Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part series on Abilene’s history.
What’s in a name? For Abilene, its been key for leaning into the future over the last 145 years as the nation marks 250 years since its birth.
Every town needs a nickname, and in 1946, the Abilene Chamber of Commerce sponsored a contest to make it happen.
It was the community’s second attempt. Their first stab at it produced the perfectly acceptable “Capital of West Texas,” but after 11 years, folks were looking for something with a bit more pizazz.
Local historian Jay Moore said the Chamber’s Publicity Committee sweetened the deal by offering $25 for the best idea, nearly 500 bucks in 2026 dollars. Over 200 entries were submitted with a few suggesting, “Keep the slogan we’ve got.”
But in the end, Mrs. Jack Smith was delivered a winner for, “The Key City of West Texas.” People being people, the slogan was shortened over time to “Key City,” and it’s been that way ever since.
It’s an efficient, yet insightful, choice. As the center of the Big Country — the result of another naming contest, this time sponsored by the Abilene Reporter-News in the early 1960s, Abilene has been “key” to the region’s economic life.
That’s a role it has continued to play into the 21st Century.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Since 1881, Abilene has been ‘Key’ to the Big Country
Reporting by Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News | USA TODAY Network
