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ABILENE, TEXAS
"The
Star of Texas"
Taylor County
Seat, West Texas / Texas
Panhandle
32° 27' 0" N, 99° 45' 0" W (32.45, -99.75)
Junction of Hwys 20, 80, 36 (East-West) &
83, 84, and 277 (North-South)
149 miles W of Fort
Worth
40 miles E of Sweetwater
148 miles E of Midland
through Big Spring
on I-20
24 miles S of Anson,
55 miles N of Ballinger
on US 83
52 miles NW Coleman on US 84
89 miles NE of San
Angelo on US 277
ZIP codes 79601-08 79697-99[6]
Area code 325
Population: 125,182 (2020)
117,063 (2010) 115,930 (2000) 106,707 (1990)
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Bird's
Eye View of Abilene, Texas. 1883 Toned lithograph
Click on image to enlarge
Courtesy of Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington
Libraries. |
History
in a Pecan Shell
Buffalo Gap had
been the county seat when Taylor
County was organized in 1878. Business men somehow convinced the
Texas & Pacific railroad that their land was flatter, or otherwise
more suitable for a laying tracks and Buffalo
Gap was left where it was. One of these same business men suggested
they name it after Abilene, Kansas. And so it was.
Abilene was then promoted as the "Future Great City of West
Texas." Lots were sold in 1881 and on January 2, 1883 it became
the county seat. |
Abilene, Texas
Landmarks include:
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| The historic
downtown is north of the railroad. |
Taylor
County Courthouse
Old
Taylor County Courthouse (1914) - 300 Oak Street. This was
the County's third courthouse. The first was in Buffalo
Gap when it was the county seat. The second, which strongly
resembled the Albany Courthouse was razed to make room for this
one.
The Grace
Museum - 102 Cypress Street. The former Hotel Grace,
later the Drake Hotel, was built in 1909.A recent 4.8 million
dollar restoration has given Abilene one of the finest restored
hotels in the entire state.
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The Wooten
Hotel
Now Abilene Towers (Right)
302 Cypress Street.
Built in 1930 and paid for in cash by grocery magnate H.O. Wooten,
whose home is also on the historic landmarks tour.
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The Paramount
Theater - 352 Cypress Street. Also built in 1930, it was no
coincidence, but was part of a plan by H.O. who had the captive
audience in his hotel.
Elmdale
- A ghost town within Abilene city limits
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Windsor Hotel
- 174 Cypress, Abilene
The original Windsor Hotel was built in 1890 and is the oldest commercial
building in Abilene. It featured arched openings on the second and
third floors and a 16-foot high balcony with ornate iron decoration.
The 1997 renovation returned the facade to its original hotel look,
now called the Cypress Building. - Steve Johnson, May 2007 |
Boyd Building
- 1292 N. 1st, Abilene
Built in 1925, the Boyd Building is one of Abilene's premier examples
of an early service station. The original station was Gulf Refinery
Company, No. 3, and was later taken over by the C. H. Boyd and Sons
Tire Co. - Steve Johnson, May 2007 |
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Paramount Theatre
old neon sign
Photos
courtesy Barclay
Gibson, March 2014
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The 1930 Abilene
Courts ghost & neon sign
Jimmy
Dobson Photo, September 2017 |
Abilene Nearby
Destinations:
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Camp
Barkeley
One of the nation's largest military camps of WWII
11 Miles SW of Abilene
Now Dyess AFB |
Buffalo Gap
Historic Village
Photo
courtesy TXDoT |
Buffalo Gap
The former county seat is fourteen miles south of town on Hwy 89.
Buffalo actually migrated through this gap in the Tonkawa mountains.
Famed for being a scenic oasis in West Texas, Buffalo Gap also has
the Buffalo Gap Historic Village. The village consists of 20
restored buildings including the old Taylor County Courthouse and
Jail. 325-572-3365
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Taylor
County Towns
Abilene
State Park and Lake Abilene :
Off Hwy 89 South of Buffalo Gap
150 Park Road 32
Tuscola TX 79562
325/572-3204
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us.htm
Lake Clyde
- 5 miles south of Clyde.
25 miles east of Abilene. On the headwaters of the Pecan Bayou.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us.htm
Lake Leon
- On the Leon River in Eastland County, 68 miles east of Abilene
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us.htm
Hwy 351 Northeast
35 miles to Albany
Hwy 84 South
52 miles to Coleman
Abilene Tourist Information
The Abilene Convention and Visitor's Bureau -
Located in the beautifully restored T & P Depot.
A downtown walking guide is available and a booklet of historical
landmarks is for sale.
1101 North First Street. 1-800-727-7704
website: www.abilene.com/visitors
Abilene
Hotels > Book Hotel Here
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Abilene, Texas
Old Postcards
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Pine Street
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Cotton
"waiting to be weighted."
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Spillway, Lytle
Lake, Abilene
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
South First &
Chestnut Streets
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
L - Abilene street
scene - North Third Street looking West
R - Underpass and Pine Street looking north
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
First Presbyterian
Church
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
First Baptist
Church Auditorium and Educational Building
1920s Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas Churches |
Alexander Building
Ca. 1920
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Abilene High
School Building
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas
Schoolhouses |
Cowden Hall,
Simmons College
1911 Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
McMurry College
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
McMurry College
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
| Postcard
courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Hotel Wooten
Now Abilene Towers
302 Cypress Street.
Built in 1930 and paid for in cash by grocery magnate H.O. Wooten,
whose home is also on the historic landmarks tour.
More Rooms
with a Past |
Grande Lodge
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
El Corral Motel
1940s
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Rooms
with a Past |
Abilene,
Texas Forum
Tacoma Calling
Abilene
Dear Texas Escapes, I was wondering if anyone remembers the drug
store that used to operate as Cooks Drugs in Abilene. It was located,
I believe, on South 7th close to the intersection with Willis Street.
I would like to know if it still exists although I am sure it's
long gone. I spent many summers in Abilene at my grandparents on
the corner of South 6th and Willis. This was back in the 1960's.
Back then we use to go to Cooks to their soda fountain and had "real"
Cherry Cokes. I would love to see a picture of the existing structure
and other structures close by to the Ole Cooks drug store. - Carl
Pederson, Tacoma, Washington, September 04, 2006
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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