Wylie, Taylor County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wylie
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 Wylie
Location in Texas
Wylie
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Taylor |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1350622 |
Wylie is a community in Taylor County, Texas, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own city government. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
Wylie used to be mostly farmland. But as the city of Abilene grew, Wylie became a busy suburban area. Many people who live in Wylie travel to Abilene for work, making it a "bedroom community." A big part of Wylie is now inside Abilene's city limits. However, some areas still keep their original unincorporated status.
Even though much of Wylie is now part of Abilene, it has kept its own special identity. This is mainly thanks to its public school system, the Wylie Independent School District.
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Where is Wylie Located?
Wylie is about five miles southwest of downtown Abilene. You can find it along FM 89, also known as Buffalo Gap Road. It's in the northeastern part of Taylor County.
Wylie is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. This big area includes all of Taylor, Jones, and Callahan Counties.
The History of Wylie
Wylie was named after J. J. Wylie, an early settler. He moved to Taylor County in 1880.
Early Settlers and Vance's Store
The first farmers arrived in the Wylie area in 1881. But the community of Wylie really started to grow in 1902. That's when John H. Vance came from Austin, Texas. Vance bought land southwest of Abilene. He then built the first general store there. His family lived in a residence attached to the back of the store. This store was located where Buffalo Gap Road and Antilley Road meet today. People knew it as Vance's Corner.
Building a School and Church
In 1902, more people were moving to Wylie. Residents asked Mary V. Wylie for help. Mary was the widow of J. J. Wylie. She generously donated land across the road from Vance's store. This land was for a school and a church.
The Wylie school district was officially created in 1888. However, the school didn't actually open until 1902. In that same year, three important citizens each gave $120. Many residents then worked together to build a single building. This building served as both a school and a church.
The Sambo Post Office
In 1904, John Vance added a post office inside his store. He named it Sambo. This name was a nickname for his good friend and neighbor, Sam Little. The Sambo post office operated from December 1904 until February 1912. After that, Abilene started its own rural postal delivery service.
Wylie School Grows
By 1915, the number of students was too large for the school building. When Mrs. Wylie donated the land, she had one condition. The school's name had to be changed to Wylie. This was to honor her late husband. The citizens agreed to her terms. They voted to approve a $3,000 bond issue. A new, two-story wooden building was built in 1916. It was proudly named Wylie School.
Wylie's population has grown very quickly in recent decades. This is because the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area continues to expand.
Education in Wylie
The Wylie community is served by the Wylie Independent School District (WISD). This school district is growing fast. It also serves other parts of south Abilene. Additionally, it covers the unincorporated communities of Potosi, Caps, and View. WISD also includes other rural areas in east central Taylor County. All of WISD's school campuses are located within the Abilene city limits.
