Abilene, County seat in west-central Texas, United States
Abilene sits at 524 meters elevation and covers parts of Taylor and Jones Counties with 125,182 residents according to the 2020 census. The town spreads across flat terrain and residential neighborhoods alternate with low commercial buildings.
The Texas and Pacific Railway founded the settlement in 1881 as a stock shipping point and named it after the Kansas town at the end of the Chisholm Trail. The railroad connection helped the place grow quickly into a regional center.
Three Christian universities bring students into local coffee shops and bookstores throughout the year. Many residents attend church services on Sunday mornings and religious life shapes the rhythm of the week.
The regional airport connects the area to other cities and Dyess Air Force Base occupies the western part of town. Streets follow a grid pattern and visitors find gas stations and shops along the main roads.
Residents raised money in 1940 to buy land for Camp Barkeley and transformed the local economy through military presence during World War II. Many buildings from that period still stand today and recall the impact of war on daily life.
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