TexasEscapes.com HOME Welcome to Texas Escapes
A magazine written by Texas
Custom Search
New   |   Texas Towns   |   Ghost Towns   |   Counties   |   Trips   |   Features   |   Columns   |   Architecture   |   Images   |   Archives   |   Site Map

Taylor County TX
Taylor County



Texas Towns
A - Z

Hotels

CAPS, TEXAS

Taylor County, Texas Panhandle / Central Texas North

32° 22' 23" N, 99° 50' 49" W (32.373056, -99.846944)

FM 707 & US Hwy 277
11 Miles SW of Abilene the county seat
Population: 100 (1990 and 2000)

Caps, Texas Area Hotels › Abilene Hotels

WWII Camp Barkeley Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010
Camp Barkeley

History in a Pecan Shell

Caps dates from 1882 from a wedding gift of an acre of land. The newlyweds / first citizens were Ira and Anna Rollins Borders. The town was granted a post office under the name Border’s Chapel in 1894 but it closed by 1916 when mail was routed through Abilene.

According to local legend, the name was changed to Caps during a meeting held to select a new name. One resident threw his cap up into the air and said "Let's call it caps." Sadly, no one suggested anything better and thus the name was changed.

By 1920 the community had a school, two churches, a gin, two stores and a blacksmith. In 1935, Caps and neighboring View, Texas built a school halfway between the two communities. It managed to survive the school consolidations after WWII but finally merged with Wylie schools in the late 1970s.

In 1940, Camp Barkeley opened which drew the community toward the highway. After the war the base reverted to a cattle feedlot.

In the early 1950s, Dyess Air Force Base was opened.

From a mere 20 residents in the mid 1930s, Caps reached a population of 125 after WWII, fell to less than one hundred in the mid 1960s and peaked at 300 in 1985.

Abilene annexed part of the town in the 1980s, dropping the population to 100 where it has remained for the 2000 census.

Caps TX - Baptist Church
Caps Baptist Church
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010

Caps TX - United Methodist Church
Caps United Methodist Church
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, June 2010
More Texas Churches



Take a road trip

Texas Panhandle | Central Texas North

Caps, Texas Nearby Towns:
Abilene the county seat
See Taylor County

Book Hotel Here:
Abilene Hotels | More Hotels

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Texas Towns A - Z Texas Regions:
Gulf Texas Gulf Coast East East Texas North Central Texas North Central Woutn Central Texas South Panhandle Texas Panhandle
South South Texas Hill Texas Hill Country West West Texas Ghost Texas Ghost Towns counties Texas Counties

Texas Escapes Online Magazine »   Archive Issues » Home »
TEXAS TOWNS & COUNTIES TEXAS LANDMARKS & IMAGES TEXAS HISTORY & CULTURE TEXAS OUTDOORS MORE
Texas Counties
Texas Towns A-Z
Texas Ghost Towns

TEXAS REGIONS:
Central Texas North
Central Texas South
Texas Gulf Coast
Texas Panhandle
Texas Hill Country
East Texas
South Texas
West Texas

Courthouses
Jails
Churches
Schoolhouses
Bridges
Theaters
Depots
Rooms with a Past
Monuments
Statues

Gas Stations
Post Offices
Museums
Water Towers
Grain Elevators
Lodges
Stores
Banks

Vintage Photos
Historic Trees
Cemeteries
Old Neon
Ghost Signs
Signs
Murals
Gargoyles
Pitted Dates
Cornerstones
Then & Now

Columns: History/Opinion
Texas History
Small Town Sagas
Black History
WWII
Texas Centennial
Ghosts
People
Animals
Food
Music
Art

Books
Texas Railroads

Texas Trips
Texas Drives
Texas State Parks
Texas Rivers
Texas Lakes
Texas Forts
Texas Trails
Texas Maps
USA
MEXICO
HOTELS

Site Map
About Us
Privacy Statement
Disclaimer
Contributors
Staff
Contact Us

 
Website Content Copyright Texas Escapes LLC. All Rights Reserved