Why Abernathy?
With a population of 2,764, Abernathy, Texas is located in Hale and Lubbock counties. Abernathy's proximity to Lubbock, low crime rates, and excellent school district make it an obvious choice for family life.
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80 % of our residents belong to a family household.
- The median age of our citizens is 35 years old.
- The median household income is $36, 917.
- Despite economic fears, our home values have risen over the last ten years, averaging over $71,000.
- 65% of residents spend less than 30 minutes traveling to work.
- Crime statistics are well below the national average. In 2010, fewer than 70 crimes were reported to law enforcement officers.
- Our school district is recognized by the Texas Education Agency for its continued academic excellence.
Our History
The Santa Fe Railroad wanted to follow a straight line from Plainview to Lubbock. A straight-line survey was run and it went east of the present site of Abernathy. The route did not please the residents of Hale Center, which had been established since the 1890s. They influenced Santa Fe to come southwest of Plainview to serve them and from there the Santa Fe followed an approximate straight line into Lubbock.
The developers of the town sites along the new railroad wanted to organize a town on a section four miles north of the present town of Abernathy. The owners, who lived in Wisconsin, were contacted. They thought there might be gold on the land and refused to sell. Therefore, the last section south in Hale County was chosen as the town site.
Originally owned by John Y. Ligon, J. C. Roberds had purchased the section that was to become the Abernathy town-site from E.S. and W.L. Stanfield. When the South Plains Investment Company was formed by Roberds, Dr. M.C. Overton, and Monroe Abernathy, Robers deeded the section to the firm and became the president of the firm. Dr. Overton was secretary and Mr. Abernathy was treasurer.
On June 18, 1909, the official survey of the town site was recognized by Governor T.M. Campbell. The town-site was platted on July 8, 1909 and was named for M.C. Abernathy. Mr. Monk was the resident agent for the company and a small frame office building was built. Lots and blocks were sold from there.
Since there were already several buildings in Bartonsite and none in Abernathy, the founding fathers here contracted with J.J. Barton to move some of the buildings to Abernathy. In the late summer of 1909, the move began. Buildings were placed on rollers. The latest equipment, steam-driven tractors, hooked on. The exodus began its moved toward the new site. The tractors did not move but about three or four miles per hours, so it was a long trip. A two-story yellow hotel, a lumberyard, blacksmith shop, and three or four residences were some of the approximately ten buildings moved.
The first train came to Abernathy in the early fall of 1909. This was not a regular train, but some cars added to the work train. It was a great day for all the settlers in the area.
The depot was constructed in 1909. C.E. Stout was the first local agent for the Santa Fe.
The section where the town of Abernathy was being developed was fenced and gates had to be opened when entering and leaving town. The streets and block corners were layed off with 2 x 4 stubs. These stubs denoted streets for the next few years, until a grader finally came in to run ditches.
Town residents had free range on the section and their milk cows and horses and mules were turned loose to graze. The stock would stray out of the section and range cattle would come into town when someone happened to leave the gates open. The ladies had to stand guard at their clotheslines to keep the livestock from ruining their laundry. When a load of feed was brought to town, the cattle and horses had to be chased away until it was unloaded in stack lots or barns. Trains running through the town section frequently hit the livestock.
Behind most of the houses were outhouses, barns, and windmills. Nearly every home had its own windmill, although a few families hauled water. Generally, gardens and cow lots were integral parts of each household.
Although the City of Abernathy was founded in 1909, it was not incorporated until 1924. An election was called for September 12, 1924. The first mayor was F.W. Struve, and aldermen elected were R.M. Hardesty, N.C. Hix, Sam W. Smith, T.B. Stone, and E.B. Lindsey. Many mayors have served the City of Abernathy, some several terms: F.W. Struve, J.P. Nystel, W.H. Brown, J.D. Norman, C.O. Anderson, Guy Thompson, Dan Ward, E.O. Graham, Roy Jones, Larry Deering, Pete Thompson, Shane Cunningham, Carl Johnson, Robert Burnett, O.C. Toler, and Darrell Stephens presently serving as mayor.
The developers of the town sites along the new railroad wanted to organize a town on a section four miles north of the present town of Abernathy. The owners, who lived in Wisconsin, were contacted. They thought there might be gold on the land and refused to sell. Therefore, the last section south in Hale County was chosen as the town site.
