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Abilene ( ) is a city in
Taylor Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to: People * Taylor (surname) ** List of people with surname Taylor * Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah * Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron * Justice Taylor (disambiguation) ...
and Jones counties,
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan statistical area, which had a population of 176,579 as of 2020. Abilene is home to three Christian universities:
Abilene Christian University Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a Private university, private Christian research university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 (High Research Spending and Doctorate Production) institutio ...
,
McMurry University McMurry University is a Private university, private United Methodist Church, Methodist university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1923 and named after William Fletcher McMurry. The university offers forty-five majors in the ...
, and Hardin–Simmons University. It is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of Taylor County. Dyess Air Force Base is located on the west side of the city. Abilene is located on Interstate 20, which forms a rounded bypass loop along the northern side of the city, between exits 279 on its western edge and 292 on the east. The city is located west of
Fort Worth Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
. 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 former
Texas and Pacific Railway The Texas and Pacific Railway Company (known as the T&P) was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California. However its lines never went we ...
, now part of the
Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United States after BNSF, ...
mainline, divides the city into well-established north and south zones. 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.


History

Established by cattlemen as a stock shipping point on the
Texas and Pacific Railway The Texas and Pacific Railway Company (known as the T&P) was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California. However its lines never went we ...
in 1881, the city was named after
Abilene, Kansas Abilene (pronounced ) is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 6,460. It is home of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Libra ...
, the original endpoint for the Chisholm Trail. The T&P had bypassed the town of Buffalo Gap, the county seat at the time. Eventually, a landowner north of Buffalo Gap, Clabe Merchant, known as the father of Abilene, chose the name for the new town. According to a
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
newspaper, about 800 people had already begun camping at the townsite before the lots were sold. The town was laid out by Colonel J. Stoddard Johnson, and the auction of lots began early on March 15, 1881. 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. Abilene was incorporated soon after its founding in 1881, and residents began to set their sights on bringing the county seat to Abilene. In a three-to-one vote, they won the county election to do so. In 1888, the Progressive Committee was formed to attract businesses to the area, and in 1890 renamed itself as the Board of Trade. By 1900, 3,411 people lived in Abilene. 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. By 1910, though, the population had increased only to 9,204. Another group was formed, the Young Men's Booster Club, which became the Abilene Chamber of Commerce in 1914. In 1891, the cornerstone was laid for Simmons College, the first of three universities in Abilene. It later developed as Hardin–Simmons University. Childers Classical Institute was founded in 1906, and developed as
Abilene Christian University Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a Private university, private Christian research university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 (High Research Spending and Doctorate Production) institutio ...
, the largest of the three. In 1923, McMurry College was founded; it later expanded its offerings as
McMurry University McMurry University is a Private university, private United Methodist Church, Methodist university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1923 and named after William Fletcher McMurry. The university offers forty-five majors in the ...
. In the late 20th century, Abilene succeeded in gaining branches of Texas State Technical College and Cisco College. Headquarters of the latter institution are located in the city. In 1940, Abilene raised the money to purchase land to attract establishment of a U.S. Army base southwest of town. It was named
Camp Barkeley Camp Barkeley was a large United States Army training installation during World War II. The base was located southwest of Abilene, Texas, near what is now Dyess Air Force Base. The base was named after David B. Barkley, a Medal of Honor recipi ...
. When fully operational, it was twice the size of Abilene, with 60,000 men. When the base closed after World War II, many worried that Abilene could become a
ghost town A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...
, but as the national economy boomed, many veterans returned to start businesses in Abilene. In the early 1950s, to advocate for an Air Force base, residents raised to purchase of land. The southern block of congressmen gained approval for such a base here. For decades, Dyess Air Force Base has been the city's largest employer, with 6076 employees in 2007. From 1950 to 1960, Abilene's population nearly doubled, from 45,570 to 90,638. In 1960, a second high school ( Cooper High School) was added to the city's school system. In 1966, the Abilene Zoo was established near Abilene Regional Airport. 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 1969, the Woodson elementary and high school for black students closed as the city integrated its school system, more than 10 years after the US Supreme Court's ruling in ''
Brown v. Board of Education ''Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka'', 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the ...
'' (1954) that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. In 1982, Abilene became the first city in Texas to create a downtown reinvestment zone. Texas State Technical College opened an Abilene branch three years later. The 2,250-bed French Robertson Prison Unit was built in 1989. A half-cent
sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...
earmarked for economic development was created after the decline in the
petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...
business in the 1980s. A branch of Cisco College was located in the city in 1990. Several major projects of restoration and new construction: The Grace Museum and Paramount Theatre, and development of Artwalk in 1992, sparked a decade of downtown revitalization. In 2004, Frontier Texas!, a multimedia museum highlighting the history of the area from 1780 to 1880, was constructed. That year, an $8 million, Cisco Junior College campus was built at Loop 322 and Industrial Boulevard. Simultaneously, subdivisions and businesses started locating along the freeway, on the same side as the CJC campus. This area attracted Abilene growth on the loop. Abilene has become the commercial, retail, medical, and transportation hub of a 19-county area more commonly known as "The Big Country", but also known as the "Texas Midwest". It is part of the Central Great Plains ecoregion. By the end of 2005, commercial and residential development had reached record levels in and around the city.


