Abilene State Park
A photo of Buffalo Wallow in Abilene State Park
Buffalo Wallow in Abilene State Park
A map of Texas showing the location of Abilene State Park
A map of Texas showing the location of Abilene State Park
A map of Texas showing the location of Abilene State Park
A map of Texas showing the location of Abilene State Park
LocationTaylor County, Texas, U.S.
Nearest cityAbilene
Coordinates32°14′7″N 99°52′48″W / 32.23528°N 99.88000°W / 32.23528; -99.88000[1]
Area529.4 acres (214.2 ha)
Established1933
Visitors73,587 (in 2022)[3]
Governing bodyTexas Parks and Wildlife Department
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/abilene

Abilene State Park is a 529.4-acre (214.2 ha) state park next to Lake Abilene about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Abilene, Texas on FM 89. The park opened on May 10, 1934 and is managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

History

Detail of the rock work on the CCC built concession building.

The presence of humans in Abilene State Park dates back at least 6,000 years. The Tonkawa and Comanche passed through the park while hunting bison and also camped there.[4] Settlers who had come to the region in the late 1870s occupied the land next. They farmed the bottomlands and raised sheep and cattle on the uplands. Many of the settlers were displaced when the City of Abilene built a dam in 1918 that created Lake Abilene to ensure a reliable water supply for the growing town. The lake is now used purely for recreation.

The state acquired the property from the city of Abilene in 1933. Early development of the park was done by Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) companies 1823(V) and 1823(CV) between 1933 and 1935. They cleared land and built roads. The CCC constructed a concession building, swimming pool, pool shelters, pergolas, stone water tower, stone pump house, water fountains, stone seats, picnic tables and fireplaces.[5]

Nature

Abilene State Park is located in an area where the Rolling Plains and Edwards Plateau ecoregions of Texas meet. The landscape is short prairie grass, brushland and wooded stream valleys in a range of hills called the Callahan Divide.

Animals

A squirrel gets a drink at the bird blind.

White-tailed deer, raccoons, armadillos, foxes, squirrels, skunks and cottontail rabbits are seen in the park.

Birds that live in or visit the park, include the Mississippi kite, greater roadrunner, northern cardinal, hummingbird, Carolina chickadee and northern mockingbird. Bass, crappie, catfish and perch are caught in Buffalo Wallow, a pond in the park.

Flora

Live oak, Texas red oak, cedar, ashe juniper, honey mesquite and hackberry trees grow in the park.

Facilities and activities

Abilene State Park features camping sites for recreational vehicles and tents, picnic shelters, a swimming pool, a bird blind, playground and hiking trails. There is a volleyball court and fields for soccer and baseball. The park is on Lake Abilene which offers opportunities for fishing, kayaking, canoeing and boating.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Abilene State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  2. "Abilene State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  3. ↑ Christopher Adams. "What is the most visited state park in Texas? Here's the top 10 countdown". KXAN.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  4. ↑ Moore, Annabelle. "Take a walk through pre-history at Abilene State Park". Abilene Reporter News. www.reporternews.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  5. ↑ "The Look of Nature: Abilene". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
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