Abernathy, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abernathy, Texas
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City
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Plains Grain Co. elevator near the tracks
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 Abernathy, Texas
Location in Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Counties | Lubbock and Hale |
| Region | Llano Estacado |
| Established | 1909 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.21 sq mi (8.31 km2) |
| • Land | 3.20 sq mi (8.29 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,360 ft (1,020 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,865 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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2,804 |
| • Density | 845.10/sq mi (326.26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| ZIP code |
79311
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| Area code | 806 |
| FIPS code | 48-00160 |
Abernathy is a city in Texas, located in both Hale and Lubbock counties. In 2020, about 2,865 people lived there.
Part of Abernathy is near Plainview, and another part is close to the bigger city of Lubbock.
Contents
Where is Abernathy, Texas?
Abernathy sits high up, about 3,360 feet (1,024 meters) above sea level. Most of the city is in Hale County. About a quarter of it stretches south into Lubbock County.
The city covers a total area of about 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
What is the Weather Like in Abernathy?
Abernathy has a climate typical of the Texas Panhandle. It gets warm summers and mild winters. The city receives a moderate amount of rain each year.
| Climate data for Abernathy, Texas | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 55.1 (12.8) |
57.2 (14.0) |
65.0 (18.3) |
72.4 (22.4) |
81.3 (27.4) |
89.1 (31.7) |
88.7 (31.5) |
89.5 (31.9) |
82.9 (28.3) |
73.9 (23.3) |
63.7 (17.6) |
55.3 (12.9) |
72.9 (22.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.2 (−4.3) |
26.3 (−3.2) |
34.0 (1.1) |
41.4 (5.2) |
52.1 (11.2) |
62.7 (17.1) |
64.8 (18.2) |
64.6 (18.1) |
57.4 (14.1) |
44.8 (7.1) |
32.4 (0.2) |
24.3 (−4.3) |
44.1 (6.7) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.6 (15) |
0.7 (18) |
0.9 (23) |
1.2 (30) |
2.5 (64) |
2.9 (74) |
2.4 (61) |
2.3 (58) |
2.5 (64) |
1.8 (46) |
0.8 (20) |
0.7 (18) |
19.4 (490) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Who Lives in Abernathy?
The city's population has grown over the years. In 1930, about 858 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 2,865 people.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 858 | — | |
| 1940 | 847 | −1.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,692 | 99.8% | |
| 1960 | 2,491 | 47.2% | |
| 1970 | 2,625 | 5.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,904 | 10.6% | |
| 1990 | 2,720 | −6.3% | |
| 2000 | 2,839 | 4.4% | |
| 2010 | 2,805 | −1.2% | |
| 2020 | 2,865 | 2.1% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 2,804 | 0.0% | |
| 1930-2000 | |||
A Look at the 2020 Census
In 2020, there were 2,865 people living in Abernathy. These people made up 1,176 households and 865 families.
The census also showed the different backgrounds of people living in the city:
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 1,319 | 46.04% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 64 | 2.23% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 3 | 0.1% |
| Asian (NH) | 1 | 0.03% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 5 | 0.17% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 64 | 2.23% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,409 | 49.18% |
| Total | 2,865 |
How Abernathy Started
The Santa Fe Railroad wanted to build a straight train track from Plainview to Lubbock. This path would have gone a bit east of where Abernathy is now. But people in Hale Center, an older town, wanted the railroad to come through their area. So, the railroad changed its plan. It went southwest from Plainview to Hale Center, then mostly straight to Lubbock.
The people planning new towns along this railroad first wanted to build a town about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Abernathy's current spot. But the landowners, who lived far away in Wisconsin, thought their land might have gold. So, they refused to sell. This led to choosing the very last section of land in Hale County as the new town site.
This land was first owned by John Y. Ligon. Later, J.C. Roberds bought it. Roberds then teamed up with Dr. M.C. Overton and Monroe Abernathy to form the South Plains Investment Company. Roberds gave the land to this company and became its president. Dr. Overton was the secretary, and Monroe Abernathy was the treasurer.
On June 18, 1909, the governor of Texas, T.M. Campbell, officially recognized the survey of the new town site. The town was mapped out on July 8, 1909, and was named after Monroe Abernathy. Mr. Monk was the company's local agent, and he sold lots and blocks from a small office building.
At first, a nearby place called Bartonsite had more buildings than the new Abernathy. So, the founders of Abernathy made a deal with J.J. Barton to move some buildings from Bartonsite to Abernathy. In the late summer of 1909, the big move began. Buildings were placed on rollers and pulled by steam-powered tractors. The tractors were slow, moving only about three or four miles per hour, so it was a long journey. Around 10 buildings were moved, including a two-story yellow hotel, a lumberyard, a blacksmith shop, and several homes.
The first train arrived in Abernathy in the early fall of 1909. It wasn't a regular passenger train, but some cars added to a work train. The train station was built in 1909, and C.E. Stout was the first local agent for the Santa Fe railroad.
The area where Abernathy was being built was fenced. Gates had to be opened to enter and leave town. The streets were marked with small wooden posts for a few years until a road grader finally came to create ditches.
Town residents could let their milk cows, horses, and mules graze freely within the fenced area. Sometimes, if someone left the gates open, their animals would wander out, or other animals would wander into town. Ladies often had to guard their clotheslines to keep livestock from ruining their clean laundry. When a delivery of animal feed arrived, cattle and horses had to be chased away before it could be unloaded. Trains passing through town sometimes hit animals.
Most homes had outdoor toilets, barns, and windmills. Nearly every home had its own windmill to pump water, though some families had to haul water. Gardens and small areas for cows were also common parts of each household.
Even though the city of Abernathy was founded in 1909, it didn't become an official city until 1924. An election was held on September 12, 1924. F.W. Struve became the first mayor. The first city council members were R.M. Hardesty, N.C. Hix, Sam W. Smith, T.B. Stone, and E.B. Lindsey.
Schools in Abernathy
The Abernathy Independent School District serves the students in the area. It has an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. About 768 students attend schools in the district.
See also
In Spanish: Abernathy (Texas) para niños
