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Abilene, Texas

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Abilene (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a city in Taylor and Jones counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan statistical area, which had a population of 176,579 as of 2020.<ref name=PopEstCBSA>Template:Cite web</ref> Abilene is home to three Christian universities: Abilene Christian University, McMurry University, and Hardin–Simmons University. It is the county seat of Taylor County.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Dyess Air Force Base is located on the west side of the city.

Abilene is located on Interstate 20, which forms a rounded bypass loop along the northern side of the city, between exits 279 on its western edge and 292 on the east. The city is located Template:Convert west of Fort Worth. Multiple freeways form a loop surrounding the city's core: I-20 on the north, US 83/84/277 on the west, and Loop 322 to the east. The former Texas and Pacific Railway, now part of the Union Pacific mainline, divides the city into well-established north and south zones. The historic downtown area is on the north side of the railroad, while the growing south of downtown Abilene "SODA" district is located on the south side of the tracks.

History

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File:Old map-Abilene-1883.jpg
An 1883 map of Abilene
File:Abilene June 2019 15 (Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau - Texas & Pacific Railroad Station).jpg
The restored Texas & Pacific Railway depot in Abilene serves as the tourist information center.

Established by cattlemen as a stock shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1881, the city was named after Abilene, Kansas,<ref name=EB>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> the original endpoint for the Chisholm Trail. The T&P had bypassed the town of Buffalo Gap, the county seat at the time. Eventually, a landowner north of Buffalo Gap, Clabe Merchant, known as the father of Abilene, chose the name for the new town. According to a Dallas newspaper, about 800 people had already begun camping at the townsite before the lots were sold. The town was laid out by Colonel J. Stoddard Johnson, and the auction of lots began early on March 15, 1881. By the end of the first day, 139 lots were sold for a total of $23,810, and another 178 lots were sold the next day for $27,550.Template:Citation needed

Abilene was incorporated soon after being founded in 1881,<ref name=EB/> and residents began to set their sights on bringing the county seat to Abilene. In a three-to-one vote, they won the county election to do so. In 1888, the Progressive Committee was formed to attract businesses to the area, and in 1890 renamed itself as the Board of Trade. By 1900, 3,411 people lived in Abilene. In that decade, the Board of Trade changed its name to the 25,000 Club, in the hope of reaching a population of 25,000 by the next census. By 1910, though, the population had increased only to 9,204. Another group was formed, the Young Men's Booster Club, which became the Abilene Chamber of Commerce in 1914.

The cornerstone was laid in 1891 for Simmons College, the first of three universities in Abilene.<ref name=EB/> It later developed as Hardin–Simmons University. Childers Classical Institute was founded in 1906,<ref name=EB/> and developed as Abilene Christian University, the largest of the three. In 1923, McMurry College was founded; it later expanded its offerings as McMurry University.<ref name=EB/>

In the late 20th century, Abilene succeeded in gaining branches of Texas State Technical College and Cisco College. Headquarters of the latter institution are located in the city.

In 1940, Abilene raised the money to purchase land to attract establishment of a U.S. Army base southwest of town. It was named Camp Barkeley. When fully operational, it was twice the size of Abilene, with 60,000 men. When the base closed after World War II, many worried that Abilene could become a ghost town, but as the national economy boomed, many veterans returned to start businesses in Abilene.

In the early 1950s, to advocate for an Air Force base, residents raised Template:US$ to purchase Template:Convert of land. The southern block of congressmen gained approval for such a base here. For decades, Dyess Air Force Base has been the city's largest employer, with 6076 employees in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

From 1950 to 1960, Abilene's population nearly doubled, from 45,570 to 90,638. In 1960, a second high school was added to the city's school system, Cooper High School.

In 1966, the Abilene Zoo was established near Abilene Regional Airport. The following year, one of the most important bond elections in the city's history passed for the funding of the construction of the Abilene Civic Center and the Taylor County Coliseum, as well as major improvements to Abilene Regional Airport. In 1969, the Woodson elementary and high school for black students closed as the city integrated its school system, more than 10 years after the US Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional.

In 1982, Abilene became the first city in Texas to create a downtown reinvestment zone. Texas State Technical College opened an Abilene branch three years later. The 2,250-bed French Robertson Prison Unit was built in 1989. A half-cent sales tax earmarked for economic development was created after the decline in the petroleum business in the 1980s. A branch of Cisco College was located in the city in 1990.