Timeline

* 1881 ** Settlement established. ** Texas & Pacific Railroad begins operating. ** '' Abilene Reporter'' newspaper begins publication. * 1883 ** Town of Abilene incorporated. ** D. B. Corley becomes mayor. ** Abilene becomes seat of Taylor County. * 1890 – Population: 3,194. * 1891 – Simmons College founded. * 1898 – "Federation"
subscription library A subscription library (also membership library or independent library) is a library that is financed by private funds either from membership fees or endowments. Unlike a public library, access is often restricted to members, but access rights ca ...
organized. * 1903 – Saloons banned in Abilene. * 1906 – Childers Classical Institute established. * 1910 – Population: 9,204. * 1919 – Abilene Zoological Gardens established. (Chronological list) * 1923 – McMurry College established. * 1924 – First Presbyterian Church built. * 1925 – Majestic Theater, a major movie theater, opened. * 1930 ** Paramount Theatre in business. ** Population: 23,175. * 1936 – KRBC
radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3  hertz (Hz) and 300  gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
begins broadcasting. * 1937 ** ''
Abilene Reporter-News ''Abilene Reporter-News'' is a daily newspaper based in Abilene, Texas, United States. The newspaper started publishing as the weekly ''Abilene Reporter'', helmed by Charles Edwin Gilbert, on June 17, 1881, just three months after Abilene was f ...
'' in publication. ** Regional "West Texas Chamber of Commerce" relocated to Abilene. * 1942 – Temple Mizpah (synagogue) built. * 1946 – Abilene Blue Sox baseball team formed. * 1947 – Office of
city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
established. * 1949 – Park Drive-In cinema in business. * 1950 – Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra active. * 1953 – KRBC-TV (
television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
) begins broadcasting. * 1956 ** U.S. military Abilene Air Force Base begins operating. ** KPAR-TV (
television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
) begins broadcasting. * 1960 – Population: 90,368. * 1977 – Abilene Preservation League organized. * 1978 –
Alcohol prohibition Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...
ends in Abilene. * 1979 – Charles Stenholm was elected as the Democratic U.S. representative for
Texas's 17th congressional district Texas's 17th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes a strip of Central Texas and Deep East Texas stretching from Nacogdoches, Texas, Nacogdoches to Waco, Texas, Waco and Round Rock, Texas, Round Rock, incl ...
. He was re-elected for 13 terms. * 2000 – City website online (approximate date). * 2001 – World War II-related "12th Armored Division Memorial Museum" opens. * 2005 – Republican Randy Neugebauer was elected as U.S. representative for Texas's newly redrawn 19th congressional district, including Abilene. * 2010 – Population: 117,063. * 2017 –
Jodey Arrington Jodey Cook Arrington ( ; born March 9, 1972) is an American politician serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for since 2017. The district includes a large slice of West Texas, centered around Lubbock, Texas, ...
becomes U.S. representative for Texas's 19th congressional district. *2019 – revamping the downtown area of North Abilene. As of October 2019 a couple of buildings were torn down and Hilton developed a new Double Tree hotel.


