Abilene, county seat of Taylor County, is located about 180 miles west of Dallas. The city is situated near the geographic center of the state on Interstate I-20, at the junction of U.S. Routes 83 and 277. Also servicing the city are Texas State Highways 36 and 351. Abilene maintains a full-service regional airport offering commuter flights to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Abilene is home to Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University.
Abilene is home to the restored Paramount Theater, which hosts art films, plays, and concerts throughout the year. The Grace Cultural Center, a beautifully restored 1909 hotel located in historic Downtown Abilene, houses a history museum, an art museum and an interactive children’s museum. The Abilene Zoo boasts over 200 species of wildlife over its thirteen acres and offers a wide variety of children’s programs and special events. The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum celebrates the history of the unit which became one of the most feared fighting machines of World War II. The Center for Contemporary Arts is home to dozens of exhibits by regional, national and international artists and photographers. Frontier Texas! is a multimedia facility which brings to life the Texas frontier as it existed between 1780 and 1880. Visitors can interactively “meet” some of the real people who lived and died on the Texas frontier, including buffalo hunters, Comanche warriors, pioneers, and explorers. Abilene’s western heritage is showcased every May at the Western Heritage Classic, a three-day weekend event which celebrates the western lifestyle. The West Texas Fair and Rodeo is a ten-day event held each September which features food, music, rides, and exhibits celebrating West Texas.
Youth sports are very popular in Abilene and the city’s local high school teams have won hundreds of district championships and dozens of state titles over the past several years. The Dodge Jones Youth Sports Center is home to the Abilene Youth Sports Authority that offers many different city leagues.
