If you’re passing through Abilene, don’t miss the restored frontier town of Buffalo Gap (daily; $5; 325/572-3365), 14 miles southwest of town via Hwy-89. It’s not completely a tourist trap; cowpokes still reside here, and a courthouse and jail are just two of 20-odd buildings dating from the late 1800s, when Buffalo Gap, then the county seat, had over 1,200 residents and Abilene was barely a blip on the map. Other buildings are done up as Wild West souvenir stands, and there’s at least one good restaurant: Perini Ranch (325/572-3339) for steak and chicken.
