Taylor County

Taylor County, Texas

Taylor County, Texas

The new Taylor County Courthouse is located in Abilene, Texas, the county seat. Photograph by Larry D. Moore.
Taylor County, Texas

Taylor County, Texas

Map of Taylor County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Taylor County, Texas

Taylor County, Texas

Wind Turbines along FM 126 in Taylor County, Texas.
Photograph Image by Robert Plocheck.
Product photo
Promotion: Taylor County

Taylor County is in west central Texas. The center of the county lies at 32°18' north latitude and 99°53' west longitude, and Abilene, the largest city, is 151 miles west of Fort Worth. Located in the Rolling Plains vegetation region, Taylor County covers 917 square miles of prairie covered by grasses, with some mesquite and live oak trees. The loamy surface soils are reddish to brownish, while the clayey subsoils often include lime accumulations; altitudes range from 1,672 to 2,410 feet above sea level. Taylor County is traversed from east to west by the Callahan Divide, a line of hills separating the Brazos River and the Colorado River watersheds. Lake Abilene, Kirby Lake, Lytle Lake, and Fort Phantom Hill Reservoir provide water and recreation. The county is semi-arid, with an average rainfall of 23.59 inches. Temperatures range from an average low of 31° F in January to an average high of 96° in July, and the average growing season lasts 225 days. Natural resources include oil and gas, stone, clays, sand, and gravel. Transportation needs are met by U.S. Highway 83/84 and 227, Interstate 20, State Highway 36, Abilene Municipal Airport, and Elmdale Airport. The Missouri Pacific Railroad serves cities such as Merkel, Tye, and Abilene. Other railroads serving the county are the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and the Burlington Northern.

Comanches of the Penateka band led the advance into the region in the eighteenth century. In 1858 the Texas legislature established Taylor County, named for Alamo defenders Edward, James, and George Taylor, from lands formerly assigned to Bexar and Travis counties. Taylor County was attached to Travis and Bexar counties for judicial and administrative purposes until 1873, when these responsibilities were assigned to Eastland County. Partly due to the presence of Indians, the area remained largely unsettled. The Penatekas maintained their independence until the 1870s, when, after much bloodshed, they were defeated by the United States Army. The earliest group of European settlers in Taylor County were buffalo hunters and bone gatherers, who arrived during the 1870s. Sam Gholson, William C. Dunn, and William E. Cureton were among the early settlers. As more people moved into the area, the county was organized in 1878, and Buffalo Gap, a small settlement near the center of the county, became the seat of government. By 1880 there were 917 people living in the area, and ranching completely dominated the local economy. The agricultural census for that year counted 107 farms and ranches, encompassing 30,213 acres, but only 3,099 acres were described as "improved." Over 30,000 cattle and almost 6,000 sheep were reported, but only 157 acres were planted in wheat, the county's most important crop at that time; another 73 acres were planted in corn. Settlement accelerated when the Texas and Pacific Railway built through the area in the early 1880s. Buffalo Gap was bypassed by the railroad, which was routed instead to pass through the northern part of the county to the site of a new town, to be called Abilene. In 1881 the railroad connected the area to national markets and encouraged immigration. While Abilene began to develop into a shipping center, Buffalo Gap declined in population, and, after an election held in 1883, Abilene became the county seat. Attempts by the people of Buffalo Gap to challenge the election results by force of arms were quickly suppressed.

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John Leffler | © TSHA

Handbook of Texas Logo

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Taylor County is classified as a County

Altitude Range

1640 ft – 2490 ft

Size

Land area does not include water surface area, whereas total area does

  • Land Area: 915.6 mi²
  • Total Area: 919.3 mi²

Temperature

January mean minimum: 30.2°F
July mean maximum: 94.2°F

Rainfall, 2019

24.8 inches

Population Count, 2019

138,034

Civilian Labor Count, 2019

65,090

Unemployment, 2019

6.3%

Property Values, 2019

$9,996,258,558 USD

Per-Capita Income, 2019

$45,333 USD

Retail Sales, 2019

$2,357,794,714 USD

Wages, 2019

$779,678,008 USD

Taylor County

Highlighted:
  • Taylor County
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Place Type Population (Year/Source) Currently Exists
Town 125,070 (2021) Yes
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