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Abilene is a city of about 125,000 people in West Central Texas, about 150 miles west of Fort Worth. It was founded in 1881 by cattlemen and the Texas and Pacific Railway, and named after Abilene, Kansas, the famous end of the Chisholm Trail. The town quickly became a shipping point for cattle and cotton, and its historic 1910 Texas and Pacific depot still stands downtown.
Abilene is home to three Christian universities, Abilene Christian, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry, along with Dyess Air Force Base, which gives the city a large military community. Downtown has been revived around the restored 1930 Paramount Theatre, the art deco Wooten Hotel and Hotel Grand, and the Frontier Texas! museum, which brings the region's frontier history to life with interactive exhibits.
The city is known as the Storybook Capital of America, with dozens of bronze sculptures of characters from children's books scattered around downtown and the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature. The Grace Museum, the 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum and the Abilene Zoo add more to see, and Abilene State Park offers camping and trails among pecan trees to the south.
A modern history museum downtown that tells the story of the Texas frontier from 1780 to 1880 through life-size holograms, video and interactive exhibits about soldiers, buffalo hunters, settlers and Native peoples. It also serves as the visitor center. Allow about 90 minutes.
Housed in the restored 1909 Grace Hotel near the railroad, this museum combines an art gallery of Texas and American art, a local history section and a hands-on children's museum. It is a good rainy-day stop for families. Check hours, since it is closed on some weekdays.
A World War II museum in a historic downtown building honoring the 12th Armored Division, which trained at nearby Camp Barkeley. It displays uniforms, weapons, vehicles, dioramas and soldiers' personal stories. History buffs should allow an hour; hours are limited.
Known as the NCCIL, this downtown gallery displays original illustrations from well-known children's books, with exhibitions that change several times a year and reading areas for kids. Admission is free. It is the reason Abilene calls itself the Storybook Capital of America.
A restored 1930 atmospheric movie palace downtown with a ceiling of twinkling stars and drifting clouds, Spanish-style decor and a busy schedule of classic film screenings, concerts and live shows. Even a classic movie night is worth it just to see the interior.
Dozens of bronze sculptures of characters from famous children's books, such as Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat and Where the Wild Things Are, are placed around downtown Abilene. Pick up a map at the visitor center and make it a scavenger hunt with kids; it is free and walkable.
A mid-sized zoo in Nelson Park with giraffes, rhinos, big cats, primates, reptiles and a discovery center, arranged by world regions. Giraffe feeding is a highlight for kids. Visit in the morning during summer, as the afternoons get very hot and many animals rest.
The restored 1910 Texas and Pacific Railway passenger depot in downtown Abilene, a Mission-style building that now houses the visitor center and the Abilene convention and visitors bureau. Stop for maps and tips, then walk to Frontier Texas and the storybook sculptures.
The ruins of an 1850s U.S. Army frontier fort north of Abilene, with standing stone chimneys, a powder magazine and a commissary building on open ranch land. It is free to explore with interpretive signs. It is remote, so bring water and watch for rattlesnakes in warm weather.
A private university on the northeast side of Abilene with a landscaped campus, a large amphitheater and Wildcat Stadium. Visitors can walk the grounds and catch theater or sports events. Abilene is also home to Hardin-Simmons and McMurry universities, giving it a college town feel.
A state park southwest of Abilene near Buffalo Gap with pecan-shaded campsites, a swimming pool in summer, hiking trails, a small herd of Texas longhorns and nearby Lake Abilene. Structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps add history. Reserve campsites ahead in spring.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Keithimus (talk), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Keithimus (talk), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Keithimus (talk), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Keithimus (talk), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Pi3.124, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Pi3.124, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Pi3.124, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Larry D. Moore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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Photo: mr_t_77 from WV, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: mr_t_77 from WV, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: mr_t_77 from WV, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
