Ballinger, city in Texas, USA
Ballinger is a small city in Runnels County located at the intersection of U.S. highways 67 and 83, where the Colorado River and Elm Creek converge. The city features historic buildings including the 1889 Runnels County Courthouse, the Spanish-style Santa Fe Depot from 1911, and the Carnegie Library also from 1911, which remains in active use today.
The city was founded in 1886 when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad built a line west from Brownwood and chose Ballinger as its hub due to superior water supply. During World War II, the second floor of the Carnegie Library served as a recreation club for soldiers in training.
Ballinger was named after William Pitt Ballinger, a lawyer from Galveston involved with the railroad. The town displays its ranching heritage through the Charles H. Noyes monument on the courthouse square, honoring a local rancher's son and reflecting the livestock traditions that shaped the community.
Ballinger sits at the intersection of two major highways and has quiet, walkable streets in the historic center where old buildings and monuments are easily accessible on foot. The city has parks and Lake Ballinger about 5 miles (8 kilometers) outside town, where visitors can relax or fish.
The Carnegie Library in Ballinger is one of the few in Texas still used as a library today, preserving its original purpose. This is rare compared to most other Carnegie Libraries across the country, which have been converted to other uses.
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