Four Must-See Attractions Welcome Visitors to Coryell County

Coryell County sits at the heart of Central Texas, tucked between Waco and the Hill Country, and it rewards visitors who take the time to look past the interstate. Between Gatesville's downtown and the rolling terrain outside Copperas Cove, four locally rooted attractions offer an honest cross-section of what this county is about: frontier history, civic pride, small-town entertainment, and genuinely unexpected wildlife encounters.

Coryell Museum and Historical Center, Gatesville

The world's largest spur collection lives right here in Gatesville, Texas, and it anchors one of the most underrated museums in the state. The Coryell Museum and Historical Center covers 24,450 square feet with 50 exhibits, spread across two floors and enough rooms to fill a full afternoon. The spur collection alone includes iconic pieces worn by figures like Jackie Kennedy and Pancho Villa, representing a treasure trove of history and craftsmanship alongside Western art and other relics.

The museum goes well beyond spurs. Visitors also encounter fascinating local history exhibits including scenes from Gatesville businesses, a pharmacy and malt shop, items from a medical device company founded there, a military exhibit featuring area men and women, elaborately decorated dollhouses, a schoolroom with items from several area schools, fossils, a chuckwagon, and kitchens from different eras. The old log cabin jail is believed to be the last double-wall jail in existence, built in 1855, one year after the founding of Coryell County, and the famous outlaw Sam Bass once spent a night there after finding himself in trouble near Gatesville.

Admission is free for all ages, though donations are appreciated. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last group admitted at 3:30 p.m. Plan for at least 90 minutes; the museum recommends budgeting one to three hours. Each year in September, Coryell County comes alive for Spurfest, an annual tradition hosted by the museum that celebrates the county's heritage with games, music, and performances, drawing both locals and out-of-town visitors.

Coryell County Courthouse, Gatesville

A hundred yards from the museum, the Coryell County Courthouse anchors the Public Square and earns a look from anyone who values architecture. Designed by W.C. Dodson in a Beaux-Arts style with Romanesque details, the county capitol was fashioned of limestone and sandstone and erected in 1897. The limestone and red sandstone blocks were precut to the exact size at the quarry, then hauled here by horse-drawn wagons.

The courthouse features a central rotunda, a clock tower, and statues of Liberty and Justice adorning the roof, and the east entrance displays a builder's mark of an owl. That owl carries a story worth knowing: it was carved at the end of one of the arches on the east side instead of a flower, the result of a bet over a bucket of beer. The rooftop Justice statues carry their own mystery: county officials explicitly ordered the statues fashioned without blindfolds, operating on the premise that justice is never sightless but rather all-seeing and all-knowing.

The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 18, 1977. The surrounding streets are occasionally closed for local festivals like the Boozaar, and the adjacent Veterans Plaza on the courthouse lawn hosts patriotic gatherings that foster civic engagement. It remains a working courthouse, so visits focus on the exterior and grounds, which is more than enough to appreciate one of the most distinctive buildings in Central Texas.

The Last Drive-In Picture Show, Gatesville

Along with its magnificent courthouse, Gatesville is known for housing the last fully operational, full-time drive-in theater in Texas, opened in 1950. Located on Highway 36 and originally called the Town and Country Drive-In, it opens seven days a week, year-round. That's not a seasonal novelty or a retro revival pop-up; it's simply how moviegoing works in Gatesville, and has been for more than 75 years.

A ticket grants access to two movies, delivering genuine value for an evening out. A double feature for the entire car runs just $10. The experience works for families, couples, and anyone who has spent too many evenings in a stadium-seating multiplex. Arrive early to secure a good parking spot, and bring blankets or lawn chairs if you prefer to sit outside your car. For first-time visitors to Coryell County, an evening at The Last Drive-In Picture Show is the kind of unhurried, genuinely local experience that's impossible to replicate anywhere else.

Topsey Exotic Ranch and Drive-Thru Safari, near Copperas Cove

Just north of Copperas Cove, one of the most reliably surprising family attractions in all of Central Texas has been operating since 1988. Topsey Exotic Ranch opened to the public in June of that year when founder G.A. Friedel started the ranch with a herd of buffalo and expanded from there. Today it's a full drive-thru safari that consistently ranks as the top-rated attraction in Copperas Cove.

Topsey Exotic Ranch offers guests the unique experience of seeing exotic animals in a natural setting, right here in Central Texas; guests drive a three-mile loop through the safari and may feed the animal residents, with animals from six continents visible from the safety and comfort of a vehicle. Children will spot over 50 species, from the striking black-and-white stripes of the zebras to the majestic bison. Animals will come right up to the vehicle and even eat feed from visitors' hands, and the camel may stick his head inside to say hello.

Visitors drive through the three-mile safari and interact with the animals from their cars, and the park also includes a petting zoo and a walk-around portion with animals in enclosures. The gift shop offers a range of souvenirs, from plush animals to educational books, helping families remember their visit. The ranch is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and sits at 945 County Road 118; note that GPS often leads drivers astray, so calling ahead for directions is advised.

Taken together, these four stops cover a full day in Coryell County without doubling back or rushing. Start at the Coryell Museum in the morning, walk over to the courthouse square before lunch, catch a double feature at the drive-in after dark, and save the safari for a day of its own. The county has been quietly offering this combination for decades; it just hasn't always told visitors about it.