Abilene, Texas
Encyclopedia
Abilene is a city in Taylor
and Jones
counties in west central Texas
. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area
, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat
of Taylor County. Dyess Air Force Base
is located on the west side of the city.
Abilene is located off Interstate 20, between exits 279 on its western edge and 292 on the east. Abilene is 150 miles (241.4 km) west of Fort Worth, Texas
. The city is looped by I-20 to the north, US 83/84 on the west, and Loop 322 to the east. A railroad divides the city down the center into north and south. The historic downtown area is on the north side of the railroad.
The fastest-growing sections of the city are growing to 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. There are three lakes in the city, Lytle Lake on the western edge of Abilene Regional Airport
, Kirby Lake on the southeast corner of the US 83/84 & Loop 322 interchange, and Lake Fort Phantom Hill
in Jones County in north Abilene.
Established by cattlemen as a stock shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway
in 1881, the city was named after Abilene, Kansas
, 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 newspaper, about eight hundred 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.
In 1882, the town was incorporated, and Abilenians began to set their sights on bringing the county seat to Abilene and, in a three-to-one vote, won the election. In 1888, the Progressive Committee was formed to attract businesses to the area, which later became the Board of Trade in 1890. By 1900, 3,411 people lived in Abilene, and in that decade, the Board of Trade changed its name to the 25,000 Club in the hope of reaching 25,000 people by the next census. However this committee failed when the population only hit 9,204 in 1910. Replacing it was the Young Men's Booster Club, which became the Abilene Chamber of Commerce in 1914.
The cornerstone was laid for the first of three future universities in Abilene, called Simmons College, in 1891, which later became Hardin-Simmons University
. Childers Classical Institute followed in 1906, currently Abilene Christian University
, Abilene's largest of the three. In 1923, McMurry College was founded and later became McMurry University
. Much more recently, Abilene succeeded in bringing Cisco Junior College and Texas State Technical College branches to Abilene, with the Cisco Junior College headquarters being located in Abilene.
In 1940, Abilene raised the money to purchase land for a U.S. Army base, southwest of town, named Camp Barkeley
, which was at the time, twice the size of Abilene with 60,000 men. When the base closed, many worried that Abilene could become a ghost town, but in the post-World War II boom, many servicemen returned to start businesses in Abilene. In the early-1950s, residents raised $893,261 to purchase 3400 acres (13.8 km²) of land for an Air Force base. Today, Dyess Air Force Base
is the city's largest employer, with 6,076 employees. By 1960, Abilene's population nearly doubled in 10 years from 45,570 in 1950 to 90,638. In the same year, a second high school was added, Cooper High School. In 1966, the Abilene Zoo was created 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 schools are integrated.
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
earmarked for economic development was created after the decline in the petroleum
business in the 1980s. A branch of Cisco Junior College
was located in the city in 1990.
The Grace Museum
and Paramount Theatre
revitalizations, along with Artwalk in 1992 sparked a decade of downtown restoration. In 2004, Frontier Texas!
, a multi-media museum highlighting the history of the area from 1780 to 1880 was constructed, and a new $8 million, 38 acres (153,780.7 m²) 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, showing a slow but progressive trend for 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". By the end of 2005, commercial and residential development had reached record levels in and around the city.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 110.6 square miles (286.5 km²), of which 105.1 square miles (272.3 km²) are land and 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²) are water (4.95%).
and the semi-arid steppe climate.
of 2000, there were 115,930 people, 2005 estimate placed the city's population at 120,021, 41,570 households, and 28,101 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,102.7 people per square mile (425.8/km²). There were 45,618 housing units at an average density of 433.9 per square mile (167.5/km²). The ethnic 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. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.45% of the population.
There were 41,570 households, of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. About 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was distributed as 25.6% under the age of 18, 15.3% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,007, and the median income for a family was $40,028. Males had a median income of $28,078 versus $20,918 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,577. About 10.9% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2010 census Abilene had a population of 117,063. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population 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% two or more races and 24.5% Hispanic or Latino.
(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
operates the Abilene Post Office and the Abilene Southern Hills Post Office.
(AISD) and Wylie Independent School District
(WISD). The local high schools are Abilene High School
and Cooper High School of AISD and Wylie High School of WISD. A new building on the Hardin-Simmons University
campus serves AISD high school students as a magnet school, called Holland Medical High School
, as well as HSU students as the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics. The Holland Medical High School is affiliated with Hendrick Medical Center, which is across Ambler Avenue from the university campus. Abilene also has a new high school that opened in the fall of 2009, the Academy of Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (A.T.E.M.S.). It is a S.T.E.M. school, which focuses on computer science, engineering science, and mathematics. The school only accepts about 100 students each year, provides students with their own laptop computers, and is located inside the Abilene campus of Texas State Technical College
.
AISD has begun taking steps towards creating magnet schools for the school district. The district is currently considering locating a specialized math and science classroom at McMurry University
, taught by both a university professor and AISD teacher, on the campus. A plan for the future calls for the creation of a magnet school system specializing in four areas: math, science, technology, and fine arts. The four areas will be divided among each of the four middle schools in the district. Regular curriculum will still be taught, but extra emphasis and equipment would be given based on the specific field of the school, such as extra labs for a science school, and an instrument lab for a fine arts school. Also, Bond Proposition 2 for the 2008 AISD bond election proposed a new Professional and Technology magnet school to be located at Lincoln Middle School, one of the oldest schools in the city, after a major renovation project.
