History, Heritage and Culture

It was about 1875 when settlers began to arrive in any appreciable numbers in what is now Taylor County. In 1878, Taylor County was formed from the Bexar and Travis land districts, with Buffalo Gap, Texas being named the county seat.

With the railroad completed, a town lot auction was held on March 15, 1881, and ABILENE was "born." By the end of the next day, 317 lots were sold for the sum of $51,360. The remaining lots were sold at a private sale.

  • ▼▲Historic Dates

    1876

    January - One of the last Indian fights occurs. With the area more secure, large numbers of settlers begin to arrive.

    1881

    January 13 - The railroad tracks reach Abilene.

    February - The U.S. Post Office opens and the first official train arrives.

    March 15th - A town lot auction is held and Abilene is ""born."" By the end of the next day, 317 lots are sold for the sum of $51,360. 

    1883

    January 2nd - The city incorporates. It boasts two newspapers, numerous churches and a public school. Abilene now has enough people to petition for an election to move the county seat from Buffalo Gap

    October 23rd - Abilene wins the county seat election by a landslide. This stabilizes the area and brings new enterprises to town. Today Abilene is the center of a 22 county trade area.

  • ▼▲Abilene and Taylor County's Names

    Abilene

    The word "Abilene" means grassy plain. It came originally from the Bible, third chapter of Luke, the name of a Mid-East tetrarchy. When the town was established in 1881 it was named after the famous cattle shipping center Abilene, Kansas.

    Taylor County

    In 1878, Taylor County was formed from the Bexar (San Antonio) and Travis (Austin) land districts with Buffalo Gap being named the county seat.   The county was named for the Edward, James and George Taylor, brothers who fought and died at the Alamo.

  • ▼▲The Song

    Songwriter Bob Gibson, came up with the 1956 tune, never even laying eyes on Abilene until several months before the city’s centennial in 1981 when he came here with the Kerrville Folk Singers.

    "I sit alone most every night, I watch those trains pull out of sight.

    Don't I wish they were carrying me back to Abilene, my Abilene."

    Chorus: "Abilene, Abilene, prettiest town I've ever seen. Women there don't treat you mean, in Abilene, my Abilene."

  • ▼▲Western Cattle Trail

    The Western Cattle Trail (from 1876 to 1877) was the main route for several hundred thousand longhorn cattle being driven north to stock ranches & Indian reservations and to supply the northern beef markets.



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