Significant Dates in Abilene History:
January 1, 1876 - One of the last Indian fights in Taylor County occurred, opening the West Texas prairie for safe settlement.
January 13, 1881 - T&P Railroad tracks reached milepost 407, and the new settlement was named Abilene. In February, the U.S. Post Office opened and the first official train arrived. Town lots were sold in March. (139 lots sold for $23,610.)
January 2, 1883 - Already boasting a newspaper, a number of churches and a public school, the City of Abilene incorporated. In the summer of the same year, the newspaper office and one-fourth of the town burned.
September 15, 1892 - The first session of Simmons College, now Hardin-Simmons University was held. Abilene Christian University opened on September 11, 1906, as Childers Classical Institute. McMurry University held its formal opening on September 20, 1923, as McMurry College.
December 7, 1940 - U.S. Government established Camp Barkeley, an army training base, near Abilene. It was home to over 20,000 soldiers during WWII. It closed on April 1, 1945.
January 18, 1952 - Drive began to get land and financing for new air base.
April 15, 1956 - Abilene Air Force Base was dedicated. On Dec. 6 that same year, the base was renamed Dyess Air Force Base in honor of Lt. Col. William Edwin Dyess.
Take a historical walking tour of downtown Abilene
Read more about Abilene's history