The city is also home to several higher education units, including three religiously affiliated private universities: Abilene Christian University
(ACU), Hardin-Simmons University (HSU), and McMurry University (McM), as well as the Abilene campus of Cisco Junior College
(CJC), a West Texas campus of Texas State Technical College (TSTC), and American Commercial College (ACC). In addition, a new Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Abilene Campus was recently built in north Abilene.
The Abilene campus of Texas State Technical College is the first to offer a degree program in Digital Signage Technology
in the state of Texas.
, The Abilene Philharmonic, 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, Taylor County Coliseum, five libraries (3 private, 2 public), twenty-six public parks, six television stations and several radio stations, including one NPR
station (89.7 KACU).
George Hamilton IV
had a country and pop hit in 1963 with a song about the city, simply entitled "Abilene
". The city also plays an important part in Richard Kelly's
2007 film, Southland Tales
, as well as his unproduced 1999 screenplay adaptation of Holes, both of which take place in the years following a nuclear attack on the city, where much of Kelly's family lives.
The Abilene Zoo
is a popular attraction in Abilene, boasting several hundred animals of hundreds of species. It hosts educational and summer programs as well as special events throughout the year. Currently, the zoo is undergoing expansion with the addition of a black rhino exhibit this year. Next to arrive will be South American Maned Wolves and cougars
as well as an expanded giraffe
exhibit and a wetlands exhibit. The Elm Creek backyard area will be built to house locally found animals such as armadillos, skunks, and river otters.
The Western Heritage Classic in early May features ranch rodeo, campfire cook-off, sheepdog trials, farrier
competition, Cowboy Poets Society, a Western art show and many other activities.
On every second Thursday evening of the month, Artwalk is held in downtown Abilene. During Artwalk all the local museums are free, local musicians and performers busk
, and several crafters and artists set up booths and sell their wares.
There are also several special-interest conventions, festivals, and shows scattered throughout the year, including the Abilene Gem and Mineral Show, the West Texas Book and Music Festival, the Abilene Gun and Knife Show, the Friends of the Abilene Public Library book sale.
Also of note is the annual Abilene High vs. Cooper High football game, the Crosstown Showdown, usually held near Halloween. Two of these games, in 2001 and 2002, were for the district championship and were called the “Showdown at Shotwell” games played at Shotwell Stadium
.
is the primary daily newspaper of the city of Abilene and the surrounding Big Country area.
Taylor County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 126,555 people, 47,274 households, and 32,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 138 people per square mile . There were 52,056 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile...
and Jones
Jones County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,785 people, 6,140 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 7,236 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
counties in west central Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area
Abilene metropolitan area
The Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in west central Texas that covers three counties—Taylor, Jones, and Callahan. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 160,245 .-Counties:*Callahan*Jones*Taylor-Places with 2,500 to 5,000 people:*Anson*Clyde*Dyess...
, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Taylor County. Dyess Air Force Base
Dyess Air Force Base
Dyess Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Abilene, Texas.The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force...
is located on the west side of the city.
Abilene is located off Interstate 20, between exits 279 on its western edge and 292 on the east. Abilene is 150 miles (241.4 km) west of Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. The city is looped by I-20 to the north, US 83/84 on the west, and Loop 322 to the east. A railroad divides the city down the center into north and south. The historic downtown area is on the north side of the railroad.
The fastest-growing sections of the city are growing to 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. There are three lakes in the city, Lytle Lake on the western edge of Abilene Regional Airport
Abilene Regional Airport
Abilene Regional Airport is a public airport located three statute miles southeast of the central business district of Abilene, a city in Taylor County, Texas, United States. It is within the Abilene city limits and owned and operated by the City of Abilene.The majority of aircraft operations at...
, Kirby Lake on the southeast corner of the US 83/84 & Loop 322 interchange, and Lake Fort Phantom Hill
Fort Phantom Hill
Fort Phantom Hill was an United States Army and Confederate Army installation located at the Clear Fork of the Brazos River in Jones County, Texas. The fort was active from 1852 to 1853 and again from 1856 until the 1890s....
in Jones County in north Abilene.
History
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California....
in 1881, the city was named after Abilene, Kansas
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,844.-History:...
, the original endpoint for the Chisholm Trail
Chisholm Trail
The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the late 19th century to drive cattle overland from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads. The portion of the trail marked by Jesse Chisholm went from his southern trading post near the Red River, to his northern trading post near Kansas City, Kansas...
. The T&P had bypassed the town of Buffalo Gap
Buffalo Gap, Texas
Buffalo Gap is an incorporated town in Taylor County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 463 at the 2000 census. It is the former county seat of Taylor County, having been supplanted in 1883 by the much larger Abilene to its north...
, 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 newspaper, about eight hundred 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.
In 1882, the town was incorporated, and Abilenians began to set their sights on bringing the county seat to Abilene and, in a three-to-one vote, won the election. In 1888, the Progressive Committee was formed to attract businesses to the area, which later became the Board of Trade in 1890. By 1900, 3,411 people lived in Abilene, and in that decade, the Board of Trade changed its name to the 25,000 Club in the hope of reaching 25,000 people by the next census. However this committee failed when the population only hit 9,204 in 1910. Replacing it was the Young Men's Booster Club, which became the Abilene Chamber of Commerce in 1914.
