ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The history of Pine Street in downtown Abilene dates back to the Wild West in 1884. A gunfight took place at the corner of North 1st Avenue and Pine Street between City Councilman Frank Collins, his brother, Taylor County Deputy Sheriff Walter, and Zeno Hemphill. This historic event, which took place 140 years ago, is commemorated each year by Frontier Texas with a live reenactment.
History comes alive: Frontier Texas reenacts Abilene’s 1884 Pine Street Shootout
Mike Stevens plays Taylor County Deputy Sheriff Walter Collins, who reveals that Hemphill had been renting land from the Collins brothers to operate a saloon, but when new laws were passed, the brothers decided to close the saloon.
“The Cattle Exchange Saloon was located at 2nd and Main Streets. [Street] They actually contributed to the gambling problem in the town. It was illegal at the time… They [Frank and Walter Collins] “He went to the Cattle Exchange saloon and confronted the saloon manager, Zeno Hemphill, and a gunfight broke out,” Stevens explained.
Tony Redman (The Reverend), Michael Stevens (Deputy Sheriff Walter Collins), Ben Eden (Mayor Corey), Rudy Shields (Councillor Frank Collins), Michael McCormick (Tavern Manager), Peyton Shields (Bartender), Bruce Calverley (Doctor), Lisa Kish and Abigail Griffiths (Tavern Girls) will act out a re-enactment of the Pine Street Shootout on June 1, 2024.
Stevens, along with other actors and actresses, teaches and shares this historically significant story, marking the first time a police officer was killed in the line of duty in the county.
“First of all, it’s a lot of fun, but it’s also historically meaningful to show people what’s happened in town. There used to be a shirt that said keep Abilene boring… but Abilene is never boring, we have an exciting history and this is just a small part of that history,” Stevens said.
The Pine Street shootout reenactment brings history to life in more ways than one.
He said the graves of Zeno Hemphill, Frank Collins and Walter Collins are in the Abilene City Cemetery, just 10 to 15 yards apart.
“These are real people, so this is historical. [reenactment] Making it happen for the 2024 crowd,” Stevens added.
The case escalated to a Texas Supreme Court trial, where bail bondsman Collins used group bail funds to release several criminals unrelated to Hemphill.
However, because both the creditor and the claim recipient were deceased, it was unclear how the court would release the remaining creditors. Due to this and other factors, collective claims are no longer allowed.
A re-enactment of the Pine Street Shootout at Frontier Texas will begin at noon the following day.
