Abilene Christian College - Prickly Pear Yearbook (Abilene, TX)

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operation. All of the proceeds, ex- cept those used to pay one store manager, are “put back into the community” through aid to needy folks who are referred to St. Vin- cent’s by Call for Help. Merchandise in the store comes “entirely from Turning to yet another kind of culture — one that fits in well with the stereotyped Texas resident — we find the West Texas Fair. Held at Taylor County Coliseum during the second week in Sep- tember each year, the fair has as its primary purpose the “promotion of agriculture and horticulture education in the Big Country.” And you thought it was just a bunch of 4- H exhibits with a rodeo and carnival thrown in for good measure, didn’t you? Well, the fair does include all of those things and more — horse and livestock shows, country-western entertainment, a tractor pull, food booths and exhibits for the hobbies and handiwork of those who are a bit past the 4-H age. The fair is a favorite for many reasons. Kids of all ages, including college students, love to take in the carnival with all of its whirling, thrilling, dizzying rides and its frustrating, ‘ ‘try-your-skill-at-this” games with the stuffed animal prizes that few are lucky enough to And almost everyone, whether or not they like the rides and games, enjoys watching the “carnies.” It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes these people so in- the kind of lifestyle that would allow them many years ago to give away one of their babies as a door prize (at least that’s what some of the records for the fair indicate). Whatever this uniqueness stems from, it definitely (Some cpeopfe fave saicfSlfifene cfoesn b fiave mucf. Wub aftetu vou spemfa jew rears few, voiu Iearn (few’s a fot lo cfo. Ot’s jusb a cfifferetfb fratuf” of cuftuw. CaTheV?ife of the “carnies' everyone, however. i ordinary lytathreea b service the troops usually did small lies ' isn't for jobs escorting supply trains and Most of us other parties that might be in danger J t iary kinds of of Indian attack. The fort was culture and Abilene doesn't fail us abandoned in April 1854 because of hereedher. complaints of an inadequate water Abilene also offers outdoor en- supply, and it was used for a short tertainment of history and time after that as a home station for relaxation for life in the Big Coun- a Butterfield si try, such as Fort Phantom Hill and Today ohly OM Abiiene Town (for the history about a dozen cmmneys remain buffs) and Abilene State Recreation standing (the fort once housed five Area (for the outdoorsmen among companys of infantry), but the “Located jus. .0 miles north of Stflt 0™“'tilene's 't°op Abilene on Farm Road 600, we find recreational sites the lonely ruins of Fort Phantom Another page in history and part Hi»- This fr°ntier army fort was of this city’s heritage is Old Abilene established in 1851 by Major J.J. Town, east of Abilene on Interstate Abercrombie by orders of Major 20. This historical tourist attraction General Persifor F. Smith as part of lets you see it like it was when the western chain of about 35 forts in buffalo roamed the surrounding the state. areas, when cattlemen drove herds of longhorn cattle through town to In the days when the f

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Cultural Affairs Council, and ballet, performed by the Abilene Metropolitan Ballet and the Abilene Civic Ballet. Turning to the art scene, Abilene has its fair share of culture here also. Regular exhibits covering the arts of all periods and peoples ap- pear at such places as the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, the Civic Center and the Abilene Fine Arts Museum. And, with three in- stitutions of higher education, a always open to the public. sfiop SlrounJj Some people look for their culture in things other than food, music and art, however, and for these folks the Key City features a number of shopping places — everything from the Mall of Abilene to St. Vincent’s. Opening in March 1978, the Mall was Abilene’s latest shopping area, sitting on 54.8 acres at the in- tersection of the Winters Freeway and Buffalo Gap Road. Among the larger stores operating in the Mall are J.C. Penney’s, Dillard’s, Wilson’s, Grissom’s and Sears, the only two-story section of the shopping area. The Mall features everything from clothing stores to fast-food facilities to sporting goods suppliers and a pet store. The Mall is more than a place to shop, though, as evidenced by the big celebrations scheduled at such times as Easter, when the Easter bunny made a lengthy appearance; Halloween, with a contest to find the jf July. In addition to special celebrations, the Mall also sched- ules, at various times throughout the year, art, car and antique shows. Vincent de Paul Salvage Store at . any par- ticular church) that uses mainly volunteer workers in the store, this little shop has clothes (in all s: descriptions) to d i to ixraks

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the rail lines in Kansas and when the “Iron Horse” was pushing west- Old Abilene Town includes about 20 buildings full of historical and collector’s items. Among those items are a horse-drawn hearse, antique cars, a steam tractor, old farm equipment, wagons, buggies, pianos and a hanging scaf- After a visit to Old Abilene Town you may want to “rough it” for a while yourself in Abilene State Recreation Area. Located in the extreme western part of North Central Texas just 19 miles south- west of Abilene, this area is part of a large region of Texas once inhabited by Tonkawa and Comanche Indians. The Indians are gone today, however, and the park offers facilities for picnicking, camping and swimming. When the “roughing it” is over and it’s time to get back to some civilization, the closest place to go is the rustic little village of Buffalo Gap. The town got its name because of the thousands of buffalo that moved through the pass long before the region was settled. Today the main attractions in Buffalo Gap are the Forts Trail Country Store (with its popular candy counter with jar after jar of penny candy — the kind your great- grandmother used to get when she was a little girl) and the Buffalo Gap Steak House, which offers a menu with numerous selections (sorry, no buffalo steaks). Culture in Abilene? Oh, it may not be the kind you’re accustomed to at home...it may not be what you’d find in Dallas or New York City...and it may take some getting used to, but there’s plenty of a special brand ofculture to be found in the Key City and surrounding areas (even though some of those college students from out of town, notorious for their complaining, may never admit to finding a bit of culture here). Yep, a lot of the Lone Star State’s most typical culture can be found right here in Abilene...because the Key City combines the urban and the cowboy with a unique flair. Cindy