The cornerstone was laid for the first of three future universities in Abilene, called Simmons College, in 1891, which later became Hardin-Simmons University
Hardin-Simmons University
Hardin–Simmons University is a private Baptist university located in Abilene, Texas, United States.-History:Hardin–Simmons University was founded as Abilene Baptist College in 1891 by the Sweetwater Baptist Association and a group of cattlemen and pastors who sought to bring Christian higher...
. Childers Classical Institute followed in 1906, currently Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
, Abilene's largest of the three. In 1923, McMurry College was founded and later became McMurry University
McMurry University
McMurry University, founded in 1923, is a private co-educational university in Abilene, Texas. It is a liberal arts school offering forty-one majors in the fields of fine arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, education, business, and religion, and nine pre-professional programs, including...
. Much more recently, Abilene succeeded in bringing Cisco Junior College and Texas State Technical College branches to Abilene, with the Cisco Junior College headquarters being located in Abilene.
In 1940, Abilene raised the money to purchase land for a U.S. Army base, southwest of town, named Camp Barkeley
Camp Barkeley
Camp Barkeley was a large United States Army training installation during World War II. The base was located eleven miles southwest of Abilene, Texas near what is now Dyess Air Force Base. The base was named after David B. Barkley, a Medal of Honor recipient during World War I...
, which was at the time, twice the size of Abilene with 60,000 men. When the base closed, many worried that Abilene could become a ghost town, but in the post-World War II boom, many servicemen returned to start businesses in Abilene. In the early-1950s, residents raised $893,261 to purchase 3400 acres (13.8 km²) of land for an Air Force base. Today, Dyess Air Force Base
Dyess Air Force Base
Dyess Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Abilene, Texas.The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force...
is the city's largest employer, with 6,076 employees. By 1960, Abilene's population nearly doubled in 10 years from 45,570 in 1950 to 90,638. In the same year, a second high school was added, Cooper High School. In 1966, the Abilene Zoo was created 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 schools are integrated.
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
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
earmarked for economic development was created after the decline in the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
business in the 1980s. A branch of Cisco Junior College
Cisco Junior College
Cisco College is a community college in Cisco, Texas, located in Eastland County between Fort Worth and Abilene, where Highways 183, 206, and 6 intersect Interstate 20. The campus in Cisco rests atop a hill one mile north of the town and presents a beautiful view of the surrounding country...
was located in the city in 1990.
The Grace Museum
The Grace Museum
The Grace Museum is a museum located in Abilene, Texas, USA. The museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums . The Grace Museum houses five art galleries displaying temporary exhibitions and works from its permanent art collection; a children's museum; and a history gallery with...
and Paramount Theatre
Paramount Theatre (Abilene, Texas)
The Paramount Theatre is located in downtown Abilene, Texas at 352 Cypress Street.thumb|200px|left|The Theater's LobbyThe Parmount was built in 1930 by H. O. Wooten, adjacent to his Hotel Wooten. Opening night was May 18, 1930, with the film, Safety in Numbers starring Carole Lombard...
revitalizations, along with Artwalk in 1992 sparked a decade of downtown restoration. In 2004, Frontier Texas!
Frontier Texas!
Frontier Texas! is a state-of-the-art museum of the American West located in downtown Abilene, the seat of Taylor County in West Texas. The facility opened in 2004. It is located at 625 North First Street on near the Texas and Pacific Railway tracks. The museum focuses on typical settlers and...
, a multi-media museum highlighting the history of the area from 1780 to 1880 was constructed, and a new $8 million, 38 acres (153,780.7 m²) 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, showing a slow but progressive trend for 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". By the end of 2005, commercial and residential development had reached record levels in and around the city.
Geography
Abilene is located at 32°26′47"N 99°44′44"W (32.446425, -99.745482), 160 miles (257 km) west by south of Fort Worth.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 110.6 square miles (286.5 km²), of which 105.1 square miles (272.3 km²) are land and 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²) are water (4.95%).
Climate
Abilene lies near the boundary between the humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
and the semi-arid steppe climate.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 115,930 people, 2005 estimate placed the city's population at 120,021, 41,570 households, and 28,101 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,102.7 people per square mile (425.8/km²). There were 45,618 housing units at an average density of 433.9 per square mile (167.5/km²). The ethnic 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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.45% of the population.
There were 41,570 households, of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. About 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was distributed as 25.6% under the age of 18, 15.3% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,007, and the median income 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
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,577. About 10.9% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2010 census Abilene had a population of 117,063. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population 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% two or more races and 24.5% Hispanic or Latino.
Government and infrastructure
The Texas Department of Criminal JusticeTexas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
(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
Jones County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,785 people, 6,140 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 7,236 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Abilene Post Office and the Abilene Southern Hills Post Office.
Education
Abilene has two school districts within the city limits, the Abilene Independent School DistrictAbilene Independent School District
Abilene Independent School District is a public school district based in Abilene, Texas .The district serves the cities of Abilene and Impact in northeastern Taylor County as well as the portion of Abilene that lies in southeastern Jones County...
