When you think of early Texans, you might picture cowboys or settlers, but long before them—thousands of years ago—this land was home to some of the earliest humans in North America.

In 1934, archaeologists unearthed stone tools and artifacts near Lytle Creek, just outside Abilene. These tools were over 10,000 years old, placing their makers among the earliest known inhabitants of Texas.

The discovery was named “Abilene Man,” though no human remains were found—just evidence of their tools and hunting practices.

These early people were nomadic hunters, likely tracking mammoths, giant bison, and other Ice Age creatures across the plains.

Their survival depended on their skill in making weapons, their knowledge of the land, and their ability to adapt to a harsh, ever-changing environment.

Standing here today, it’s hard to imagine a time when massive ice sheets covered North America and early humans hunted with handcrafted spears and flint knives. But the evidence remains—buried beneath the soil, waiting to tell its story.

The landscape may have changed, but history is still all around us. Now, let’s visit a place where some of Buffalo Gap’s earliest settlers found their final resting place—the Buffalo Gap Cemetery.