309 South Highway 36, Gatesville
Mo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 06:00-21:00
Studebaker's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza, Sandwich · 1.6 mi
2701 East Main Street, Gatesville
We-Mo 11:00-21:00
El Tapatio Restaurant #2
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.4 mi
1509 East Main Street, Gatesville
06:00-22:00
13 more on the map.
History
Gatesville was established in 1854 on land donated by Richard G. Grant. The name was taken from Fort Gates, which had been established in 1849 about 5 miles to the west.
Gatesville was the western terminus of the Texas and St. Louis Railway, with the town having been reached in 1882. This line later became the core of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company, commonly known as the Cotton Belt.
Over the course of the evening of March 16th and morning of March 17th, 2026, a fire destroyed several wooden buildings, built in the early 20th century, in downtown Gatesville. Among these buildings included the Gatesville Messenger and Star-Forum, the city's only newspaper for over 100 years, as well as a furniture store that has been in operation for even longer. Along with three minor injuries, the fire destroyed decades of undigitized archives held within the newspaper's building.
From the History section of Gatesville, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Gatesville - North Fort Hood
Motel and hotel · 2.1 mi
2904 Highway 36, Gatesville
Churches and places of worship25
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.4 mi
1108 West Main Street, Gatesville
Shopping4
Gatesville Sporting Adventures
Shop · 1.3 mi
2514 Highway 36 Business, Gatesville
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Healthcare5
Map of Gatesville
100 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 36°F | 2.3 in | 0.1 in |
| Feb | 64°F | 39°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 71°F | 47°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 54°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 84°F | 63°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 70°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 95°F | 72°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 96°F | 72°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 90°F | 65°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 80°F | 55°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 70°F | 45°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 61°F | 36°F | 2.5 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Gatesville (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Coryell County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-02-25: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Yoakum–DeFrenn Army Heliport (HLR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- South Mountain 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Flat 11 mi southeast, about 18 min by car
- Oglesby 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- McGregor 19 mi east, about 30 min by car
- Crawford 19 mi east, about 30 min by car
- Copperas Cove 24 mi southwest, about 39 min by car
- Killeen 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Belton 31 mi southeast, about 50 min by car
- Waco 34 mi east, about 54 min by car
- Bellmead 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Coryell county courthouse, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Gatesville tx post office, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Gatesville tx post office stone, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Former Coryell County Hospital Cornerstone, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Former Coryell County Hospital East Elevation, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Jeffrey king and Justin Holmes at the December 2023 Pearl bluegrass jam, RadicalHarmony, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.