Several major projects of restoration and new construction: The Grace Museum and Paramount Theatre, and development of Artwalk in 1992, sparked a decade of downtown revitalization. In 2004, Frontier Texas!, a multimedia museum highlighting the history of the area from 1780 to 1880, was constructed. That year, an $8 million, Template:Convert Cisco Junior College campus was built at Loop 322 and Industrial Boulevard. Simultaneously, subdivisions and businesses started locating along the freeway, on the same side as the CJC campus. This area attracted Abilene growth on the loop.

Abilene has become the commercial, retail, medical, and transportation hub of a 19-county area more commonly known as "The Big Country", but also known as the "Texas Midwest". It is part of the Central Great Plains ecoregion. By the end of 2005, commercial and residential development had reached record levels in and around the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Timeline

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Geography

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Abilene is located in northeastern Taylor County. The city limits extend north into Jones County. Interstate 20 leads east Template:Convert to Fort Worth and west Template:Convert to Midland. Three U.S. highways pass through the city. US 83 runs west of the city center, leading north Template:Convert to Anson and south Template:Convert to Ballinger. US 84 runs with US 83 through the southwestern part of the city but leads southeast Template:Convert to Coleman and west with I-20 Template:Convert to Sweetwater. US 277 follows US 83 around the northwestern side of the city and north to Anson, but heads southwest from Abilene Template:Convert to San Angelo.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Abilene has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert are land and Template:Convert are covered by water (4.82%). The water area is mainly from three reservoirs in the city: Lytle Lake, southeast of downtown on the western edge of Abilene Regional Airport, Kirby Lake on the southeastern corner of the US 83/84 and Loop 322 interchange, and Lake Fort Phantom Hill in Jones County in northern Abilene. Clear Creek runs through the city just east of downtown, flowing north to Elm Creek and ultimately part of the Brazos River watershed.

The fastest-growing sections of the city are in the southwest, along Southwest Drive, the Winters Freeway, and the Buffalo Gap Road corridor; the southeast, along Loop 322, Oldham Lane, Industrial Drive, and Maple Street; and in the northeast near the intersection of SH 351 and I-20. Many developments have begun in these three areas within the last few years with a citywide focus on the reinvigoration of downtown Abilene.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

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According to the Köppen climate classification, Abilene lies at the edge of a humid subtropical climate, with areas to the west being semiarid.

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Notable architecture

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Notable and historical buildings in Abilene include:

  • Hotel Wooten (1930) at 302 Cypress Street downtown, built by grocery entrepreneur H. O. Wooten, at 16 stories tall, is designed after the Drake Hotel in Chicago. It was restored in 2004 as a high-end apartment building.
  • First Baptist Church (1954) at 1442 North Second Street has a spire 140 feet from the ground. Pastor Jesse Northcutt oversaw the planning of this building of 325 tons of steel.
  • The Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal, at 602 Meander Street, reflects surprising Gothic architecture on the West Texas Plains. Its plaque reads: "No man entering a house ignores him who dwells in it. This is the house of God and He is here."
  • The 20-story Enterprise Tower at 500 Chestnut Street, the highest structure in Abilene, rises to 283 feet above the Plains. It is the tallest building in west central Texas and one of the five highest in the western two-thirds of the state.
  • The Taylor County Courthouse at 300 Oak Street, with its international architectural style of concrete and pink granite, resembles few other courthouses.
  • Paramount Theatre at 352 Cypress Street opened in 1930 and restored in 1986 had an original marquee 90 feet tall, with 1,400 lights.
  • Lincoln Junior High School, 1699 South First Street. In 2012, the Abilene Independent School District deeded the property to the City of Abilene. This property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 28, 2012. Built in 1923, the architecture is Gothic Revival and includes two large gargoyles at the entrance and has Gothic and art deco motifs. It opened as Abilene High School in 1924, became Lincoln Junior High in 1955, and Lincoln Middle School in 1985. The campus closed in 2007. As of 2019, the Abilene Heritage Square was renovating the school into "a multipurpose center for learning, making, discovery, building community and innovating and encouraging our city's future businesses."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Abilene Public Library will also use the restored building as the new main branch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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Abilene city, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref> Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> % 2000 % 2010 Template:Partial
White alone (NH) 79,712 73,016 70,391 68.76% 62.37% 56.23%
Black or African American alone (NH) 9,947 10,638 12,242 8.58% 9.09% 9.78%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 428 448 496 0.37% 0.38% 0.40%
Asian alone (NH) 1,492 1,865 2,678 1.29% 1.59% 2.14%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 63 94 141 0.05% 0.08% 0.11%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 95 137 388 0.08% 0.12% 0.31%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 1,645 2,199 5,212 1.42% 1.88% 4.16%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 22,548 28,666 33,634 19.45% 24.49% 26.87%
Total 115,930 117,063 125,182 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

