![]() The following year, one of the most important bond elections in the city's history passed for the funding of the construction of the Abilene Civic Center and the Taylor County Coliseum, as well as major improvements to Abilene Regional Airport. In 1966, the Abilene Zoo was established near Abilene Regional Airport. In 1960, a second high school was added to the city's school system, Cooper High School. For decades, Dyess Air Force Base has been the city's largest employer, with 6076 employees in 2007. The Southern block of Congressmen gained approval for such a base here. In the early-1950s, to advocate for an Air Force base, residents raised US$893,261 (equivalent to about $10,070,945 in 2022) to purchase 3,400 acres (14 km 2) of land. When the base closed after World War II, many worried that Abilene could become a ghost town, but as the national economy boomed, many veterans returned to start businesses in Abilene. When fully operational, it was twice the size of Abilene, with 60,000 men. In 1940, Abilene raised the money to purchase land to attract establishment of a U.S. Headquarters of the latter institution are located in the city. In the late 20th century, Abilene succeeded in gaining branches of Texas State Technical College and Cisco College. In 1923, McMurry College was founded it later expanded its offerings as McMurry University. ![]() Childers Classical Institute was founded in 1906, and developed as Abilene Christian University, the largest of the three. It later developed as Hardin–Simmons University. The cornerstone was laid in 1891 for Simmons College, the first of three universities in Abilene. Another group was formed, the Young Men's Booster Club, which became the Abilene Chamber of Commerce in 1914. By 1910, though, the population had increased only to 9,204. In that decade, the Board of Trade changed its name to the 25,000 Club, in the hope of reaching a population of 25,000 by the next census. In 1888, the Progressive Committee was formed to attract businesses to the area, and in 1890 renamed itself as the Board of Trade. In a three-to-one vote, they won the county election to do so. Ībilene was incorporated soon after being founded in 1881, and residents began to set their sights on bringing the county seat to Abilene. By the end of the first day, 139 lots were sold for a total of $23,810, and another 178 lots were sold the next day for $27,550. Stoddard Johnson, and the auction of lots began early on March 15, 1881. According to a Dallas newspaper, about 800 people had already begun camping at the townsite before the lots were sold. Eventually, a landowner north of Buffalo Gap, Clabe Merchant, known as the father of Abilene, chose the name for the new town. ![]() ![]() The T&P had bypassed the town of Buffalo Gap, the county seat at the time. History An 1883 map of Abilene The restored Texas & Pacific Railway depot in Abilene serves as the tourist information center.Įstablished by cattlemen as a stock shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1881, the city was named after Abilene, Kansas, the original endpoint for the Chisholm Trail. The historic downtown area is on the north side of the railroad, while the growing South Of Downtown Abilene "SODA" district is located on the south side of the tracks. The former Texas and Pacific Railway, now part of the Union Pacific mainline, divides the city into well-established north and south zones. ![]() Multiple freeways form a loop surrounding the city's core: I-20 on the north, US 83/84/277 on the west, and Loop 322 to the east. The city is located 150 miles (240 km) west of Fort Worth. I-20 forms a rounded bypass loop along the northern side of the city, between exits 279 on its western edge and 292 on the east. Dyess Air Force Base is located on the west side of the city.Ībilene is located on Interstate 20. Abilene is home to three Christian universities: Abilene Christian University, McMurry University, and Hardin–Simmons University. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan statistical area, which had an estimated population of 169,893, as of 2016. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 census. Abilene ( / ˈ æ b ɪ l iː n/ AB-i-leen) is a city in Taylor and Jones County, Texas, United States. ![]()
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