Texas Bucket List visits Gatesville

Texas Bucket List visits Gatesville

The Texas Bucket List, a weekly syndicated television program hosted by Shane McAuliffe, recently made a stop in Gatesville to take a private tour of the Coryell Museum and Historical Center.

McAuliffe was especially interested in the Mitchell Spur Collection, which is reported to be the world’s largest collection of spurs. A portion of the spurs, around 6,000 pairs, are on display at the museum. They include spurs worn by former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and by Mexican revolutionary Gen. Francisco “Pancho” Villa.

The spurs were collected over the years by Lloyd Mitchell, a former Gatesville High School history teacher and coach. A portion of the vast collection, which was donated to the museum, was recognized by the Texas House of Representatives in Austin when, in 2001, when Gatesville was designated as the “Spur Capital of Texas.”

Following a tour of the spur collection and the museum in general, McAuliffe interviewed museum President Ervin Adams, along with Lloyd Mitchell’s daughter, Mary Catherine Mitchell, and Lloyd Mitchell’s son-in-law, Grayson Wetzel. The three educated McAuliffe on the life of Lloyd Mitchell and his fascination with spurs and his desire to collect as many as he could.  

The Texas Bucket List airs two seasons in a year, and each season is 13 episodes long and includes show segments covering historic and unique locations, annual events, and musicians in Texas. About the content of the programs, McAuliffe has been quoted as saying “With stories of the Old West to modern marvels, there are a plethora of sincere stories in our state. Our goal is to feature the stops, hear the stories, and meet the people that are quintessential to the story of Texas.”

Visitors are always welcome at the Coryell Museum which is located at 718 E. Main Street.  The museum is open Wednesday thru Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is 24,400 square feet of exhibit space that will let you step back in time.