Business View Magazine - Feb 2024

ASVENUE FOR WBOY T he economy of Abilene, Texas has always been based on its livestock and agricultural sectors. The central Texas town was first established in 1881 as a shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway. From its beginnings,Abilene’s businesses and townspeople believed that showcasing the land’s bounty by way of an agricultural fair would help attract new settlers to the area, thus growing its population and increasing its wealth. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Abilene was host to several iterations of the West Texas Fair, which only operated intermittently, A revamped exposition center promotes its ranching and agriculture industries 176 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 02