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Click here to return to Abilene's History |
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Historic Dates |
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1876 January—One of the last Indian fights occurs. With the area more secure, large numbers of settlers begin to arrive. |
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1878 Taylor County, named for the Taylor brothers who died at the Alamo, is formed from the Bexar and Travis land districts. Buffalo Gap is named county seat. |
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1880 Colonel C. W. Merchant, his twin brother John, and other ranchers meet with Texas & Pacific railway officials to persuade them to choose a new route through the site of what is now Abilene. They name the town "Abilene" after the famous Kansas cattle shipping point. |
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1881 January 13—The railroad tracks reach Abilene. February—The U.S. Post Office opens and the first official train arrives. March 15—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. |
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1883 January 2—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 23—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. |
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