Geography

Abilene is located in northeastern Taylor County. The city limits extend north into Jones County. Interstate 20 leads east to Fort Worth and west to Midland. Three U.S. highways pass through the city. US 83 runs west of the city center, leading north to Anson and south to Ballinger.
US 84 U.S. Route 84 (US 84) is an east–westUS 84 was signed north-south in parts of Colorado and New Mexico. United States Numbered Highway that started as a short Georgia–Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme. Later, in 1941, it ha ...
runs with US 83 through the southwestern part of the city but leads southeast to
Coleman Coleman may refer to: Places Antarctica * Coleman Glacier (Antarctica) * Coleman Peak, Ross Island Canada * Coleman, Alberta * Coleman, Ontario * Coleman, Prince Edward Island United Kingdom * Coleman, Leicester, England United States * C ...
and west with I-20 to Sweetwater. US 277 follows US 83 around the northwestern side of the city and north to Anson, but heads southwest from Abilene to San Angelo. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, Abilene has a total area of , of which are land and are covered by water (4.82%). The water area is mainly from three reservoirs in the city: Lytle Lake, southeast of downtown on the western edge of Abilene Regional Airport, Kirby Lake on the southeastern corner of the US 83/84 and Loop 322 interchange, and Lake Fort Phantom Hill in Jones County in northern Abilene. Clear Creek runs through the city just east of downtown, flowing north to Elm Creek and ultimately part of the
Brazos River The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 14th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater ...
watershed. The fastest-growing sections of the city are in the southwest, along Southwest Drive, the Winters Freeway, and the Buffalo Gap Road corridor; the southeast, along Loop 322, Oldham Lane, Industrial Drive, and Maple Street; and in the northeast near the intersection of SH 351 and I-20. Many developments have begun in these three areas within the last few years with a citywide focus on the reinvigoration of downtown Abilene.


Climate

According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Abilene lies at the edge of a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, with areas to the west being semiarid.


Notable architecture

Notable and historical buildings in Abilene include: * Hotel Wooten (1930) at 302 Cypress Street downtown, built by grocery entrepreneur H. O. Wooten, at 16 stories tall, is designed after the Drake Hotel in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. It was restored in 2004 as a high-end apartment building. *First Baptist Church (1954) at 1442 North Second Street has a spire from the ground. Pastor Jesse Northcutt oversaw the planning of this building of 325 tons of steel. *The Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal, at 602 Meander Street, reflects surprising Gothic architecture on the West Texas Plains. Its plaque reads: "No man entering a house ignores him who dwells in it. This is the house of God and He is here." *The 20-story Enterprise Tower at 500 Chestnut Street, the highest structure in Abilene, rises to above the Plains. It is the tallest building in west central Texas and one of the five highest in the western two-thirds of the state. *The Taylor County Courthouse at 300 Oak Street, with its international architectural style of concrete and pink granite, resembles few other courthouses. * Paramount Theatre at 352 Cypress Street (opened in 1930 and restored in 1986) had an original marquee, with 1,400 lights. *Lincoln Junior High School, 1699 South First Street. In 2012, the Abilene Independent School District deeded the property to the City of Abilene. This property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 28, 2012. Built in 1923, the architecture is Gothic Revival and includes two large gargoyles at the entrance and has Gothic and art deco motifs. It opened as Abilene High School in 1924, became Lincoln Junior High in 1955, and Lincoln Middle School in 1985. The campus closed in 2007. As of 2019, the Abilene Heritage Square was renovating the school into "a multipurpose center for learning, making, discovery, building community and innovating and encouraging our city's future businesses." The Abilene Public Library will also use the restored building as the new main branch.


