This is the story of the historic Abilene Courts, a motor court built in 1930 on the Bankhead Highway, welcoming visitors and their cars to Abilene, Texas.
Built in 1930, the Abilene Courts is a snapshot into an endearing time in the history of America. When Henry Ford made the automobile available to the average Joe, we became a mobile society. With new found mobility, travelers needed lodging where they could also park their cars. Since the car was such a significant investment, travelers preferred to keep their wheels close by where they slept, both for convenience and perhaps more importantly, to keep an eye on them.
The Bankhead Highway was the first paved roadway that connected the East and West Coasts. Running from Washington D.C. to San Diego, the highway represented the newly mobilized America. The Bankhead was built through Abilene in 1920, entering from the east on what is now South 11th St. The Abilene Courts was the first modern tourist court to welcome travelers from the east into our fair city.
