| Abilene, Texas is an historic city of the Old West, | | | | in the city. The famous Abilene Zoo, which hosts |
| which has become the transportation, medical, | | | | 110,000 visitors per year, is contiguous to a lake. . |
| commercial and university hub of Taylor County in | | | | In 1891, the first church-related university was |
| the geographic center of the state of Texas. The | | | | founded. This was Simmons College, associated |
| city�s current population is 116,000. The | | | | with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, |
| average price of Austin homes is $70,000. Abilene | | | | and now called Hardin-Simmons University. Two |
| remains a transportation center, with a regional | | | | other church related universities followed in later |
| airport, and the intersection of major highways: | | | | years. These churches and universities remain |
| East-West Interstate Highway 20, US Highway | | | | critical influences in the culture of Abilene. The |
| 80, and State Highway 36, and north-south US | | | | university population is now 10,000. By 1986, |
| highways 83, 84, and 277. | | | | there were 100 churches in the city. |
| Abilene was the creation of the Union Pacific | | | | Funds were raised by Abilene�s citizens -- |
| railroad, which had begun its journey west as part | | | | $893,261, to purchase the 3,400 acres that |
| of Abraham Lincoln�s 1862 mandated | | | | became the Dyess Air Force Base, built between |
| transcontinental railroad. The presumed route of | | | | 1952 and 1956. Dyess is now the largest |
| the railroad in 1881, when Abilene was founded, | | | | employer in Abilene. By 2000, Dyess employed |
| was through Buffalo Gap, the county�s then | | | | over 4,000 military and civilians. It is the home of |
| seat, and the natural pass in the Callahan Divide. | | | | the B-1 Bomber. |
| However, after disputes by land speculators, the | | | | Cultural activities are strong in the city, from park |
| route instead went through the Northern part of | | | | activities, to festivals related to Abilene�s |
| the county, close to the abandoned Army Fort | | | | Western History, including the Western Heritage |
| Phantom Hill. Thus, Abilene was born. The railroad | | | | Classic in May with ranch rodeo, horse races, and |
| advertised the planned town as �The Future | | | | cowboy poetry; and the West Texas Rodeo and |
| Great Town of West Texas� in notices for the | | | | Fair contest in September. In addition to the |
| auction of land lots on March 15, 1881. During the | | | | city�s lakes, and parks, Abilene Park is 15 miles |
| auction, 317 lots were sold, bringing the | | | | south of the city and has over 4,000 pecan trees. |
| landowners and the railroad a total of $51,310. | | | | The park, constructed by the Civilian Conservation |
| Its growth has been steady ever since. Situated | | | | Corps in the 1930s, features a stone water tower |
| on flat land and dry, Abilene receives | | | | and swimming pool complex, and was once a |
| approximately 23.59 inches of rain a year. To | | | | campground for Comanche Indians. Abilene has |
| guarantee a city water supply, the city excavated | | | | extensive sports activities, and for the past few |
| 4 lakes from 1897 to 1937: Lytle Lake in 1897, | | | | years has hosted championship jump rope teams. |
| Lake Abilene in 1919, Lake Kirby in 1927, and Lake | | | | There is a philharmonic orchestra, children and |
| Fort Phantom Hill in 1937. Today, these lakes are | | | | adult classical choruses, ballet, and theatre. |
| the centers of recreation and include the 26 parks | | | | |