Demographics


2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 125,182 people, 46,134 households, and 29,111 families in Abilene. The population density was . There were 51,508 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 64.95% (81,300)
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
or
European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...
(56.23%
non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...
), 10.39% (13,012)
black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
, 0.89% (1,114) Native American or
Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...
, 2.22% (2,785) Asian, 0.14% (170)
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
or
Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...
, 9.26% (11,590) from other races, and 12.15% (15,211) from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race was 26.87% (33,634) of the population. Of the 46,134 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18; 43.6% were married couples living together; 29.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 29.8% of households consisted of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.1. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 16.5% of the population. 23.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 98.3 males. The 2016-2020 5-year
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
estimates show that the median household income was $52,518 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,091) and the median family income was $67,079 (+/- $3,258). Males had a median income of $32,038 (+/- $1,216) versus $22,765 (+/- $1,577) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $27,110 (+/- $739). Approximately, 9.9% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 18.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.5% of those ages 65 or over.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, 115,930 people, 41,570 households, and 28,101 families resided in the city. The population density was . The 45,618 housing units averaged . As of the 2010 census, Abilene had a population of 117,063. In 2020, its population was 125,182 people, 46,134 households, and 29,111 families residing in the city. In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 78.07% white, 8.81% African American, 0.55% Native American, 1.33% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 8.73% from other races, and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 19.45% of the population. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population in 2010 was 62.4% non-Hispanic White, 9.6% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% non-Hispanic reporting some other race, 3.3% of two or more races, and 24.5% Hispanic or Latino. By 2020, its racial and ethnic composition was 56.23% non-Hispanic white, 9.78% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.14% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.31% some other race, 4.16% multiracial, and 26.87% Hispanic or Latino of any race. At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $33,007, and for a family was $40,028. Males had a median income of $28,078 versus $20,918 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $16,577. About 10.9% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. At the 2020
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
, the median household income in the city was $52,518. The mean household income was $70,807.


Economy

The economy in Abilene was originally based on the livestock and agricultural sectors, but is now based strongly on government, education, healthcare, and manufacturing. The petroleum industry is prevalent in the surrounding area, also. The city has established incentives to bring new businesses to the area, including job training grants, relocation grants, and more.


Top employers

According to the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Abilene's top employers are:


Government and infrastructure

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Abilene District Parole Office in the city. The Robertson Unit prison and the Middleton Unit transfer unit are in Abilene and in Jones County. The
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates the Abilene Post Office and the Abilene Southern Hills Post Office. On June 17, 2017, Abilene elected its first
African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
mayor, Anthony Williams. * D. B. Corley, 1883–1885 * G. A. Kirkland, 1885–1886 * D. W. Wristen, 1886–1891 * H. A. Porter, 1891–1893 * D. W. Wristen, 1893–1897 * A. M. Robertson, 1897–1899 * John Bowyers, 1899–1901 * F. C. Digby Roberts, 1901–1904 * R. W. Ellis, 1904–1905 * Morgan Weaver, 1905–1907 * E. N. Kirby, 1906–1919 * Dallas Scarborough, 1919–1923 * Charles E. Coombes, 1923–1927 * Thomas E. Hayden, 1927–1931 * Lee R. York, 1931–1933 * C. L. Johnson, 1933–1937 * Will Hair, 1937–1947 * B. R. Blankenship, 1947–1949 * Hudson Smart, 1949–1951 * Ernest Grissom, 1951–1953 * C. E. Gatlin, 1953–1957 * Jess F. (T-Bone) Winters, 1957–1959 * George L Minter, 1959–1961 * C. R. Kinard, 1961–1963 * W. L. Byrd, 1963–1966 * Ralph N. Hooks, 1966–1969 * J. C. Hunter Jr., 1969–1975 * Fred Lee Hughes, 1975–1978 * Oliver Howard, 1978–1981 * Elbert E. Hall, 1981–1984 * David Stubbeman, 1984–1987 * Dale E. Ferguson, 1987–1990 * Gary D. McCaleb, 1990–1999 * Grady Barr, 1999–2004 * Norm Archibald, 2004–2017 * Anthony Williams, 2017–2023 * Weldon Hurt, 2023–present