The 2020 United States census counted 125,182 people, 46,134 households, and 29,111 families in Abilene.<ref name=:0>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=:0a>Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 51,508 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name=:0 /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup was 64.95% (81,300) white or European American (56.23% non-Hispanic white), 10.39% (13,012) black or African-American, 0.89% (1,114) Native American or Alaska Native, 2.22% (2,785) Asian, 0.14% (170) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 9.26% (11,590) from other races, and 12.15% (15,211) from two or more races.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hispanic or Latino of any race was 26.87% (33,634) of the population.<ref name=:0b>Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 46,134 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18; 43.6% were married couples living together; 29.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 29.8% of households consisted of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name=:0 /> The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 16.5% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

23.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males.<ref name=:0 /> For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 98.3 males.<ref name=:0 />

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $52,518 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,091) and the median family income was $67,079 (+/- $3,258).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Males had a median income of $32,038 (+/- $1,216) versus $22,765 (+/- $1,577) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $27,110 (+/- $739).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Approximately, 9.9% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.5% of those ages 65 or over.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2000 census

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As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 115,930 people, 41,570 households, and 28,101 families resided in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. The 45,618 housing units averaged Template:Convert. As of the 2010 census, Abilene had a population of 117,063. In 2020, its population was 125,182 people, 46,134 households, and 29,111 families residing in the city.<ref name=:0 /><ref name=:0a />

In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 78.07% white, 8.81% African American, 0.55% Native American, 1.33% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 8.73% from other races, and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 19.45% of the population. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population in 2010 was 62.4% non-Hispanic White, 9.6% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% non-Hispanic reporting some other race, 3.3% of two or more races, and 24.5% Hispanic or Latino. By 2020, its racial and ethnic composition was 56.23% non-Hispanic white, 9.78% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.14% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.31% some other race, 4.16% multiracial, and 26.87% Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref name=:0b />

At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $33,007, and for a family was $40,028. Males had a median income of $28,078 versus $20,918 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,577. About 10.9% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. At the 2020 American Community Survey, the median household income in the city was $52,518.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The mean household income was $70,807.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Economy

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The economy in Abilene was originally based on the livestock and agricultural sectors,<ref name=EB/> but is now based strongly on government, education, healthcare, and manufacturing. The petroleum industry is prevalent in the surrounding area, also.<ref name=EB/> The city has established incentives to bring new businesses to the area, including job training grants, relocation grants, and more.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Top employers

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According to the city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Abilene's top employers are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rank Employer Employees
1 Dyess Air Force Base 8,864
2 Hendrick Health System 4,032
3 Abilene Independent School District 2,450
4 Abilene Christian University 1,900
5 City of Abilene 1,299
6 Abilene State Supported Living Center 1,225
7 Texas Department of Criminal Justice 1,187
8 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas 1,061
9 Taylor County 560
10 First Financial Bank 540

Government and infrastructure

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The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Abilene District Parole Office in the city.<ref>"Parole Division Region V Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 22, 2010.</ref> The Robertson Unit prison and the Middleton Unit transfer unit are in Abilene and in Jones County.<ref>"Super Neighborhood Areas Template:Webarchive." (Direct map link Template:Webarchive) City of Abilene. Retrieved on July 23, 2010.</ref><ref>"Robertson Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on July 23, 2010.</ref><ref>"Middleton Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on July 23, 2010.</ref>

The United States Postal Service operates the Abilene Post Office and the Abilene Southern Hills Post Office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On June 17, 2017, Abilene elected its first African-American mayor, Anthony Williams.

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  • D. B. Corley, 1883–1885<ref name="auto"/>
  • G. A. Kirkland, 1885–1886
  • D. W. Wristen, 1886–1891
  • H. A. Porter, 1891–1893
  • D. W. Wristen, 1893–1897
  • A. M. Robertson, 1897–1899
  • John Bowyers, 1899–1901
  • F. C. Digby Roberts, 1901–1904
  • R. W. Ellis, 1904–1905
  • Morgan Weaver, 1905–1907
  • E. N. Kirby, 1906–1919
  • Dallas Scarborough, 1919–1923
  • Charles E. Coombes, 1923–1927
  • Thomas E. Hayden, 1927–1931
  • Lee R. York, 1931–1933
  • C. L. Johnson, 1933–1937
  • Will Hair, 1937–1947
  • B. R. Blankenship, 1947–1949
  • Hudson Smart, 1949–1951
  • Ernest Grissom, 1951–1953
  • C. E. Gatlin, 1953–1957
  • Jess F. (T-Bone) Winters, 1957–1959
  • George L Minter, 1959–1961
  • C. R. Kinard, 1961–1963
  • W. L. Byrd, 1963–1966
  • Ralph N. Hooks, 1966–1969
  • J. C. Hunter Jr., 1969–1975
  • Fred Lee Hughes, 1975–1978
  • Oliver Howard, 1978–1981
  • Elbert E. Hall, 1981–1984
  • David Stubbeman, 1984–1987
  • Dale E. Ferguson, 1987–1990
  • Gary D. McCaleb, 1990–1999
  • Grady Barr, 1999–2004
  • Norm Archibald, 2004–2017
  • Anthony Williams, 2017–2023
  • Weldon Hurt, 2023–present

