On March 15…maybe the same day you read these modern words…Abilene in West Texas was born year 1881. And as a one-time Abilene property owner, I am astounded at what you paid then to own property.
This property research was inspired by my return to Texas from Indiana. I looked over the bookshelf I left two years before and there was Abilene on Catclaw Creek. The author was Katharyn Duff, my sophomore high school journalism teacher.
During World War Two, Miss Duff quit teaching journalism, took a job at the daily, later helped get me a part-time job at the Abilene Reporter-News.
Abilene was a new town in 1881, promoted by the Texas and Pacific Railroad as the ‘Future Great City of West Texas.’ Located 160 miles by rail from Fort Worth and 450 miles from El Paso. And named by cattlemen who had driven cattle herds to Abilene, Kansas where the railroad connected to Chicago’s stockyards.
When the T&P railroad auctioned Abilene lots, you could buy a round-trip ticket from Fort Worth for $6.45. First bid-winner bought two lots for $355. Those lots were close to the railroad station and became the second block on the main street, named Pine.
Author Duff reported that in two days 317 different pieces of property sold for a total of $51,360. Skip ahead 73 years. We bought a lot about 20 blocks west of the T&P railroad, built a two-bedroom home, lived there five years until fourth child arrived. Moved to larger home outside town. Sold Abilene lot and house lot for around $50,000.
Happy Birthday this March 15. Abilene, Texas
Photo by Arcansel at Shutterstock
