Help Hamby Preserves Its History With a Fish Fry and Some Pumpkins

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The very first Hamby school opened in 1903 and it remained open until 2004 since then the Hamby community has utilized the school building to bring neighbors and community members together. That first Hamby school seen in the photos below has seen some better days though. The building needs some upgrading like a new HVAC system, new windows, and a new roof.

Many community members volunteer to do the groundskeeping and clean-up of the school. A group of volunteers gets together to host their annual Fish Fry and Pumpkin Fest to raise the necessary funds to keep the school building open in an attempt to keep the community connection strong and growing.

There are several fundraising events throughout the year that help raise the money needed to host other events that will benefit the children, students, and everyone in the community. For the most part, the school and gymnasium are ideal meeting places for the community to come together and grow.

Another incredible part of the old Hamby school is the school's storm cellar which is open to the community during stormy weather conditions. Ideally, the entire property is a place for fun and fellowship in the peaceful community of Hamby just five miles northeast of Abilene.

The most interesting part about Hamby's history is that it was once called Corners because of its location in the northeastern corner of Taylor County and was also touching Jones, Shackleford, and Callahan counties. However, it was the postmaster back in 1902 that did not like the name "Corners." Therefore, the community was named after Hamby Richardson who had a store in the community back in the day.

Fast forward to today when the Hamby community has grown from 20 citizens in 1900 to an estimated 20,000 in 2022. In an effort to continue growing and bringing the citizens together the annual Fish Fry and Pumpkin Fest is held.

Don't miss the Hamby Fish Fry and Pumpkin Fest Saturday, October 29th, 2022 at the Hamby Activity Center gym from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Activities will be in the gym while food will be served in the school building there will be live music by Dane pack, a cakewalk, face painting, games, and so much more.

The cost to attend this event is $10 for an adult plate and $5 for a kid's plate, and to-go plates will be available. For more information contact the Hamby Activity Center at 325-338-6606. Both events this year are sponsored by Kiewit.