Wylie | |
---|---|
Unincorporated community | |
Location within the state of Texas | |
Coordinates: 32°22′22″N 99°46′31″W / 32.37278°N 99.77528°WCoordinates: 32°22′22″N 99°46′31″W / 32.37278°N 99.77528°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Texas |
County | Taylor |
Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
• Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
GNIS feature ID | 1350622 |
Wylie is an unincorporated community in Taylor County, Texas, United States. The once predominantly rural area has developed into a suburban bedroom community in recent years as the city of Abilene has expanded southward. A significant portion of Wylie now lies within the city limits of Abilene, although a few areas often associated with the community are located outside of the city and remain unincorporated.
Even though much of Wylie is now located within the far southern portion of Abilene, the area has retained a distinct identity through its school system, the Wylie Independent School District (Wylie ISD).
Wylie is located approximately five miles southwest of Downtown Abilene along FM 89 (Buffalo Gap Road) in the northeastern portion of Taylor County.
Wylie is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Taylor, Jones, and Callahan counties.
Wylie was named after J. J. Wylie, an early settler who moved Taylor County in 1880. The first settlers farmed in the Wylie area beginning 1881, Wylie as a community did not develop until 1902, when John H. Vance arrived from Austin, Texas. Vance purchased several acres of land southwest of Abilene, and built the first general store. Vance included a residence attached at the back for his family. The structure was located on the southwest corner of what is now the intersection of Buffalo Gap Road and Antilley Road. The store was known as Vances Corner.
That same year with the population growing residents went to Mary V. Wylie, widow of J. J. Wylie, for assistance with a school and church. Mary donated land across the road to the north of the Vance store.