Kitty Canaday's Gatesville home named June Yard of the Month

Kitty Canaday’s house at 401 South 10th Street drew Gatesville’s June Yard of the Month honor for a yard that stands out before a visitor even reaches the front walk. Canaday has lived there for 22 years, and the property’s airy wire fence, gate beside the sidewalk, decorative yard art and multicolored lilies give the block a well-kept, personal look.

Keep Gatesville Beautiful described the yard as a magical, lively garden, with color that shows especially well in the morning sun. That kind of recognition matters beyond one address because a front yard on a visible street can shape how a whole block feels, setting a standard for upkeep and making nearby homes look more cared for as well.

In Gatesville, the award is part of a broader civic effort. The City of Gatesville describes Keep Gatesville Beautiful as a committee of citizens that directs community volunteers to clean up and beautify the city. Its Love Your Neighbor effort asks residents to take ownership of their neighborhoods and roadways, whether by planting flowers, mowing a neighbor’s lawn or picking up litter.

The city also asks residents to help on the first Saturday of every month, which gives the beautification push a steady rhythm rather than a one-time burst of attention. That regular schedule helps turn neighborhood pride into a habit, and it gives residents repeated chances to shape how their streets present themselves to visitors, businesses and one another.

The June selection also follows May’s Yard of the Month honor for Gay McCarty’s home at 1708 West Main in Gatesville, showing that the committee is moving recognition around town from month to month. A city resolution established the Keep Gatesville Beautiful Committee in support of Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc., tying the yard award to a formal city-backed effort aimed at improving the physical quality of community life.

For Coryell County residents, the message is straightforward: the city’s appearance is built not only in council chambers but also in front yards like Canaday’s. One well-tended property can lift a street, and Gatesville is using these monthly honors to make that standard visible.