Page Contents for Abilene, Texas

Statistics & Facts

Location

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Government

Chamber of Commerce.

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Libraries.

Schools.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

The Texas state capital is Austin.
The population of Abilene is approximately 115,930 (2000), 117063 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 44,436 (1990), 43612 (2010).
The amount of land area in Abilene is 267.012 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 14.179 sq kilometers.
The distance from Abilene to Washington DC is 1398 miles.
The distance to the Texas state capital is 190 miles. (as the crow flies)
Abilene is positioned 32.45 degrees north of the equator and 99.73 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Abilene elevation is 1,790 feet above sea level.
Abilene average annual rainfall is 23.59 inches per year
Abilene average annual humidity is 50%
Abilene average temperature is 65.5 degrees F.
The average low temperature is 43.7 degrees F.
The average high temperature is 83.9 degrees F.

Location

on Interstate 20 in west central Texas near the geographic center of the state, about 180 miles west of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
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History & History Related Items

In the early years, only buffalo roamed the plains around the Abilene area. Then a tent city grew up and cattle took over during the 1870's. The Texas and Pacific Railway routed its tracks through the town due to the efforts of Col. C.W. Merchant. Abilene, named for the Kansas cattle town, flourished and became a major cattle shipping point. The town officially began when lots were first sold on 15 March 1881. The city was incorporated on 2 January 1883. It was named the county seat on 23 October 1883.

Congress approved the establishment of Dyess Air Force Base in 1952. In the early 1960s Nike and Atlas missile installations and launching sites were built near the city, but they were phased out within three years.

Cattle continues to be an important part of the economy in Abilene, but now, the city has diversified and has much more to offer than just livestock.

Here is a history page for Abilene.

This history page is from the local Chamber of Commerce.
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Attractions

Abilene Zoological Gardens and Discovery Center
S. 11th St. in Nelson Park
Phone: 915-676-6085
more than 500 inhabitants are housed in the zoo.

Buffalo Gap Historical Village
only 14 miles south on SR 89
Phone: 915-572-3365
See this collection of late 19th century buildings, including a log cabin from 1875 and the original county courthouse and jail.

The West Texas Fair and Rodeo is held for ten days each September and features food, rides, exhibits and amusements celebrating West Texas

Dyess Air Force Base
4,000 civilian and military personnel are located here.
Dyess is home to the Air Combat Command B-1 Lancer and the Air Mobility Command C-130 Hercules.
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Abilene City Government

City of Abilene
555 Walnut St
P.O. Box 60
Abilene, TX 79604
Phone: 915-676-6200
Fax: 915-676-6229
Email

Since 1947, Abiline has had a city-manager form of government.

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COUNTY GOVERNMENT

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Abilene is the County seat for Taylor County

Taylor County website

Taylor County Clerk
300 Oak St
Abilene, TX 79602-1521
Phone: 915-674-1202

Abilene Chamber

Abilene Chamber Of Commerce
174 Cypress Street, Suite 200
Abilene, TX 79601
Phone: 915-677-7241
Fax: 915-677-0622
Email

Abilene Organizations

Abilene Chamber Of Commerce
174 Cypress Street, Suite 200
Abilene, TX 79601
Phone: 915-677-7241
Fax: 915-677-0622
Email

Abilene Libraries

Margaret-Herman Brown Library
221 Abilene Christian University
Abilene, TX 79699-0001
Phone; 915-674-2344

Abilene Schools

Abilene Independent School District
842 N Mockingbird Lane
Abilene, TX 79603-5729
Phone: 915-677-1444
Fax: 915-676-0610 Abilene

Miscellany

The population of Abilene was:
1890 - 3,194
1910 - 9,204
1920 - 10,274
1930 - 23,175
1940 - 26,612
1950 - 45,570
1960 - 90,638
1988 - 108,157
1990 - 106,654
2000 - 115,930

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The very small city of Impact, Texas is located completely within the borders of the city of Abilene, Texas.