Originally owned by John Y. Ligon, J. C. Roberds had purchased the section that was to become the Abernathy town-site from E.S. and W.L. Stanfield. When the South Plains Investment Company was formed by Roberds, Dr. M.C. Overton, and Monroe Abernathy, Robers deeded the section to the firm and became the president of the firm. Dr. Overton was secretary and Mr. Abernathy was treasurer.
On June 18, 1909, the official survey of the town site was recognized by Governor T.M. Campbell. The town-site was platted on July 8, 1909 and was named for M.C. Abernathy. Mr. Monk was the resident agent for the company and a small frame office building was built. Lots and blocks were sold from there.
Since there were already several buildings in Bartonsite and none in Abernathy, the founding fathers here contracted with J.J. Barton to move some of the buildings to Abernathy. In the late summer of 1909, the move began. Buildings were placed on rollers. The latest equipment, steam-driven tractors, hooked on. The exodus began its moved toward the new site. The tractors did not move but about three or four miles per hours, so it was a long trip. A two-story yellow hotel, a lumberyard, blacksmith shop, and three or four residences were some of the approximately ten buildings moved.
The first train came to Abernathy in the early fall of 1909. This was not a regular train, but some cars added to the work train. It was a great day for all the settlers in the area.
The depot was constructed in 1909. C.E. Stout was the first local agent for the Santa Fe.
The section where the town of Abernathy was being developed was fenced and gates had to be opened when entering and leaving town. The streets and block corners were layed off with 2 x 4 stubs. These stubs denoted streets for the next few years, until a grader finally came in to run ditches.
Town residents had free range on the section and their milk cows and horses and mules were turned loose to graze. The stock would stray out of the section and range cattle would come into town when someone happened to leave the gates open. The ladies had to stand guard at their clotheslines to keep the livestock from ruining their laundry. When a load of feed was brought to town, the cattle and horses had to be chased away until it was unloaded in stack lots or barns. Trains running through the town section frequently hit the livestock.
Behind most of the houses were outhouses, barns, and windmills. Nearly every home had its own windmill, although a few families hauled water. Generally, gardens and cow lots were integral parts of each household.
Although the City of Abernathy was founded in 1909, it was not incorporated until 1924. An election was called for September 12, 1924. The first mayor was F.W. Struve, and aldermen elected were R.M. Hardesty, N.C. Hix, Sam W. Smith, T.B. Stone, and E.B. Lindsey. Many mayors have served the City of Abernathy, some several terms: F.W. Struve, J.P. Nystel, W.H. Brown, J.D. Norman, C.O. Anderson, Guy Thompson, Dan Ward, E.O. Graham, Roy Jones, Larry Deering, Pete Thompson, Shane Cunningham, Carl Johnson, Robert Burnett, O.C. Toler, and Darrell Stephens presently serving as mayor.
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Growth
While much of the country is languishing, Abernathy and northern Lubbock County are experiencing steady growth. The April 2010 report from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts indicated that Abernathy’s sales tax revenue was up 15.4% over the same month in 2009. Golden Spread Electric Cooperative (http://www.gsec.coop) is building a new electric generation plant costing almost $200 million just north of Abernathy. AISD is in the process of a $16 million expansion and renovation. The 586-acre Lubbock Business Park, adjacent to I-27 just 14 miles south of Abernathy, has seen unbelievable growth: O’Reilly Auto Parts Distribution Center ($20 million, 225,000 square feet); WesTex Packaging/Standard Bag Manufacturing (61,000 square feet, costing $7 million, and creating 100 jobs); agricultural biotechnology giant Monsanto ($15 million research and development facility, bringing 20 jobs); the Texas Department of Public Safety ($37 million, 66,000-square-foot regional headquarters and forensics lab, bringing 50 new jobs); Standard Sales (112,085 square foot distribution center costing $10 million, and bringing 22 new jobs); Verizon (a 30,000 square foot, data center, costing over $30 million). In addition, Macsa has completed a 40,000 square foot, $4 million corn flour mill plant in the North Rail Port. The new state-of-the-art Lubbock County jail will employ 300 personnel (a 120 person increase from the current detention center). |
Transportation
Preston Smith International Airport (http://www.flylia.com), just 12 miles south of Abernathy, is home to three major airlines. Interstate 27 is a major artery in the Ports to Plains Alliance (portstoplains.com), based in Lubbock. It is a non-profit, non-partisan, community-driven advocacy group led by mayors, councilpersons, economic development officials, business and other opinion leaders from a nine-state, 2300-plus mile economic development corridor between Texas, and Alberta, Canada. |
