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Life in Texas from the 1800's to 1950

Life in Taylor County Texas from 1850 to 1950

Taylor County, Texas from 1900 to 1950 as pictured in archived government photographs, vintage postcards, old school yearbooks and newspapers from Abilene, Buffalo Gap, Lawn, Merkel, Ovalo, Tren,
 Tuscola and Tye.

 

Click on the photos below to view full size

Man on Porch in Merkel in 1910 Man on Porch in Merkel in 1910

In 1910 a man in Merkel Texas relaxes on his porch and reads the Evening News and  Woman's Home Companion magazine

Abilene Post Office and Courthouse 1936Abilene Post Office and Courthouse 1936

1930s cars at the Abilene Texas Post office and federal courthouse

Hotel Windsor Abilene in 1954Hotel Windsor Abilene in 1954

Busy day in 1954 in Abilene Texas in front of the Post Office and Hotel Windsor

Hendrick Memorial Hospital in 1940sHendrick Memorial Hospital in 1940s

Very nice old photo of the Hendrick Memorial Hospital in Abilene Texas in 1940s

Shooting Scene in Abilene 1941Shooting Scene in Abilene 1941

In 1941 while Columbia Pictures was filming in Abilene for the movie Texas a photographer captured the actors and camera crew in action

Abilene Courthouse 1949Abilene Courthouse 1949

Taylor County Courthouse as it appeared in 1949 in Abilene Texas

Cowboy Band of Simmons University 1930sCowboy Band of Simmons University 1930s

In the 1930s the Hardin-Simmons University Cowboy Band  played for the White House

Horseless Carriage in Abilene TexasHorseless Carriage in Abilene Texas

Sometime in the early 1900s a horseless carriage pulled to the curb in Abilene Texas for this wonderful old photo

South First and Chestnut in Abilene Texas in 1800sSouth First and Chestnut in Abilene Texas in 1800s

Wagons, horses and a trolley car on the rough dirt streets at First and Chestnut in Abilene Texas in the 1800s

Abilene Police Car in 1950Abilene Police Car in 1950s

On a country road near Abilene Texas in the 1950s a policeman posed with his police cruiser.

J. M. Radford Grocery in 1930s AbileneJ. M. Radford Grocery in 1930s Abilene

In the 1930s delivery trucks lined the street in front of the J. M. Radford Grocery Company in Abilene Texas

Main Street Parade in Abilene in 1920Main Street Parade Abilene 1920

On main street in 1920 a parade of beautiful horses marched past admiring people watching  from both sides of the street in Abilene Texas in this huge incredibly detailed photo

Coca Cola Bottling Plant in Abilene in 1926Coca Cola Bottling Plant in Abilene in 1926

In 1926, drivers for the Coca-Cola bottling company in Abilene Texas posed with seven of their trucks in front of the plant.

Abilene Texas Paint Store in Early 1900sAbilene Paint Store in Early 1900s

Sometime in the early 1900s the proprietor, clerk, and customers posed inside a paint store in Abilene Texas

Pine Street in Abilene Texas in 1911Pine Street in Abilene Texas in 1911

In 1911 an unknown photographer stood in the middle of Pine Street near Citizens National Bank in Abilene Texas as a street car and a man approach him. Horses, carriages and pedestrians can be seen lining both sides of the street

1923 Abilene High School Football1923 Abilene High School Football

The 1923 Abilene High School yearbook featured this on the page dedicated to the football team

Cowboy Watches Polo Match from Horse in 1939Cowboy Watches Polo Match from Horse 1939

In 1939 a cowboy threw his right leg over his saddle horn to watch a Polo match in Abilene Texas

Abilene BBQ Drive Up Cafe 1940sAbilene BBQ Drive Up Cafe 1940s

Carhops wait on customers in their cars at the Dixie Sandwich Pig Shop in Abilene Texas in the 1940s

Downtown Abilene in 1950Downtown Abilene in 1955

Traffic came to a stop in downtown Abilene when Hardin Simmons athletes were selling balloons to drivers in 1950

Nickel Store Interior in Abilene in 1909Nickel Store Interior in Abilene in 1909

Nice clear photo of the Nickel Store in Abilene Texas with clerks and owner waiting to serve in 1909

Alexander Sanitarium in Abilene Texas in 1909Alexander Sanitarium in Abilene Texas in 1909

In 1909 several of Abilene's wealthier citizens parked their cars in front of the Alexander Sanitarium for this photo . . .

Stinson Drug Store in Abilene in the 1930sStinson Drug Store in Abilene in the 1930s

Sometime in the 1930s two uniformed women left Stinson Drug #2, bypassed the coin operated weight machines when - just as one takes a lick off her ice cream cone they were captured on film

Abilene Volunteer Firemen 1899Abilene Volunteer Firemen 1899

Abilene Texas Volunteer Firemen J. D. Hailey, Chief Clinton, Bob Lane, Lee Lane, Joe Perry and Albert Lane are pictured in this highly detailed photo

Abilene Candy Company in 1939Abilene Candy Company in 1939

Salesmen for the Abilene Candy Company proudly line up beside their company cars in 1939.

Abilene Texas High School Football Team 1923Abilene High School Football Team in 1923

Eleven players on the Abilene High School football team in 1923.

