This is a story, told informally, of Abilene and the area which surrounds the town, "Catclaw Country". It was written as centennial history. This part of West Texs was settled in the 1870's and early 1880's; Abilene came into being on March 15, 1881. The title is an attempt to link the emperament of the land and its people to a strange little stream called Catclaw. Many areas of the nation have a Cedar Creek, and Elm Creek, other streams with ordinary names. Hardy anyone has a Catclaw, such as the one which runs through the heart of Abilene.