Gatesville is a city in Coryell County, Texas, serving as the county seat and positioned on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas, within the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood metropolitan area. With about 16,100 residents, it is the largest community in a county whose economy and daily life are shaped by agriculture, ranching, the nearby military installation, and a cluster of state correctional facilities. Established in 1854, the city grew around its role as a county seat and a stop on the region's early railroads. Gatesville's best-known identity is the "Spur Capital of Texas." The Coryell County Museum and Historical Center houses the Mitchell Spur Collection—more than 6,000 spurs—reflecting the region's ranching and cowboy heritage, and the city's motto appears on its official branding. That Western identity coexists with the city's other defining institution: the Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates five of the state's nine women's prisons and state jails in Gatesville, including the unit that houses the state's death row for women. These facilities are a major local employer and a structural part of the city's character. The traditional downtown is anchored by the Coryell County Courthouse and its broad lawn, with local shops and restaurants around the square. Recreation runs to Mother Neff State Park, about 11 miles away along the Leon River—one of Texas' earliest state parks, tracing its origin to a 1921 land donation—plus nearby Lake Waco and Belton Lake. Gatesville Independent School District serves local students, and the city's position on State Highways 36 and 84 connects it to Waco, Killeen, and Temple. For buyers seeking a small Central Texas county-seat town with a distinct heritage, Gatesville offers an affordable, rooted option.