Education


Primary education

, within Taylor County, most of Abilene is in the Abilene Independent School District (AISD), while portions extend into Wylie Independent School District (WISD), Eula Independent School District and Merkel Independent School District. Within Jones County, most of Abilene is in AISD, while portions extend into Clyde Consolidated Independent School District and Hawley Independent School District. High schools include Abilene High School and Cooper High School of AISD, and Wylie High School of WISD.


Colleges and universities

Abilene is home to six colleges, three of which are religiously affiliated. Hardin–Simmons University is the oldest, founded in 1891. Abilene Christian University is the largest with 2012 undergraduate enrollment at 4,371. The
Texas Legislature The Texas State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a p ...
designated Taylor County as being in the Cisco Junior College District, while it designated Jones County as being in the Western Texas College District.


Healthcare

Hendrick Medical Center includes two large hospital campuses on the north and south sides of Abilene, and is one of the city's largest employers. It is one of seven healthcare institutions affiliated with the
Baptist General Convention of Texas The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), more commonly known as the Texas Baptists, is a Baptist Christian denomination in the U.S. state of Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist World Alliance. Tex ...
. The Presbyterian Medical Care Mission was founded in 1983 as a medical and dental clinic. Its services are focused to low-income individuals and families without insurance.


Culture

The cultural aspects of Abilene revolve around a mix of the local college and university campuses, the agriculture community of the surrounding area, and a growing nightlife scene in the downtown area. Abilene is also home to the restored Paramount Theatre, the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, the Grace Museum, the Center for Contemporary Arts, the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, The Abilene Zoo, Frontier Texas!, the 12th Armored Division Museum, the Taylor County Expo Center, the Abilene Convention Center, six libraries (three private, three public), 26 public parks, six television stations, a daily newspaper, and several radio stations, including one NPR station (89.5 KACU).


Media


Newspapers

The ''
Abilene Reporter-News ''Abilene Reporter-News'' is a daily newspaper based in Abilene, Texas, United States. The newspaper started publishing as the weekly ''Abilene Reporter'', helmed by Charles Edwin Gilbert, on June 17, 1881, just three months after Abilene was f ...
'' is the primary daily newspaper of the city of Abilene and the surrounding Big Country area.


Television

*
KRBC-TV KRBC-TV (channel 9) is a television station in Abilene, Texas, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Mission Broadcasting, which maintains local marketing agreement, joint sales and shared services agreements (JSA/SSA) with Nexstar ...
(NBC) * KTES-LD (TBD) *
KTXS-TV KTXS-TV (channel 12) is a television station licensed to Sweetwater, Texas, United States, serving the Abilene area as an affiliate of ABC and The CW Plus. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside KTES-LD (channel 40), broadcasting t ...
(ABC) *
KTAB-TV KTAB-TV (channel 32) is a television station in Abilene, Texas, United States, affiliated with CBS and Telemundo. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which provides certain services to NBC affiliate KRBC-TV (channel 9) under joint sales an ...
(CBS) * KXVA-TV (FOX)


