Gatesville, the county seat of Coryell County, began in 1854 after the county was created, when Richard Grant, an Indian trader and local landowner, donated the townsite. It was named for Old Fort Gates, established five miles east from 1849 to 1852 for Indian protection and named for U.S. Army major G. R. Gates; that fort was the county's first settlement. Fort Gates served briefly as county seat before Gatesville was chosen, and the county's first mail line, running from Gatesville to Belton, was set up in 1855. The town grew slowly at first because of intermittent Indian raids, but from 1870 to 1882 it made great progress: it was incorporated in 1870, a courthouse was built in 1872, and in 1882 the St. Louis and Southwestern railroad ran a spur line to the town. The railroad brought prosperity, many new homes and businesses, an opera house, and numerous civic improvements. Today the town is home to the Gatesville and Mountain View State schools for boys, and the area's economy is based on ranching and agriculture.