(AISD) and Wylie Independent School District
Wylie Independent School District (Taylor County, Texas)
The Wylie Independent School District is a public school district based in the far southern portion of Abilene, Texas, United States....
(WISD). The local high schools are Abilene High School
Abilene High School (Abilene, Texas)
Abilene High School is a public high school located in Abilene, Texas and is part of the Abilene Independent School District. Abilene High School is the name given to three different schools in the past 150 years. The first Abilene High was an old warehouse. Not long after that, the school was...
and Cooper High School of AISD and Wylie High School of WISD. A new building on the Hardin-Simmons University
Hardin-Simmons University
Hardin–Simmons University is a private Baptist university located in Abilene, Texas, United States.-History:Hardin–Simmons University was founded as Abilene Baptist College in 1891 by the Sweetwater Baptist Association and a group of cattlemen and pastors who sought to bring Christian higher...
campus serves AISD high school students as a magnet school, called Holland Medical High School
Holland Medical High School
Holland Medical High School is a public health sciences magnet school within Abilene Independent School District in Abilene, Texas. It is located at 2442 Cedar Street on the campus of Hardin-Simmons University directly across the street from the sprawling Hendrick Medical Center...
, as well as HSU students as the Holland School of Sciences and Mathematics. The Holland Medical High School is affiliated with Hendrick Medical Center, which is across Ambler Avenue from the university campus. Abilene also has a new high school that opened in the fall of 2009, the Academy of Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (A.T.E.M.S.). It is a S.T.E.M. school, which focuses on computer science, engineering science, and mathematics. The school only accepts about 100 students each year, provides students with their own laptop computers, and is located inside the Abilene campus of Texas State Technical College
Texas State Technical College System
Texas State Technical College System is a system of two-year technical schools in Texas. It is the only state-operated system of two-year colleges in Texas....
.
AISD has begun taking steps towards creating magnet schools for the school district. The district is currently considering locating a specialized math and science classroom at McMurry University
McMurry University
McMurry University, founded in 1923, is a private co-educational university in Abilene, Texas. It is a liberal arts school offering forty-one majors in the fields of fine arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, education, business, and religion, and nine pre-professional programs, including...
, taught by both a university professor and AISD teacher, on the campus. A plan for the future calls for the creation of a magnet school system specializing in four areas: math, science, technology, and fine arts. The four areas will be divided among each of the four middle schools in the district. Regular curriculum will still be taught, but extra emphasis and equipment would be given based on the specific field of the school, such as extra labs for a science school, and an instrument lab for a fine arts school. Also, Bond Proposition 2 for the 2008 AISD bond election proposed a new Professional and Technology magnet school to be located at Lincoln Middle School, one of the oldest schools in the city, after a major renovation project.
The city is also home to several higher education units, including three religiously affiliated private universities: Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
(ACU), Hardin-Simmons University (HSU), and McMurry University (McM), as well as the Abilene campus of Cisco Junior College
Cisco Junior College
Cisco College is a community college in Cisco, Texas, located in Eastland County between Fort Worth and Abilene, where Highways 183, 206, and 6 intersect Interstate 20. The campus in Cisco rests atop a hill one mile north of the town and presents a beautiful view of the surrounding country...
(CJC), a West Texas campus of Texas State Technical College (TSTC), and American Commercial College (ACC). In addition, a new Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Abilene Campus was recently built in north Abilene.
The Abilene campus of Texas State Technical College is the first to offer a degree program in Digital Signage Technology
Digital signage
Digital signage is a form of electronic display that shows television programming, menus, information, advertising and other messages. Digital signs can be found in public and private environments, such as retail stores, hotels, restaurants and corporate buildings.Digital signage Displays are most...
in the state of Texas.
Rankings
Abilene also ranked as the 17th city in the nation for their public education system, the highest ranked city in Texas. This award was given by Business Outlook Magazine in their September/October 2006 edition based on the following criteria.- average spending per student
- pupil/teacher ratio
- high school graduation rate
- highly educated population (percentage of pop. with 2-year, 4-year, or higher degrees)
- nearness to top-rated universities
Culture
The cultural aspects of Abilene center around a mix of the local college and university campuses, the agriculture community of the surrounding area, and the numerous evangelical churches present. The Abilene Arts Alliance captured the essence of the city with "Frontiering," a brand name for the city introduced in November 2008 to connect its pioneer spirit with its modern efforts to push the boundaries of education, technology, transportation, energy, the arts, and health care. Abilene is also home to the restored Paramount TheatreParamount Theatre (Abilene, Texas)
The Paramount Theatre is located in downtown Abilene, Texas at 352 Cypress Street.thumb|200px|left|The Theater's LobbyThe Parmount was built in 1930 by H. O. Wooten, adjacent to his Hotel Wooten. Opening night was May 18, 1930, with the film, Safety in Numbers starring Carole Lombard...
, The Abilene Philharmonic, The Grace Museum
The Grace Museum
The Grace Museum is a museum located in Abilene, Texas, USA. The museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums . The Grace Museum houses five art galleries displaying temporary exhibitions and works from its permanent art collection; a children's museum; and a history gallery with...
, the Center for Contemporary Arts, the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature
National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature
The National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature , located in Abilene, Texas, was established with a conviction and purpose of celebrating the best original art published in children's literature...
