Map of Baird city

Baird is a city and the county seat of Callahan County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,496 at the 2010 census. The city is named after Matthew Baird, the owner and director of the Texas and Pacific Railway. The railway depot is now operated as the visitor center and a transportation museum.

Baird is part of the Abilene, Texas metropolitan statistical area.

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History

Baird, Texas was named after Matthew Baird, a director of the Texas and Pacific Railway. He was also sole proprietor of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the largest locomotive firm in the United States, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The city was officially founded in 1880. In 1993, the Texas Legislature designated Baird as the “Antique Capital of West Texas”. It has 12 antique shops.

The former Callahan County Jail, at 100 W. 5th Street, was originally located in nearby Belle Plain, then the county seat. When the county seat moved to Baird, the jail was disassembled brick by brick, and reassembled at its current location. Belle Plain lost population and became a ghost town.

The town has five churches, four gas stations, a feed store, and a small locally owned grocery store. Franchises here include a Dairy Queen, Love’s truck stop, and a Dollar General. The truck stop has a Subway and a Chester’s Chicken.

Baird Road Map

Baird city Satellite Map

Geography

Baird is located in north-central Callahan County. Interstate 20 passes through the northern part of the city, leading west 20 miles (32 km) to Abilene and east 25 miles (40 km) to Cisco. U.S. Route 283 crosses the east side of town, leading north 25 miles (40 km) to Albany and south 41 miles (66 km) to Coleman.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.1 km), of which 0.1 square miles (0.2 km), or 2.55%, is covered by water.

See also