Built by design as a result of the Texas & Pacific Railroad’s expansion efforts, Abilene Texas sprang up in the early 1880′s. From its beginning, Abilene was a successful railroad town becoming incorporated in 1882, and also becoming the county seat of Taylor County in the same year.

In the 1880′s the Texas & Pacific was pushing its way steadily through Texas. There was a desire for the line to extend west from Fort Worth deeper into Texas, but in order to do so, there had to be towns along the line to support the railroad with (more…)