Radio

*88.1 FM KGNZ (Christian contemporary) *89.5 FM KACU (Public Radio) *90.5 FM KAGT (Christian contemporary) *91.3 FM KAQD (Religious) *91.7 FM KQOS (Religious) *92.5 FM
KMWX KMWX (92.5 FM broadcasting, FM) is a commercial radio station located in Abilene, Texas. KMWX airs a red dirt country music format branded as "92.5 The Ranch". History KULL aired an oldies music format branded as "Kool 92" until April 11, 2005. ...
(Red Dirt Country) *93.3 FM KBGT (Tejano) *94.1 FM KVVO-LP (Inspirational Country) *95.1 FM KABW (Country) *96.1 FM KORQ (Farm, Country) *98.1 FM KTLT (Active Rock) *99.7 FM KBCY (Country) *100.7 FM KULL (Classic hits) *101.7 FM KABT (Americana and red dirt country) *102.7 FM KHXS (Classic Rock) *103.7 FM KCDD (Top 40) *105.1 FM KEAN (Country) *106.3 FM KTJK (variety hits) *106.9 FM KLGD (Country) *107.9 FM KEYJ (Active Rock) *1280 AM KSLI (Country) *1340 AM KWKC (News Talk) *1470 AM
KYYW KYYW (1470 AM) is a news/talk radio station that serves the Abilene, Texas, area. The station is under ownership of Townsquare Media. History The station went on air in 1938 on a local channel. Its former callsign KRBC was made up of the first ...
(News Talk) *1560 AM KZQQ (Sports talk)


Transportation


Major highways

* Interstate 20 * Business Loop 20 * US 80 (former) * US 83 *
US 84 U.S. Route 84 (US 84) is an east–westUS 84 was signed north-south in parts of Colorado and New Mexico. United States Numbered Highway that started as a short Georgia–Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme. Later, in 1941, it ha ...
* US 277 * SH 36 * Loop 322 * SH 351 * FM 89 (Buffalo Gap Road) * FM 600 * FM 707 (Beltway South) * UR 18 * UR 3438


Airport

The city of Abilene is served by Abilene Regional Airport.


