The City of Abilene owes its existence to the Texas and Pacific Railroad and a group of ranchers and land speculators. Before the railroad, the Abilene area had been sporadically inhabited by nomadic Indians and United States military personnel and later by buffalo hunters and ranchers. By the 1870s the Indians had been driven out, and cattlemen began to graze their herds in the area.
When the Texas and Pacific Railway began to push westward in 1880, several ranchers and businessmen-Claiborne W. Merchant, John Merchant, John N. Simpson, John T. Berry, and S. L. Chalk-met with H. C. Whithers, the Texas and Pacific track and townsite locator, and arranged to have the railroad traverse their own land, and that a new town would be established between Cedar and Big Elm creeks east of Catclaw Creek. C. W. Merchant apparently suggested the name Abilene, after the Kansas cattle town.
After the Texas and Pacific arrived at the site in January 1881 the railroad promoted Abilene as the "Future Great City of West Texas."
T & P Depot - 1101 North First Street, One of Abilene's most outstanding landmarks, the T&P Railroad Station was built in 1910. The construction of the Depot resulted from the efforts of local civic leaders to promote Abilene. The last passenger train left the Depot in March 1967 with only 39 passengers aboard.
Grace Cultural Center - 102 Cypress, Originally constructed in 1909 by Colonel W. L. Beckman and named for his daughter, Grace. For many years it was Abilene's premier hotel and the first sight seen by railroad passengers as they approached the city.
Hilton Hotel - 401 Pine, Built in 1927 by the Abilene Hotel Company which was owned by most of Abilene's most prominent businessmen. The hotel was leased by Conrad Hilton and was the first hotel to bear his name. Paris Hilton arrived much later.
On April 15, 1956, The Abilene Air Force Base was dedicated. On Dec. 6 that same year, the base was renamed Dyess Air Force Base in honor of Lt. Col. William Edwin Dyess.
Source
One good reason to go to Abilene is to visit the FM600 Wrecking Co. to find some cars to spindle! And after that, we will pop in on Karla!
6 comments:
Yay, I finally get to go to Abilene! I think I need new boots, tho. These snow boots just won't do, will they, Karla? :)
Love the pics. Thanks, Iggy. *hugs*
Nah Alice, around there ya'll need a good pair of shitkickers.
Loved the lesson Professor Iggy!
About time you visited me Iggy! *hugs* got one waiting for you when you "pop in" to see me!!!
Well AK depends on when you come see me...Not much snow here for snow boots no. and yes styxie she will need some good shitkickers.
Where the heck is that wrecking yard. I gotta get out to FM600 and see (in case you don't know what FM stands for it's "Farm to Market")
Muckrakers are for real sh*tkicking... :) You got any in stock Alice Kay?
Karla, According to the website:
It's a BIG yard, way out in the boonies (7 miles North of I-20 on FM600) and they save a lot of old cars. If you are interested in anything, contact them directly: FM600 Wrecking, 9402 West Lake Road, Abilene TX 79601
Or we could stop and pick up Karla on the way to FM600 looking for cars to spindle. That way she could enjoy some of the fun too!
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