View full size

1923 Abilene High Football Team Go to Fort Worth1923 Abilene High School Football Team

1923 Abilene High School Football Team on the Way to Fort Worth

Abilene High School Boys Glee Club 1923Abilene High School Boys Glee Club 1923

Kelso, Smith, Coombes, Harvey, Gray, West, Freeman, Gavin, Bryan, Robbins, Coffman, Kelso, heath, and Howell made up the Abilene Boys High School Glee Club in 1923 . . . look closer

Four Abilene High School Students pose beside car in 1948Four Abilene HS Students in 1948

Four Abilene High School students pose beside period car in 1948

Abilene Ice Company Truck 1940'sAbilene Ice Company Truck 1940's
Abilene Ice Company Wagon 1910Abilene Ice Company Wagon 1910

Horse-drawn ice wagon from the Abilene Ice Company parked on a residential dirt street in 1910 while driver delivers a block of ice to resident's ice box.

1923 Abilene Texas High School Yearbook Cover1923 Abilene Texas High School Yearbook
Abilene Typewriter Exchange Truck 1940Abilene Typewriter Exchange Truck 1940

In 1940 B. F. Cox and Wayne Thornton were changing a flat tire on the Cox Typewriter Exchange truck in Abilene Texas when an unknown photographer captured this photo . . . See it full size

Actor Lew Ayres at Duty Hospital in Abilene in 1941Actor Lew Ayres at Duty Hospital in Abilene
Boy Sells Soda Pop at Polo Match in 1939 AbileneBoy Sells Soda Pop at Polo Match in 1939 Abilene

At a Polo Match in 1939 Abilene Texas a boy sells Coca-Cola  from metal cooler. In the 1930s West Texans from Taylor County enjoyed polo and horse and auto racing at Fair Park in Abilene . . .

Buffalo Gap Texas Train Station 1920Buffalo Gap, Texas Railroad Depot 1920’s

Travelers wait for train at the Buffalo Gap train station in 1920.

Camp Barkeley Baseball Team 1942Camp Barkeley 1942 Texas Champion Baseball Team
Construction Workers Eager to Build Barkelley Camp in AbileneConstruction Workers Sign Up To Build Camp Barkeley 1941
Refugees from Abilene, Tx Flee Drought in 1936Refugees from Abilene, Tx Flee Drought in 1936

Children look out window as older sister or mother drives hoping to escape the drought.

Federal Court House Abilene Texas 1906Federal Court House Abilene Texas 1906
Former slave Green Cumby settled in Abilene TexasGreen Cumby, ex-slave, in Abilene Tx in 1937

After he was freed, former slave Green Cumby settled in Abilene Texas

Hardin-Simmons Cowboys Football Team 1939Hardin-Simmons Cowboys Football Team 1939
Horse Drawn Parade Float Abilene Texas 1910'sHorse Drawn Parade Float Abilene Texas 1910's
Horse Drawn Street Sprinkler Abilene c1900Horse Drawn Street Sprinkler Abilene c1900

Horse-drawn sprinkler wagon helps keep the dust down on the dirt streets of Abilene Texas in 1900. This one also serves as a moving billboard for the Campbell's Store.

Former Slave John Barker in Abilene Tx 1937Former Slave John Barker in Abilene Tx 1937
McMurray College Abilene Texas 1927 Football TeamMcMurray College Abilene Texas 1927 Football Team

McMurray College Coach R M Medley with players Taylor, Osborn Park, Isaacs, Bowers, Tharp, Miller, Newton, Asst. Coach Pratt, Corbin, Roberts, Edwards, Brown, H V Hodges, Patterson, Mitchell, Hunt, Wharton, Hale and Pool in 1927.

McMurry College Abilene Texas 1924 Football Team McMurry College Abilene Texas 1924 Football Team

McMurry College Football Coach R. M. Medley with players Campbell, Hale, W. Hill, Fitzgerald, Farmer, Hunt, Bigby, Bowers, West, Young, McCandless, Brown, Donaldson, Peeples, Wood, Self, Newton, D. Hill, Ledbetter, Harkrider, Murphy, and Meader in 1924

Palace Cafe Merkel Texas 1900Palace Cafe Merkel Texas 1900
Pine Street Abilene Texas 1920Pine Street Abilene Texas 1920

In 1920, cars and pedestrians lined Pine Street in Abilene Texas to watch the parade. Tap the image to see full size.

Sijes Bakery and Ice Cream Truck 1930sSides Bakery and Ice Cream Truck 1930s

In the 1930s Jes Sides Posed with his customized Bakery and Ice Cream Truck in Abilene

Simmons College Abilene Basketball Team 1912-1913Simmons College Abilene Basketball Team 1912-1913
Simmons Cowboys Football Team 1903Simmons Cowboys Football Team 1903
Soda Pop Truck at Abilene Polo Match in 1939Soda Pop Truck at Abilene Polo Match in 1939

Green Gate Tourist Camp set up a soda pop stand from the back of a pickup truck at this 1939 polo match in Abilene Texas. Polo player garners attention from boys and men as he walks away.

Thornton Drug Store Abilene Texas 1920sThornton Drug Store Abilene Texas 1920s

Large crowd gathers in front of Thornton Drug Store in Abilene Texas in 1920. Men climbed on top of trucks and rooftops to get a glimpse of something.

Trent Texas Railroad Station 1940Trent Texas Railroad Station 1940

Train Arrives at Station in Trent Texas 1940

Resources:

West Texas History & Memories

Early Life in Texas County by County

Books about Texas People and Places

Amazing People from Texas County by County

Texas History in the 19th Century (Amazon)

Vintage Texas Photos (eBay)

Remember in Abilene when...

Books about Taylor County People and Places

Books about Taylor County TexasBooks about Abilene, Tuscola, Tye, Buffalo Gap, Impact, Lawn, Merkel or Trent Texas.

 

What's your Favorite Book about a Texas County, Town, Person or Place? Here's our best reads list County by County

 

Mysterious TexasTrue Stories of Amazing People and Places in Texcas
 Loneliest, Least Populated Counties in Texas
Texas Cowboy HistoryBooks about Texas People County by County
 

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