, The Abilene Zoo
Abilene Zoological Gardens
The Abilene Zoological Gardens is a small zoo located in Abilene, Texas. The zoo has over 500 animals representing over 200 species. Attendance for 2009 was 172,343....
, Frontier Texas!
Frontier Texas!
Frontier Texas! is a state-of-the-art museum of the American West located in downtown Abilene, the seat of Taylor County in West Texas. The facility opened in 2004. It is located at 625 North First Street on near the Texas and Pacific Railway tracks. The museum focuses on typical settlers and...
, the 12th Armored Division Museum, Taylor County Coliseum, five libraries (3 private, 2 public), twenty-six public parks, six television stations and several radio stations, including one NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
station (89.7 KACU).
George Hamilton IV
George Hamilton IV
George Hege Hamilton IV is an American country musician. He began performing in the late 1950s as a teen idol, later switching to country music in the early 1960s.-Biography:Hamilton was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
had a country and pop hit in 1963 with a song about the city, simply entitled "Abilene
Abilene (song)
Abilene is the title of a song written by Bob Gibson and John D. Loudermilk, and recorded by American country music artist George Hamilton IV. The song reached number one on the U.S. country music chart for four weeks, and peaked at number 15 on the pop music charts...
". The city also plays an important part in Richard Kelly's
Richard Kelly (director)
James Richard Kelly is an American film director and writer, best known for writing and directing the cult classic Donnie Darko in 2001.-Early life:...
2007 film, Southland Tales
Southland Tales
Southland Tales is a 2006 American-Franco-German science fiction dark comedy-drama film written and directed by Richard Kelly. The title refers to the Southland, a name used by locals to refer to Southern California and Greater Los Angeles...
, as well as his unproduced 1999 screenplay adaptation of Holes, both of which take place in the years following a nuclear attack on the city, where much of Kelly's family lives.
Park system
The Abilene park system includes 29 parks, occupying a total of 1247.56 acres (5 km²). In addition, three athletic complexes located throughout the city are under the jurisdiction of the parks department.Abilene Zoological Gardens
The Abilene Zoological Gardens is a small zoo located in Abilene, Texas. The zoo has over 500 animals representing over 200 species. Attendance for 2009 was 172,343....
is a popular attraction in Abilene, boasting several hundred animals of hundreds of species. It hosts educational and summer programs as well as special events throughout the year. Currently, the zoo is undergoing expansion with the addition of a black rhino exhibit this year. Next to arrive will be South American Maned Wolves and cougars
Cougars
Cougars is a Chicago-based rock band signed to the New York-based label Go-Kart Records.The Cougars' music is often compared to that of Rocket from the Crypt...
as well as an expanded giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
exhibit and a wetlands exhibit. The Elm Creek backyard area will be built to house locally found animals such as armadillos, skunks, and river otters.
Events
The West Texas Fair & Rodeo, held annually for ten days in mid-September, features exhibits and amusements reflecting early days of Abilene, plus modern attractions of West Texas.The Western Heritage Classic in early May features ranch rodeo, campfire cook-off, sheepdog trials, farrier
Farrier
A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves...
competition, Cowboy Poets Society, a Western art show and many other activities.
On every second Thursday evening of the month, Artwalk is held in downtown Abilene. During Artwalk all the local museums are free, local musicians and performers busk
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
, and several crafters and artists set up booths and sell their wares.
There are also several special-interest conventions, festivals, and shows scattered throughout the year, including the Abilene Gem and Mineral Show, the West Texas Book and Music Festival, the Abilene Gun and Knife Show, the Friends of the Abilene Public Library book sale.
Also of note is the annual Abilene High vs. Cooper High football game, the Crosstown Showdown, usually held near Halloween. Two of these games, in 2001 and 2002, were for the district championship and were called the “Showdown at Shotwell” games played at Shotwell Stadium
Shotwell Stadium
Shotwell Stadium is a stadium in Abilene, Texas. It was built in 1959, using Rice Stadium as a model. It was initially named the Public Schools Stadium. The first game played in the Stadium was in the fall of 1959. Shortly after the first season, the stadium was renamed Shotwell Stadium, after the...
.
Newspapers
The Abilene Reporter-NewsAbilene Reporter-News
Abilene Reporter-News is a daily newspaper based in Abilene, Texas, USA. The newspaper started publishing three months after Abilene was founded by C.E. Gilbert, effective June 17, 1881. It is hence the oldest continuous business in the city....
is the primary daily newspaper of the city of Abilene and the surrounding Big Country area.
Television
- KRBC-TVKRBC-TVKRBC-TV is the NBC Television Network affiliate for the Abilene-Sweetwater-Brownwood market area of Texas. KRBC is Abilene's first television station and airs on digital channel 29....
(NBC) - KTXS-TVKTXS-TVKTXS-TV is the ABC television affiliate for the Abilene/Sweetwater/Brownwood market. The station is licensed to Sweetwater, and broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a broadcasting tower near Trent, Texas....
(ABC) - KTAB-TVKTAB-TVKTAB-TV is the CBS affiliate television station serving Abilene, Texas. It is owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group and broadcasts on digital channel 24. KTAB is licensed in Abilene and broadcasts on a High Definition digital signal on UHF Channel 24....
