The habitation of Coryell County dates as far back as 4500 BC. The Tonkawa, Lipan Apache, Kiowa and Comanche were among the tribes who migrated through the area at various periods. When the General Colonization Law went into effect in 1824, followed by the 1825 State Colonization Law of Coahuila y Tejas, Robert Leftwich obtained a grant to settle 800 families in Texas. The grant went through several legal challenges, and later became Robertson's Colony, named for Sterling C. Robertson. The grant encompassed all or parts of 30 present-day Texas counties Settlers began moving into the area after Fort Gates was established at Gatesville. The Texas state legislature created the county in 1854, naming it after James Coryell. Originally, Coryell was to be named Pierce County, but was changed after James Coryell's death.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is covered by water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 74,978 people, 19,950 households, and 15,780 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile. There were 21,776 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 65.28% White, 21.80% Black or African American, 0.88% Native American, 1.75% Asian, 0.49% Pacific Islander, 6.26% from other races, and 3.54% from two or more races. 12.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 19,950 households out of which 47.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were married couplesliving together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.90% were non-families. 16.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.27. In the county, the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 17.90% from 18 to 24, 36.30% from 25 to 44, 13.80% from 45 to 64, and 5.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,999, and the median income for a family was $38,307. Males had a median income of $24,236 versus $21,186 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,410. About 7.80% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
Of the eightTexas Department of Criminal Justice general correctional facilities for women, which include five prisons and three state jails, five of the units, including four prisons and one state jail, are in the City of Gatesville. The Christina Crain Unit prison, the Hilltop Unit prison, the Dr. Lane Murray Unit prison, and the Linda Woodman Unit state jail are co-located amongst one another. In addition the Mountain View Unit, a prison with the State of Texas female death row, is in Gatesville. One male prison, the Alfred D. Hughes Unit, is in Gatesville. Mountain View opened in July 1975, Crain opened in August 1980, Hilltop opened in November 1981, Hughes opened in January 1990. Murray opened in November 1995, and Woodman opened in June 1997. In 1995, of the counties in Texas, Coryell had the third highest number of state prisons and jails, after Walker and Brazoria.
