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Impact, Texas
Location of Impact, Texas
Location of Impact, Texas
Taylor County Impact.svg
Country United States
State Texas
County Taylor
Area
 • Total 0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2)
 • Land 0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,670 ft (509 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 22
 • Density 244/sq mi (96/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
79603
Area code(s) 325
FIPS code 48-35816
GNIS feature ID 1388540

Impact is a town in Taylor County, Texas, United States. The population was 22 as of the 2020 census, down from 35 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area and is an enclave of the city of Abilene]].

Geography

Impact is located at 32°30′2″N 99°44′41″W / 32.50056°N 99.74472°W / 32.50056; -99.74472 (32.500573, –99.744790).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.1 square miles (26 ha), all land.

History

The area that became known as Impact began as a 20-acre (8 ha) poultry farm owned by advertising businessman Dallas Perkins. Prior to 1960, liquor sales were prohibited in all cities and counties surrounding Abilene. The prohibition of legal liquor sales encouraged bootleggers to produce illegal liquor commonly called "moonshine".

Perkins capitalized on the potential market for legal liquor among the wets by purchasing 27 acres of land adjacent to his farm on the outskirts of Abilene and then pushing for its incorporation. Calling the village "Impact" after his advertising business, 29 signatures of local residents were collected and it was incorporated in 1960.

Soon after, the village's citizens voted 18 to 2 to permit liquor sales. Abilene lawyers immediately filed motions to oppose the town's incorporation, but a Texas Supreme Court ruling in 1963 upheld Impact's incorporation and its right to sell liquor.

Two liquor stores opened in Impact in 1963. The first month's sales were $463,000 (equivalent to roughly $3.5 million in 2012). With the newfound revenues, the village's roads were paved and lighted, garbage pickup was introduced, and a policeman was hired. One of the liquor stores was Pinky's, which was owned by Perkins and his associates and used a logo of a pink elephant, thus the name.

Impact remained the only wholly wet municipality in Taylor County until 1978, when Abilene voters narrowly legalized (by a 131-vote margin) liquor sales in the city. With that vote, Impact lost its reason for being. The liquor stores in Impact soon dried up and closed and the community became just another suburb of Abilene.

Impact has been and still is one of the smallest incorporated communities in Texas. Its population peaked at 61 in 1970 and had declined to 39 by 2000.

Demographics

2020 census

Impact racial composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 11 50.0%
Pacific Islander (NH) 1 4.55%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 2 9.09%
Hispanic or Latino 8 36.36%
Total 22

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 22 people, 13 households, and 9 families residing in the town.

Education

The Town of Impact is served by the Abilene Independent School District.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Impact (Texas) para niños

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