(CBS) - KXVA-TVKXVAKXVA FOX Abilene is a full-service television station in Abilene, Texas, broadcasting locally in digital on UHF channel 15 as an affiliate of the Fox network. Founded June 15, 2000, the station is owned by Bayou City Broadcasting...
(FOX) - KIDZ-LPKIDZ-LPKIDZ-LP is a low-power Class A television station in Abilene, Texas, broadcasting locally in analog on UHF channel 42 as an affiliate of My Network TV. Founded October 30, 1991, the station is owned by Bayou City Broadcasting and is part of a duopoly in Abilene with Fox affiliate KXVA...
(MNTV) - KTES-LPKTES-LPKTES-LP is the low-powered This TV affiliate for the Abilene-Sweetwater television market. Founded in 1995 and owned by Bonten Media Group, it broadcasts on UHF channel 40. The station is also simulcast on the third digital subchannel of KTXS-TV. The station previously carried Telemundo, but...
(This TV)
Radio
- KGNZKGNZKGNZ is an FM Christian radio station that serves the Abilene, Texas, area. The station is under ownership of Christian Broadcasting.KGNZ is also available on 88.5 FM in Lubbock, 90.9 FM in San Angelo, & Snyder and 91.9 FM in Graham, Texas....
88.1 FM 'KGNZ' (Christian music/talk radio) - KACUKACUKACU is an FM Public radio station that serves the Abilene, Texas, area. The station is owned by Abilene Christian University. KACU is an NPR affiliate station....
89.7 FM 'Abilene Public Radio' (NPR news/music) - KAGTKAGTKAGT is a radio station and affiliate of the Air 1 network, playing contemporary Christian music.-History:KAGT was originally a Southern gospel radio station that served the Abilene, Texas, area...
90.5 FM 'Air1 Radio Network' (alternative Christian rock) - KULLKULLFor Kull the Conqueror, see Kull.KULL is a commercial radio station located in Abilene, Texas, broadcasting on 92.5 FM. KULL airs an adult contemporary music format branded as "Mix 92.5".-External links:*...
92.5 FM (adult contemporary) - KORQKORQKORQ is a commercial radio station located in Baird, Texas, broadcasting to the Abilene, Texas, area on 95.1 FM and live world wide via www.95q.fm. KORQ airs a Top 40 music format branded as "Channel 9-5-Q"....
95.1 FM '95Q' (Top 40/CHR) - KFNA 96.1 FM 'Fox News Abilene' (Talk)
- KTLTKTLTKTLT is a commercial radio station located in Anson, Texas, broadcasting to the Abilene, Texas, area on 98.1 FM. KTLT airs a sports format branded as "The Ticket".-History:...
98.1 FM 'The Ticket' (Sports Talk) - KBCYKBCYKBCY is a commercial radio station located in Tye, Texas, broadcasting to the Abilene, Texas area on 99.7 FM. KBCY airs a country music format.-External links:*...
99.7 FM 'KBCY' (Country) - KFGLKFGLKFGL is an FM oldies radio station located in and serving the area around Abilene, Texas. It operates on FM frequency 100.7 MHz and is under ownership of Townsquare Media. Much of the programming is fed from Scott Shannon's The True Oldies Channel from Citadel Media.-External links:*...
100.7 FM 'True Oldies' (Oldies) - KHXSKHXSKHXS is an FM radio station that serves the Abilene, Texas, area with Classic rock music. The station is under ownership of Cumulus Media.The station is an affiliate of the Dallas Cowboys radio network.-External links:...
102.7 FM 'The Bear' (Classic Rock) - KCDDKCDDKCDD is an FM radio station that serves the Abilene, Texas, area with a Rhythmic Contemporary music format. The station is under ownership of Cumulus Media.POWER 103 features:WEEKDAYS...
103.7 FM 'Power 103' (Top 40/CHR) - KEAN 105.1 FM 'Kean 105' (Country)
- KKHRKKHRKKHR is an FM Tejano radio station serving the Abilene, Texas, area.-External links:KKHR-FM was originally licensed at 3,000 watts in the late 1980s as part of the FCC's docket 80-90 initiative to provide more local radio stations to communities in the US. The stations original call sign was WHXS...
106.3 FM (Latino Mix) - KEYJ 107.9 FM 'Rock 108' (Active/Alternative Rock)
- KLGD 106.9 FM 'K106.9' (Classic Country)
- KWKCKWKCKWKC is a News/Talk radio station that serves the Abilene, Texas, area. The station is under ownership of Canfin Enterprises....
1340 AM (Talk)
Major highways
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Interstate 20
Business Loop 20
US 80
US 83
US 84
US 277
SH 36
Loop 322
SH 351Texas State Highway 351State Highway 351 or SH 351 is a Texas state highway that runs from Abilene northeast to an intersection with U.S. Highway 180 west of Albany. The route was designated in 1943 as a replacement for U.S. Highway 80A.-Route description:...
FM 89Farm to Market Road 89Farm to Market Road 89 or FM 89 is a state highway in the U.S. State of Texas that starts at FM 126 near Nolan and continues east to U.S. Highways 83 and 84 in Abilene.-Route description:FM 89 starts just east of the Nolan/Taylor County Line...
