State Epileptic Colony Historic District
Also known as: Abilene State Hospital; Abilene State School
Why it's listed
Southeast of downtown Abilene, a campus laid out in 1903 as the State Epileptic Colony survives with most of its early buildings. The roughly 35-acre district has 17 contributing and 9 noncontributing resources. Its core is a bullet-shaped street plan centered on the 1903 Administration Building, a two-story red brick Classical Revival structure with a Doric portico. Nearby are the 1910 water standpipe and the 1904 Superintendent's House. Brick dormitories from the 1920s and 1930s, physician quarters, a chapel, and the 1903 power house, laundry, and bakery complete the historic group. A four-acre cemetery with more than 1,337 patient graves lies apart from the campus. The colony resulted from lobbying by Abilene leaders in the 1890s, who secured a 1899 law authorizing it and donated 640 acres; the state formally established it in 1901. The district retains a high degree of integrity, with its plan and buildings little altered, and all resources remain in use.
Significance in brief: The district preserves the campus of the state's epileptic colony, which was established after Abilene civic leaders lobbied for it in the 1890s. Its bullet-shaped plan and its Classical Revival and Prairie School influenced masonry buildings remain largely intact. The period of significance runs from 1903 to 1941.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91001539, listed October 30, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by S. 24th, Lakeside and Plum, also area roughly bounded by SH 322, FM 1750 and Industrial Blvd., Abilene |
|---|---|
| County | Taylor County |
| Listed | October 30, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001539 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1903-1941 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival; Prairie School |
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The document states that all of the resources remain in use, that the district has been well maintained, and that the cemetery is still in use. |
| Acreage | 31 |
| Coordinates | 32.40987, -99.71514 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91001539.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999622
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.