Buffalo Gap is a small town in Taylor County, Texas, located just over 15 miles south of Abilene. The town’s combination of history, natural beauty, and great eats such as the iconic Perini Ranch Steakhouse always make it an entertaining weekend getaway destination. However, this April you can experience history like never before with the “Smithsonian in the Gap” exhibit.
“Buffalo Gap has been selected as one of only seven towns in Texas—from a highly competitive applicant pool—to host the very first Smithsonian traveling exhibit to ever come to our state. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience history like never before, right here in our community,” says the Buffalo Gap Chamber of Commerce.
The Smithsonian’s Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibit kicked off March 15, 2025, in Buffalo Gap and runs through April 26, 2025. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 pm to 4 pm (except for Easter Sunday, April 20th, 2025). Admission is free.
“The Smithsonian’s Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibit isn’t just about looking back—it’s about bringing our past to life in ways that connect to today. Each week, we’ll explore a different theme that has shaped our region, from the legacy of the buffalo to the evolution of ranching and the role of the military in shaping Texas,” explained the Buffalo Gap Chamber of Commerce. “Don’t just read about history—experience it!”
The Smithsonian’s Crossroads: Change in Rural America Exhibit
The Smithsonian’s Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibit is divided into hands-on exhibits with weekly themes, fireside chats with experts, and special events. Here’s the lineup for April:
- Traversing the Trails: Cattle, Rails, and Trails (March 28-April 3, 2025): Events include rare opportunities to see the Fort Griffin Longhorns up close, a historical reenactment of “The County Seat Caper” of 1883 (Spoiler alert: a judge’s prized chickens turned into a Buffalo Gap fried chicken feast!), live music, dancing under the stars, walking tours, guest lectures, and poetry, stories and songs around a cowboy campfire.
- Ranching and Agriculture: The Land and Livelihood (April 4-10, 2025): Events include Big Country CattleWomen’s Beef Ambassadors & Show Steers, antique tractor show, book signings, cowboy stories, food trucks, live music, The Great Bank Robbery of 1896 historical reenactment, Ranch Symposium at Frontier Texas, a farmer’s market, and Buffalo Gap Cemetery ghost stories.
- Powering Our Region: Oil, Gas, and Beyond (April 11-17, 2025): Events include Buffalo Gap Wine and Food Summit (requires tickets) at Perini Ranch, Texas Archive of the Moving Image: Film Round-up, and Bluebonnet Festival (requires tickets) at Refuge Ranch with live music, art activities, and outdoor games, as well as presentations and lectures on the story of oil and gas, rise of wind and solar energy, and the groundbreaking advancements shaping the Texas energy industry today.
- A Salute to the Military: From Frontier Forts to Airforce Wings (April 18-26, 2025): Wings Over West Texas: A Salute to Western Heritage all-day air show event at Dyess Air Force Base that includes an appearance by the legendary USAF Thunderbirds, Easter Egg Hunt, lectures on the area’s frontier forts, National WASP & WW2 Museum: 20th Homecoming Celebration & Fly-in all-day event in Sweetwater, A Meal with the CCC: Cooking with History at Abilene State Park, “Trap Ball” (early form of baseball) at Abilene State Park, and Closing Ceremonies at Buffalo Gap Historic Village.
Buffalo Gap Founded on the Callahan Divide
Buffalo Gap was founded in 1877 on the Callahan Divide, a boundary between the Brazos and Colorado basins. The town’s name originates from the fact that Elm Creek in the area once served as a watering hole for buffalo as they went through “the gap” in the divide.
“Buffalo traveled through the area on the way to the high plains,” says the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). “The present Buffalo Gap highway (Farm Road 89) follows the old Center Line Trail, which was surveyed in 1874 and ran from Texarkana to El Paso.”
Buffalo hunters made winter camps around the gaps in the divide in the 1860s and 1870s and transported their hauls 65 miles away to Fort Griffin.
“Buffalo hunting was popular in 1875. The carcasses sold for 5 to 15 dollars, and the bones were used to refine sugar,” says the TSHA.
Buffalo Gap called itself the “Athens of the West,” offering higher education at Buffalo Gap College.
At its founding in 1877, the town had a population of 1,200, but when the county seat was moved to Abilene in 1883, the population began to decline, dropping to 300 by 1890. By 1902, Buffalo Gap College had closed. As of the 2020 census, Buffalo Gap had 543 residents. However, by 2025, the population is estimated to have grown to 662.
Buffalo Gap embraced its historical roots early, annually hosting a popular Old Settlers Reunion Picnic, starting in the 1920s and running for 100 years.
Weekend Getaway in Buffalo Gap
If you can’t make the Smithsonian’s Crossroads event in April there is still plenty to do on any weekend in Buffalo Gap:
- Buffalo Gap Historic Village and Taylor County History Center: Visit this authentic West Texas frontier village in the heart of Buffalo Gap. Not replicas, but actual historical buildings surround the original Taylor County Courthouse, representing the last 50 years of the Texas frontier (circa 1875-1925). Buildings include the oldest structures in Taylor County, a log cabin, a two-room schoolhouse, a train depot, a filling station, a bank, a doctor’s office, a barbershop, a print shop, a chapel, and others. The original Taylor County Courthouse still stands in its original location, which was constructed for $8,000 in 1880.
- Abilene State Park: Located less than 10 minutes away from Buffalo Gap, this state park on the shady banks of Elm Creek is filled with large trees and offers a lake, fishing pond, historic swimming pool, trails, camping, and more. Cool off in the pool built by the CCC in the 1930s.
- Buffalo Gap Flea Market: Held the third Saturday of each month, the Buffalo Flea Market and Trade Days is an eclectic mix of vendors selling arts, crafts, jewelry, household goods, new and used items of all kinds, food, treasures and trinkets.
- Perini Ranch Steakhouse: For over 40 years, the Perini Ranch Steakhouse has held a Texas legacy of cowboy cooking and award-winning steaks. Perini grub over the years has been featured at the White House, and in 2014 won the American Classic award given by the James Beard Foundation. Other great eats in the area include The Shed Market, Silver Buffalo Saloon, and The Gap Café.
- Refuge Ranch: This 20-acre non-profit wooded property offers guests and groups a chance to rest, reconnect, and rediscover. From hammocks to zip lines to walking trails, the ranch is a great place for gatherings.
From exploring history to reconnecting with nature to enjoying a great meal, Buffalo Gap has visitors covered.