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Education

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Primary education

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File:Abilene June 2019 87 (Abilene High School).jpg
Abilene High School

Template:As of, within Taylor County, most of Abilene is in the Abilene Independent School District (AISD), while portions extend into Wylie Independent School District (WISD), Eula Independent School District and Merkel Independent School District.<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> Within Jones County, most of Abilene is in AISD, while portions extend into Clyde Consolidated Independent School District and Hawley Independent School District.<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

High schools include Abilene High School and Cooper High School of AISD, and Wylie High School of WISD.

Colleges and universities

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File:AbileneChristian.JPG
Abilene Christian University campus

Abilene is home to six colleges, three of which are religiously affiliated. Hardin–Simmons University is the oldest, founded in 1891. Abilene Christian University is the largest with 2012 undergraduate enrollment at 4,371.

Name Affiliation Founded Enrollment
Abilene Christian University Churches of Christ 1906 6,219<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Cisco College 1972<ref name=":2"/> 3,256<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Hardin–Simmons University Baptist 1891 1,765<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
McMurry University Methodist 1923 1,237<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Texas State Technical College West Texas 1985 1,049<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref>
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Abilene Campus 2006 332

The Texas Legislature designated Taylor County as being in the Cisco Junior College District, while it designated Jones County as being in the Western Texas College District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Healthcare

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Hendrick Medical Center includes two large hospital campuses on the north and south sides of Abilene, and is one of the city's largest employers. It is one of seven healthcare institutions affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Presbyterian Medical Care Mission was founded in 1983 as a medical and dental clinic. Its services are focused to low-income individuals and families without insurance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Culture

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File:GraceAbilene1.jpg
The Grace Museum

The cultural aspects of Abilene revolve around a mix of the local college and university campuses, the agriculture community of the surrounding area, and a growing nightlife scene in the downtown area. Abilene is also home to the restored Paramount Theatre, the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, the Grace Museum, the Center for Contemporary Arts, the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, The Abilene Zoo, Frontier Texas!, the 12th Armored Division Museum, the Taylor County Expo Center, the Abilene Convention Center, six libraries (three private, three public), 26 public parks, six television stations, a daily newspaper, and several radio stations, including one NPR station (89.5 KACU).

Media

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Newspapers

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The Abilene Reporter-News is the primary daily newspaper of the city of Abilene and the surrounding Big Country area.

Television

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Radio

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  • 88.1 FM KGNZ (Christian contemporary)
  • 89.5 FM KACU (Public Radio)
  • 90.5 FM KAGT (Christian contemporary)
  • 91.3 FM KAQD (Religious)
  • 91.7 FM KQOS (Religious)
  • 92.5 FM KMWX (Red Dirt Country)
  • 93.3 FM KBGT (Tejano)
  • 94.1 FM KVVO-LP (Inspirational Country)
  • 95.1 FM KABW (Country)
  • 96.1 FM KORQ (Farm, Country)
  • 98.1 FM KTLT (Active Rock)
  • 99.7 FM KBCY (Country)
  • 100.7 FM KULL (Classic hits)
  • 101.7 FM KABT (Americana and red dirt country)
  • 102.7 FM KHXS (Classic Rock)
  • 103.7 FM KCDD (Top 40)
  • 105.1 FM KEAN (Country)
  • 106.3 FM KTJK (variety hits)
  • 106.9 FM KLGD (Country)
  • 107.9 FM KEYJ (Active Rock)
  • 1280 AM KSLI (Country)
  • 1340 AM KWKC (News Talk)
  • 1470 AM KYYW (News Talk)
  • 1560 AM KZQQ (Sports talk)

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Transportation

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Major highways

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File:ABILENE TEXAS HWY 80.JPG
A section of Business Loop 20 (formerly US 80) in Abilene

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Airport

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The city of Abilene is served by Abilene Regional Airport.

Notable people

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Sister cities

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See also

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References

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Bibliography

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