Notable people

*
Ken Baumann Ken Baumann (born ) is a former American actor, writer, publisher, and book designer. He is known for playing Ben Boykewich on ''The Secret Life of the American Teenager''. He is the author of numerous novels, nonfiction stories, essays, and poem ...
, actor * Raleigh Brown, member of the
Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...
and a state-court
judge A judge is a person who wiktionary:preside, presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a judicial panel. In an adversarial system, the judge hears all the witnesses and any other Evidence (law), evidence presented by the barris ...
*
Doyle Brunson Doyle Frank Brunson (August 10, 1933 – May 14, 2023) was an American poker player who played professionally for over 60 years. He was a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) List of World Series of Poker Main Event champions, Main Event champi ...
, two-time
World Series of Poker The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada, and since 2004, sponsored by Eldorado Resorts, Caesars Entertainment. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best ...
champion, attended and played basketball at Hardin–Simmons College * Randall "Tex" Cobb, heavyweight boxer and actor *
Charles Coody Billy Charles Coody ( ; born July 13, 1937) is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1971 Masters Tournament. Early life and amateur career Coody was born in Stamford, Texas and raised in Abilene, Texas. He attended Abi ...
, Masters-winning professional golfer (from Stamford and Abilene) — graduate of ACU * Carole Cook, an actress, was born January 14, 1924, in Abilene as Mildred Frances Cook *
Roy Crane Royston Campbell Crane (November 22, 1901 – July 7, 1977), who signed his work Roy Crane, was an American cartoonist who created the comic strip characters Wash Tubbs, Captain Easy and Buz Sawyer. He pioneered the adventure comic strip, estab ...
, nationally syndicated cartoonist ('' Wash Tubbs'', '' Captain Easy'', '' Buz Sawyer'') * Dorian, hip hop recording artist, was born in Abilene * Bob Estes, professional golfer * W. C. Friley, first president of Hardin–Simmons University, 1892–1894 *
Billy Gillispie Billy Clyde Gillispie ( ; born November 7, 1959), also known by his initials BCG and Billy Clyde, is an American college basketball and current men's basketball coach at Tarleton State. Gillispie had previously been head coach at UTEP, Texas ...
, former Texas Tech University Red Raiders, Kentucky, and Texas A&M men's basketball coach * Ryan Guzman, actor * Homer Hailey (1903–2000),
Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * Christianity, the Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ * Christian Church, an ecclesiological term used by denominations to describe the true body of Christia ...
clergyman and professor at Abilene Christian University * David W. Harper (born 1961), actor, played James Robert Walton on CBS
television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...
''
The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural mountainous Western Virginia of the Appalachian Mountains / Allegheny Mountains / Blue Ridge Mountains chain, during the economic hardships and mass unemp ...
'', 1972–1981 * Kristy Hawkins (born 1980), IFBB professional bodybuilder * Jerry Herron (born 1949), dean of
Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public university, public research university in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 375 programs. It is Michigan's third-l ...
Honors College * Katie Hill, former U.S. congresswoman from CA-25 * Micah P. Hinson, indie rock singer * Gregory Hoblit, film director * Robert Dean Hunter, member of
Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...
from Abilene, 1986–2007; vice president emeritus of Abilene Christian University * Bill Jones, former NFL player for the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
* Morgan Jones, railroad builder * Rainy Day Jordan,
Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
playmate (Miss December 2011) * Ashley Kavanaugh, public official and former political aide; wife of Supreme Court Justice
Brett Kavanaugh Brett Michael Kavanaugh (; born February 12, 1965) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated by President Donald Trump on July 9, 2018, and has served since Oct ...
* Case Keenum, quarterback for the Houston Texans * Johnny Knox, former wide receiver for the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
* John Lackey, former starting
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
for the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
* Deirdre Lovejoy, best known for her role as Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman on HBO's ''
The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created and primarily written by the American author and former police reporter David Simon for the cable network HBO. The series premiered o ...
'' * Billy Maxwell, golfer, winner of seven PGA Tour events * Mildred Paxton Moody, wife of Governor Dan Moody * Bobby Morrow, three-time gold medal winner at 1956 Olympic Games in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, named Sportsman of the Year in 1956 by ''Sports Illustrated'' * Scott Nagy, head coach of the
Wright State University Wright State University is a public research university in Fairborn, Ohio, United States. Originally opened in 1964 as a branch campus of Miami University and Ohio State University, it became an independent institution in 1967 and was named in ...
men's basketball team, and former head coach for
South Dakota State University South Dakota State University (SDSU or SD State) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota, United States. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest university and is the sec ...
men's basketball * Billy Olson, pole vaulter (
1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Seoul 1988 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. 159 nations were represe ...
, for the U.S. team that boycotted the
1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad () and officially branded as Moscow 1980 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union, in present-day Russ ...
); held several world records Ranked #1 in the world for 1982. * Ty O'Neal, rodeo cowboy and film actor * Terry Orr, tight end for the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
— played for CHS * Fess Parker (1924–2010), actor and hotel and winery owner, attended Hardin–Simmons University, played football at HSU before transferring to
University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...
, starred in TV as ''
Davy Crockett Colonel (United States), Colonel David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American politician, militia officer and frontiersman. Often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier", he represented Tennesse ...
'' and ''
Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...
'' * Lee Roy Parnell, country musician *
Vinnie Paul Vincent Paul Abbott (March 11, 1964 – June 22, 2018) was an American musician best known for being the drummer and co-founder of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Pantera. He also co-founded Damageplan in 2003 with his younger brother, ...
(1964–2018), born in Abilene; musician, co-founder, and drummer of heavy metal band
Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...
and Damageplan, drummer of
Hellyeah Hellyeah, stylized as HELLYEAH, was an American heavy metal supergroup formed in Dallas, Texas, in 2006. The band's last lineup consisted of lead vocalist Chad Gray, guitarists Christian Brady and Tom Maxwell, bassist Kyle Sanders, and drum ...
* Charles Perry, member of
Texas Senate The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature, with the Texas House of Representatives functioning as the lower house. Together, they form the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the state of Texas. The Senate ...
from Lubbock, was born in Abilene in 1962 * Dominic Rhodes, born in Waco Texas, football player for Cooper High School, NFL football player for
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
* Lou Halsell Rodenberger, author and biographer of Jane Gilmore Rushing, professor at
McMurry University McMurry University is a Private university, private United Methodist Church, Methodist university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1923 and named after William Fletcher McMurry. The university offers forty-five majors in the ...
* Rick Roderick, philosopher *
Bill Sharman William Walton Sharman (May 25, 1926 – October 25, 2013) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering with Bob Cousy in what was then consider ...
, Hall-of-Fame NBA basketball player and coach, born in Abilene *
Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Johnson (née Simpson; born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' ...
, singer and actress, born in Abilene * Jorge A. Solis (born 1951), U.S. federal judge, 5th Circuit * Rawson Stovall, video game producer/designer, author, and first nationally syndicated reviewer of video games * Steven Stucky,
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
-winning American
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...
*
Sarah Weddington Sarah Catherine Ragle Weddington (February 5, 1945 – December 26, 2021) was an American attorney, Jurist, law professor, advocate for women's rights and reproductive health, and member of the Texas House of Representatives. She was best known f ...
, lawyer, represented "Jane Roe" in case of ''
Roe v. Wade ''Roe v. Wade'', 410 U.S. 113 (1973),. was a List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protected the right to have an ...
'' * Ann Wedgeworth, actress *
Mason Williams Mason Douglas Williams (born August 24, 1938) is an American classical guitarist, composer, singer, writer, comedian, and poet, best known for his 1968 instrumental " Classical Gas" and for his work as a comedy writer on ''The Smothers Brothers ...
, musician, best known for his guitar instrumental " Classical Gas"


