Abilene is a city located in the northeast corner of Taylor County. It was one of many towns founded by the Texas and Pacific Railway as it made its way west to California. People living in Abilene were aggressive, which made them different from other railroad towns and more successful. During the oil boom of the 1920s, Abilene became a center for wholesale and retail trade, transportation, media, and cultural events. It was also the headquarters of independent oil operators. World War II brought Abilene to the forefront. In 1940, 1.5 million soldiers and millions of dollars arrived in the city with Camp Barkeley and Tye Army Air Field opening. Civic leaders diversified Abilene’s economic base after Barkeley closed a decade ago, but they never forgot what a military installation had done for the local economy. They were successful in lobbying Congress to approve the construction of Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene in 1952.
Here are some stunning historical photos that show Abilene in the 1950s. During the 1950s, Abilene’s population nearly doubled, from 45,570 to 90,638. In 1959 Abilene made extensive improvements to the downtown area.