(Buffalo Gap Road)
FM 600
FM 707Farm to Market Road 707Farm to Market Road 707 runs from FM 1750 in Abilene, Texas to US 83 and US 277 in Anson, Texas. It runs to the west of Dyess Air Force Base.-Major intersections:* FM 1750* US 83/US 84* FM 89* US 277* Interstate 20/US 84* Business Loop 20* FM 605...
(Beltway South)- UR 18
- UR 3438
Notable residents
- B W AstonB W AstonB W Aston was an American historian whose career embraced local and regional history as well as Latin American studies. From 1967-2001, he was a faculty member at Baptist-affiliated Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.Aston was born in Fort Worth to Ernest Roy Aston and Mural Aston...
(1936–2010), historian - Raleigh BrownRaleigh BrownRaleigh Holden Brown was a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1963–1967, who later became a state judge....
, member of the Texas House of RepresentativesTexas House of RepresentativesThe Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
and a state-court judgeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open... - Doyle BrunsonDoyle BrunsonDoyle F. Brunson is an American professional poker player who has played professionally for over 50 years. He is the first two-time World Series of Poker main event champion to win consecutively, a Poker Hall of Fame inductee, and the author of several books on poker.Brunson is the first player to...
, Two-time World Series of Poker Champion who attended and played basketball at Hardin-Simmons College before hurting his knee. - Victor G. CarrilloVictor G. CarrilloVictor G. Carrillo is the chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, a petroleum, natural gas, and pipeline regulatory body on which he has served since his initial appointment in February 2003 by Governor Rick Perry...
, chairman of the Texas Railroad CommissionRailroad Commission of TexasThe Railroad Commission of Texas is the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, and surface coal and uranium mining .Established by the Texas Legislature in 1891, it is the state's oldest regulatory...
, former Taylor County county judge, and former member of the Abilene City Council - Randall "Tex" Cobb, prize fighter, and actor
- Charles CoodyCharles CoodyBilly Charles Coody is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1971 Masters Tournament.Coody was born in Stamford, Texas and raised in Abilene, Texas...
, Masters-winning professional golfer (from StamfordStamford, TexasStamford is a small city located on the border of Jones and Haskell counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 3,111 in 2008. H. McHarg, president of the Texas Central Railroad, named the site in 1900 for his hometown in Connecticut...
and Abilene) — graduate of ACU - Roy CraneRoy CraneRoyston Campbell Crane , who signed his work Roy Crane, was an influential American cartoonist who created the comic strip characters Wash Tubbs, Captain Easy and Buz Sawyer. He pioneered the adventure comic strip, establishing the conventions and artistic approach of that genre. Comics historian...
, Nationally syndicated cartoonist (Wash TubbsWash TubbsWash Tubbs was a comic strip created by Roy Crane that ran from April 14, 1924 to January 10, 1988.Initially titled Washington Tubbs II, it originally was a gag-a-day strip which focused on the mundane misadventures of the title character, a bespectacled bumbler who ran a store. However, Crane soon...
, Captain EasyCaptain EasyCaptain Easy, Soldier of Fortune was an action/adventure comic strip created by Roy Crane that was syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association beginning on Sunday, July 30, 1933...
, Buz SawyerBuz SawyerBuz Sawyer was a popular comic strip created by Roy Crane and highly regarded by comic strip historians. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, it had a long run from November 1, 1943 to 1989. The last strip signed by Crane was dated 21 April 1979....
) - Bob EstesBob EstesBob Alan Estes is an American professional golfer.Estes was born in Graham, Texas and reared in Abilene, Texas. He first played golf at age 4 and decided to become a professional golfer at age 12. Estes attended the University of Texas from 1984–1988, and was a member of the golf team...
, professional golfer - Larry GatlinLarry GatlinLarry Wayne Gatlin is an American country music singer/songwriter. He is perhaps best known for teaming up with his brothers Steve and Rudy in the late 1970s, becoming one of country music's most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s. Gatlin has had a total of 33 Top 40 singles...
and the Gatlin Brothers, country musicians - Billy GillispieBilly GillispieBilly Clyde Gillispie , also known by his initials BCG, is an American college basketball coach. Since 2011, he has been the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Texas Tech University...
, former University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball coachKentucky Wildcats men's basketballThe Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647... - David W. HarperDavid W. HarperDavid William Harper is an American actor.Harper is most noted for the role of Jim Bob Walton, which he first portrayed in the 1971 movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, and subsequently in the series The Waltons...
(born 1961), played James Robert Walton on the CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
series The WaltonsThe WaltonsThe Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...
, 1972–1981 - Micah P. HinsonMicah P. HinsonMicah Paul Hinson is an American americana singer and guitarist and recording artist for Sketchbook Records in the United Kingdom and Jade Tree Records in the United States. His debut album Micah P. Hinson and the Gospel of Progress was released in 2004 to much critical praise...
American indie rock singer. - Johnny KnoxJohnny KnoxJohnny Knox is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears. He was selected by the Bears as the 140th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, through a they acquired in the Kyle Orton-Jay Cutler trade....
, Wide receiver for the Chicago Bears - John LackeyJohn LackeyJohn Derran Lackey is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Lackey was drafted by the Anaheim Angels in 1999 and helped the franchise win its first World Series title in 2002, which was his first season in the major leagues...
, starting pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Gary D. McCalebGary D. McCalebGary Day McCaleb is the vice president and professor of management at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, and a prominent civic leader who formerly served as mayor of Abilene, the seat of Taylor County...
