In the late 1800s, the Buffalo Soldiers were key to making the Abilene area safe. Regiments like the 9th and 10th Cavalry campaigned here after the Civil War, protecting vital stagecoach routes and shielding railroad crews from Comanche and Kiowa bands. Their constant patrols helped communities like Abilene take root and grow in West-Central Texas. When you visit Abilene State Park today, listen for the echoes of that frontier spirit while enjoying the peaceful woodlands and admiring the historic structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.