On Feb. 4, 1854, the governor of Texas, Elisha M. Pease, signed a bill delivered to his office from the Texas State Legislature that called for the creation of Coryell County from parts of Milam and …

Cinco de Mayo, which celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, is not considered a popular holiday in Mexico, but in the United States has become a …

How do you encompass 100 years of Texas State Parks’ history? That was the challenge state parks staff have spent the past year tackling. The result? A wooden time capsule created by the …

In 1909, a former Coryell County resident, Jim Miller, was hanged by an angry mob in Ada, Oklahoma. It appears that his complicated life of crime began at an early age and started just on the …

Emiliano “Nano” Calderon, the CHC Program Coordinator in the History Programs Division of the Texas State Historical Commission in Austin, recently went on a private tour of the …

George Washington was the father of our country. Bill Gates co-established Microsoft. Thomas Edison improved the light bulb. Stephen King created Cujo . Walt Whitman wrote poetry, Lyndon Johnson …

The City of Gatesville is pursuing the establishment of a historic district following recent approval from the Texas Historical Commission in mid-February. Now that Gatesville is considered …

In the past, Saint Patrick’s Day has been chronicled in Coryell County history with articles about Irish immigrants who arrived in the area now known as Coryell County. It has been written …

March has been designated National Women’s History Month. It’s a month to celebrate the contributions of women throughout our nation’s history, and those contributions are numerous. …

In September of 1969, a movie was released titled “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Katharine Ross. The movie premiered in Gatesville on June …

In 1975, The Gatesville Messenger published an article praising the extraordinary life of Mildred Watkins Mears. The article states: “Few women in the history of Coryell County have made their …

The origins of Women’s History Month can be traced to a celebration that was held in Santa Rosa, California in 1978 when the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status …

In 2024, with the upcoming race for the office of Coryell County sheriff approaching, a few changes can be observed in just how elections have evolved over the years. Today, we have electronic …

Texas Independence Day is observed annually on March 2 to honor the sacrifices of many men who gave their lives to fight for independence. In the fall of 1835, many Texans concluded that …

When walking on the west side of the courthouse square, few notice a solitary door situated between The Gatesville Messenger and Leaird’s Furniture Store. The door has been sealed for several …

As we are in the midst of February, which is Black History Month, also referred to as African-American History month, it needs be recognized and remembered that there were those who paved or have …

For Black History Month, the Gatesville Public Library has exhibited a collection of several books for readers to commemorate Black writers and their contributions to literature. The list …

With Valentine’s Day soon upon us, the Valentine Cupid will be making his yearly appearance on greeting cards and advertisements. Just who was Cupid? Today, he is pictured as a …

Local Coryell County historian, Sherry Lawrence, recently presented a program to the Coryell County Genealogical Society about the Sanborn Map Company which was founded in 1867. According to …

Since day one, Texas has witnessed numerous solar eclipses. In most recent years, it was reported in The Gatesville Messenger on March 5, 1970, that a “100-mile shadow will darken the face …