Sister cities

* Chita,
Zabaykalsky Krai Zabaykalsky Krai is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the Russian Far East. Its administrative center is Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai, Chita. As of the Russian Census (2010), 2010 Census, the population was ...
, Russia *
Río Cuarto, Córdoba Río Cuarto is a city in the provinces of Argentina, province of Córdoba Province (Argentina), Córdoba, Argentina. Located in the south of the province, it has about 157,000 inhabitants () and is an important commercial and agricultural hub. Ove ...
, Argentina


See also

* List of museums in West Texas * Abilene CityLink *
Abilene paradox The Abilene paradox is a collective fallacy, in which a group of people collectively decide on a course of action that is counter to the preferences of most or all individuals in the group, while each individual believes it to be aligned with the ...


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * Abilene...On Catclaw Creek: A Profile of a West Texas Town (Abilene, Texas: Reporter Publishing, 1969) * Katharyn Duff and Betty Kay Seibt. Catclaw Country: An Informal History of Abilene in West Texas (Burnet, Texas: Eakin Press, 1980) * Fane Downs, ed. The Future Great City of West Texas: Abilene, 1881–1981 (Abilene: Richardson, 1981). * Paul D. Lack et al. The History of Abilene (Abilene, Texas: McMurry College, 1981) * Juanita Daniel Zachry. Abilene (Northridge, California: Windsor, 1986). * * * * * * ''Lost Abilene: Images of America'',
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
:
Arcadia Publishing Arcadia Publishing is an American Publishing, publisher of neighborhood, local history, local, and regional history of the United States in pictorial form.(analysis of the successful ''Images of America'' series). Arcadia Publishing also runs th ...
. 2013. *


External links

*
Convention & Visitors Bureau

Abilene.com
* (circa 1900s-1950s) * *
Items related to Abilene, Texas
various dates (via
Digital Public Library of America The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is a US project aimed at providing public access to digital holdings in order to create a large-scale public digital library. It officially launched on April 18, 2013, after two-and-a-half years of dev ...
) * {{Authority control Cities in Texas Cities in Taylor County, Texas Cities in Jones County, Texas County seats in Texas Busking venues Cities in the Abilene metropolitan area Populated places established in 1881 1881 establishments in Texas