The first large town you come to, 53 miles south of Abilene among the rolling sheep-herding hills of the fantastic Edwards Plateau, is Ballinger (pop. 4,243). It’s a lively little town with many of its brick and sandstone buildings dating from its inception in 1886 as Hutchins City, when the railroad came through. Standing along the banks of the Colorado River, the town now supports itself with agriculture. Catercorner to the Coppini Cowboy Statue on the courthouse square, Ballinger has the incredibly cheap and always packed Texas Grill (325/365-3314), open 24 hours at the corner of US-83 and Hwy-67. The courthouse is a Texas classic, built in 1883 in opulent, Second Empire style.
