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Historical Downtown Walking Tour

   
Click here for a walking tour map    
       
Step Into the Past
Join us for a walking tour of a West Texas town that's more than a century old. Follow in the footsteps of the builders of the frontier that made Abilene what it is today.

Created by the T&P Railway, Abilene rose from the prairie to become a vital center of activity in West Texas. Abilene began when lots were sold at auction in 1881 and has grown to a bustling city of 117,000. Oil strikes and record harvests led to unparalleled prosperity in the 1920s, the decade in which many of the buildings on this tour were constructed. Now the home of three universities and a large air force base, Abilene, a leader in the oil industry, serves as the medical, shopping, and cultural hub for this area of the state.

Enjoy the efforts of Abilene's recent downtown revitalization, which has become a model for other communities interested in preserving their heritage. The Abilene Commercial Historic District, created in 1991, preserves the unique architecture and cultural landscape that developed from Abilene's position as the regional trade center.
 
Begin your tour by walking west from Frontier Texas! down North 1st St. until you reach the 1st building on the walking tour, the T&P Depot (see map).
 
1.  T & P Depot • 1101 North 1st
One of Abilene’s most outstanding landmarks is the Texas & Pacific Railroad Station that was built in 1910. The last passenger train left the Depot in March 1967 with only 39 passengers aboard. Its exterior was restored in 1994 to its 1920s appearance.
 
2. REA Building • 1201 North 1st
Located to the west of the Depot, the REA building was built in 1936 to house Wells Fargo Express. Next it housed the American Railway Express Co., followed by the Railway Express Agency Inc.
 
3. Concrete Overpass • 1100 to 1200 Blocks North 1st
This long concrete overpass and retaining wall was built in 1936 by Austin Bridge Co. of Dallas as a WPA project. The structure, extending from Pine to Cedar streets, was constructed to ease traffic flow near the railroad and boost the local economy during the Great Depression. The automobile underpasses built on the Pine and Cedar street crossings include a pedestrian underpass that provided access to the railroad from the south side of town.
 
4. Boyd Building • 1292 N. 1st
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.
 
5.  Elks Building • 1174 N. 1st
The Elks Building was built in 1913 to house the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks. Lodge 562 existed from 1900 to 1937.  The Lodge reorganized in 1955 and closed permanently in 1964. The building was used as a USO Club during WWII. The City of Abilene has owned the building since 1945 and has used it as a City Hall annex and police training facility. The structure's facade, one of the best preserved historic buildings in downtown, is characterized by distinctive brick and masonry work and arched windows. The Building has been restored, renovated and renamed the Elks Art Center (676-3775). It houses the Abilene Preservation League.
 
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