Details for Site of Old Headquarters of the Hashknife Ranch

Historical Marker — Atlas Number 5441002403

Data

Marker Number 2403
Atlas Number 5441002403
Marker Title Site of Old Headquarters of the Hashknife Ranch
Index Entry Hashknife Ranch, Site of Old Headquarters of the
Address 101 E. Ambler Ave.
City Abilene
County Taylor
UTM Zone 14
UTM Easting 432288
UTM Northing 3593205
Subject Codes ranches/ranching; railroads; cattle, cattle industry topics; cities and towns
Marker Year 2007
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark No
Marker Location Will Hair Park, E side of entrance road (Hair St.), 150 feet S of E. Ambler Ave.
Private Property No
Marker Condition In Situ
Marker Size 18" x 28"
Marker Text (on hill east of Cedar Creek) In December 1880, H.C. Whithers of the Texas & Pacific Railroad met local men here to decide on a site for a cattle shipping center. Bypassing the county seat of Buffalo Gap, the railroad platted a new town named Abilene for the famous cattle town in Kansas. Cattlemen meeting with Whithers were Dallas banker and Hashknife Ranch co-owner John N. Simpson, and Confederate Colonels Claiborne W. (Clabe) and J.D. Merchant, twin brothers and ranchers who moved to Callahan County six years earlier. Brisk bidding ensued at a sale of city lots in March 1881. Abilene grew quickly and became a significant regional city of west Texas. (1968, 2007)

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