The Coryell County Museum hosted its 23rd annual Spurfest this weekend in Gatesville, attracting visitors to a slate of history talks, exhibits and community activities centered on the Mitchell Collection, believed to be the world’s largest spur collection. The festival is a longstanding local tradition that placed the museum and downtown Gatesville at the center of heritage tourism in the county.

Spurfest’s programming focused on the cultural and material history of spurs within Texas and American ranching traditions, using the Mitchell Collection as a focal point for educational talks and exhibitions. Museum staff and volunteers organized displays and events intended to engage a wide range of residents and visitors, from collectors and history enthusiasts to families seeking community activities.

Beyond celebration of local history, the festival delivered a measurable community impact. Visitors filled local businesses, restaurants and lodging, providing an economic boost to a small city whose service sector benefits from periodic influxes of tourists. The museum’s ability to attract hundreds of attendees underscores how cultural institutions in rural counties can catalyze neighborhood revitalization and provide shared civic spaces.

Public health and community wellbeing are integral considerations for events of this scale. Large gatherings bring benefits in social connectedness and mental health—particularly important in rural areas where social resources may be limited—but they also require planning for emergency medical services, accessibility for older adults and people with disabilities, and equitable access to programming. Rural health systems often operate with constrained resources, making coordination between event organizers and local healthcare providers important for safety and preparedness.

From a policy perspective, supporting community festivals like Spurfest involves more than funding for cultural programming. It also touches on healthcare infrastructure, volunteer emergency response capacity and transportation access. Investments that strengthen local EMS, ensure ADA-compliant access to museum spaces, and provide affordable or free entry options help make heritage events more inclusive and protective of public health.

Preservation of collections such as the Mitchell Collection contributes to education, identity and tourism, but it also raises questions about sustaining cultural stewardship in counties with limited budgets. Continued community and municipal support for the Coryell County Museum will be central to keeping Spurfest and similar programs accessible to a broad cross-section of residents.

As Spurfest concluded, Gatesville demonstrated how a locally rooted festival can serve multiple public goods: preserving history, supporting small businesses, fostering social ties and highlighting the intersections between cultural life and community health. The Coryell County Museum’s annual event remains a key moment for residents and visitors to connect with the region’s past while prompting civic conversations about equitable access and local resilience.