Fort Hood Communities

On January 15, 1942, the U.S. Army established a tank destroyer tactical and firing center near Killeen covering more than 100 square miles. Camp Hood (later Fort Hood) would be used to train fifty battalions of about 1,000 men each for World War II combat. Because of the size of the facility, the army needed to acquire more than 88,000 acres of land. About twenty small communities in Coryell County were taken by the government for the establishment of the facility, later named Fort Hood. Many communities were established in the early 1850s before the county was created. During the time of the property acquisitions there was much confusion among the citizens of Coryell County. Families who had lived on the same land for generations watched as homes and churches were lost and beloved dead were reburied in other cemeteries. Financial difficulties arose because of the chaos that followed. The changes happened in a matter of days and weeks because of the urgent need for military training and response. It was a long and hard recovery for those uprooted. In an article in the Gatesville Messenger on February 27, 1942, the author speaks about committee representatives of the camp site area appealing to elected officials about the land prices. The people affected by Fort Hood did not oppose the government using their land for its purpose, but they did expect to be paid reasonable prices so that they might purchase similar homes in other places. Because of the common hardships, community members banded together and became a closer group. Today, even though they are more scattered geographically, these families and their descendants maintain connections through communication, reunions and the traditions of generations past. (2012)

Fort Hood Communities is a historical marker in Gatesville, Coryell County, dedicated in 2012. It is one of 44 historical markers documented in Coryell County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 120 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.3668, -97.6900 near Gatesville. The nearest cataloged historic site is Pleasant Grove (cemetery), about 1.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include Brown Cemetery, Fort Gates Soldiers', and Sheridan Family at Fort Gates.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507017087. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.