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History · Abbott

Abbott dates to 1871, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1892 on and the census since 1910.

1871founded
0on the National Register
13%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Renelibrary · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Abbott began

When was Abbott founded?

1871

Abbott dates its founding to 1871 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1910.

First census: 713 in 19102020 census: 352155 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1882.The full story ↓

What stands out about Abbott’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Abbott are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18925 editions of the USGS map, 1892 to 1985. Watch Abbott change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Abbott’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Abbott’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Abbott on the map, 1892 to 1985

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Abbott. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Abbott on the 1892 USGS mapAbbott on the 1920 USGS mapAbbott on the 1956 USGS mapAbbott on the 1979 USGS mapAbbott on the 1985 USGS map1892Waco sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Abbott.

The story

How Abbott came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Abbott.

Read it all →

Abbott was founded in 1871 as a stop for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad and was named for Joseph "Jo" Abbott, who represented the area in the Texas House of Representatives at the time. Its population peaked at 713 in 1914 and has declined since. The city was incorporated in 1916.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Abbott, 1871 to 1933

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1871
    FoundingAbbott is established
  3. 1882Post officeThe Abbott post office opens
  4. 1892On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 20th century
  6. 1931Born hereBobbie Nelson is born here
  7. 1933Born hereWillie Nelson is born here
By decade

Abbott, decade by decade

Today5 recent
2024-04-08 Eclipse over Abbott afocal cropped20242024-04-08 Eclipse over Abbott afocal croppedAbbott Wiki2017Abbott WikiAbbott tx water tower2015Abbott tx water towerAbbott-Texas2011Abbott-TexasTXMap-doton-Abott2004TXMap-doton-Abott
People over time

Abbott, census by census

0100200300400500600700192019401960198020002020Peak: 713

Between 264 and 713 people in every census since 1910.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Abbott’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Abbott

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Willie NelsonAmerican country musician · b. 1933
Bobbie NelsonPianist and singer · b. 1931

Questions about Abbott’s history

What year was Abbott founded?

In 1871, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Abbott’s post office opened in 1882, and the census of 1910 counted 713 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.