Historic Downtown Abilene

Follow in the footsteps of the builders of the frontier that made Abilene what it is today. Enjoy a historic walking tour of a West Texas town that's more than a century old.

Created by the T&P Railway, Abilene rose from the prairie to become a vital center of activity in West Texas. Abilene began when lots were sold at auction in 1881. Oil strikes and record harvests led to unparalleled prosperity in the 1920s, the decade in which many of the buildings on this tour were constructed. Now the home of three universities and a large air force base, Abilene, a leader in the oil industry, serves as the medical, shopping, and cultural hub for this area of the state.

Enjoy the efforts of Abilene's recent downtown revitalization, which has become a model for other communities interested in preserving their heritage. The Abilene Commercial Historic District, created in 1991, preserves the unique architecture and cultural landscape that developed from Abilene's position as the regional trade center.