, mayor of Abilene, 1990–1999; vice-president of Abilene Christian University - Billy MaxwellBilly MaxwellBilly Joe Maxwell is an American professional golfer.Maxwell was born in Abilene, Texas. He played college golf at North Texas State College and helped them win four consecutive NCAA Division I team championships . Maxwell also won the U.S. Amateur title in 1951...
, golfer. Winner of seven PGA Tour events - Bobby Morrow, three-time gold medal winner at 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, and Sportsman of the Year in 1956 by Sports Illustrated magazine.
- Billy OlsonBilly OlsonBilly Olson is an American Olympic pole vaulter who held several world records, including the first 19-foot indoor pole vault. Olson participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics and was to have been part of the U.S. team for the boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics....
, Olympic pole vaulter (1988 Summer Olympics1988 Summer OlympicsThe 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, U.S. team for boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics1980 Summer OlympicsThe 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
); held several world records, including first 19 feet (5.8 m) indoor pole vault — vaulted for AHS and ACU - Ty O'NealTy O'Neal-Career:He is best known for playing the ice-skating cowboy, Dwayne Robertson, in D2: The Mighty Ducks and D3: The Mighty Ducks. In 2001 he portrayed real life outlaw Clell Miller in American Outlaws along side Colin Farrell, Scott Caan and Gabriel Macht....
, RodeoRodeoRodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
cowboyCowboyA cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
and film actor - Terry OrrTerry OrrTerrance F. Orr is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and the San Diego Chargers...
, former tight end of the Washington Redskins — played for CHS - Vinnie PaulVinnie PaulVincent Paul Abbott, also known as "Vinnie Paul" is a heavy metal drummer and producer who is currently a member of supergroup Hellyeah, but is best known for being a member, and co-founder, of the heavy metal band Pantera...
, (born in Abilene) Heavy Metal Drummer. Known for being the co-founder and former drummer of the heavy metal band PanteraPanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
and DamageplanDamageplanDamageplan was an American heavy metal supergroup from Dallas, Texas that formed in 2003. Following the demise of their previous group Pantera, brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul Abbott wanted to start a new band. The pair recruited former Halford guitarist Pat Lachman on vocals, and later...
. Currently the drummer of HellyeahHellyeahHellyeah is an American heavy metal supergroup, consisting of Mudvayne vocalist Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett, Nothingface guitarist Tom Maxwell, Damageplan bassist Bob Zilla, and former Pantera and Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul. The idea to form a supergroup originated in 2001 on the...
. - Fess ParkerFess ParkerFess Elisha Parker, Jr. was an American film and television actor best known for his portrayals of Davy Crockett in the Walt Disney 1955-56 TV mini-series and as TV's Daniel Boone from 1964-70...
(1924–2010), Hardin-Simmons University. Played football at HSU before transferring to University of TexasUniversity of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. Starred in TV series Daniel Boone (1964–1970). - Lee Roy ParnellLee Roy ParnellLee Roy Parnell is an American country music artist. Active since 1990, he has recorded eight studio albums, and has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
, country musician - Charles PerryCharles Perry (Texas politician)Charles Lee Perry is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 83 based in Lubbock, Texas. A certified public accountant, Perry unseated incumbent Representative Delwin L. Jones, the oldest current member of the Texas House, in the April 13, 2010, runoff election. He...
, incoming 2011 member of the Texas House of RepresentativesTexas House of RepresentativesThe Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
from LubbockLubbock, TexasLubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, was born in Abilene in 1962. - Rupert N. RichardsonRupert N. RichardsonRupert Norval Richardson, Sr. , was an American historian and a former president of Baptist-affiliated Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas...
, historian and former president of Hardin-Simmons University - Lou Halsell RodenbergerLou Halsell RodenbergerMolcie Lou Halsell Rodenberger was a Texas author, educator, professor, and journalist.-Early years:Rodenberger was born in the rural Eastland County, Texas, community of Okra to educators, Austin Carl Halsell and the former Mabel Falls...
, Texas author and biographer of Jane Gilmore RushingJane Gilmore RushingJane Gilmore Rushing is a Texan novelist and journalist, who formerly was a staff writer for the Abilene Reporter-News in Abilene, Texas...
, was a professor at McMurry UniversityMcMurry UniversityMcMurry University, founded in 1923, is a private co-educational university in Abilene, Texas. It is a liberal arts school offering forty-one majors in the fields of fine arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, education, business, and religion, and nine pre-professional programs, including...
. - Jessica SimpsonJessica SimpsonJessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
, singer, actor — born in Abilene - Sarah WeddingtonSarah WeddingtonSarah Ragle Weddington is an American attorney and lecturer from Texas who gained worldwide fame when she and Linda Coffee represented "Jane Roe" in the landmark Roe v. Wade case in the United States Supreme Court.-Family and education:She is the daughter of Lena Catherine and Rev...
, lawyer, represented "Jane Roe" in the case of Roe v. WadeRoe v. WadeRoe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
. - Ann WedgeworthAnn WedgeworthAnn Wedgeworth is a Tony award winning American actress, best known for her role as Lahoma Vane Lucas on the daytime dramas Another World and Somerset .-Early life:...
, actress - Christopher johnson, Football player/ powerlifter