Cross Plains

I realize this isn't technically Abilene, but there's never been a better reason to hop on Highway 36 than this little Texas town.

The community is essentially made up of one street, but that one street manages to hold two fantastic chunks of texas history you don't want to miss out on. When I say two fantastic chunks I actually mean one very nerdy chunk and another really remarkable chunk.

First of all: the nerdy chunk. American author Robert Howard grew up here and Cross Plains has preserved his childhood home and turned it into a museum dedicated to his life and writings. He's been called the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre, making his Texas home a true gem for every geek travelling between Abilene and Waco. If you end up being dragged there by your nerd of a husband, read about how Howard died. It's a devistatingly fascinating story.

Now, the truly amazing thing you can't miss when you visit Cross Plains. Five years ago today, the community suffered devestating loss when most of the town was damaged by a wildfire. Since that fire, however, Tumbleweed Smith, creator and producer of The Sound of Texas, visited the little town with a group of his students from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. They spent a few days recording an oral history of the events the day of the fire. The class made one copy of that oral history and the only place you'll find it is the Cross Plains Public Library.