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The Beginning |
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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. The westward progress of the Texas and Pacific Railway gave impetus to the founding of Abilene when it considered two possible routes through West Central Texas. Col. C. W. Merchant and area ranchers met with railway officials to induce them to choose a route through the site of what is now Abilene. Shortly thereafter, the railway joined Merchant, John Simpson, and their associates in purchasing land in the area that was destined to become Abilene. In 1880, Merchant and Simpson named the town "Abilene" after the famous Kansas cattle shipping point of the same name, in hopes that Abilene, Texas would become an even more important city than Abilene, Kansas. |
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| 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. In 1883, Abilene had enough people and spirit to petition for an election to move the county seat from Buffalo Gap. Both sides waged a month-long campaign to win the election. Tales of election day shenanigans spread far and wide. People from the Gap charged that passengers on the T&P were encouraged to leave the train, vote, and then partake of a barrel of whiskey set up in a nearby lumberyard. Abilene won by a landslide, however, on the day of canvassing the votes, two groups armed with six-shooters and Winchesters almost took things into their own hands. Fortunately, cool heads prevailed and a confrontation was averted with each side agreeing to leave the decision to the County Judge and Commissioners. ABILENE was named the new county seat which stabilized conditions and had the effect of bringing new enterprises to town. Today, Abilene is the center of a 22 county trade area. |
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