Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau
ABILENE - Abilene will welcome visitors from across the country September 4-6, for the 60th Anniversary Seeley Genealogical Society (SGS) Reunion. This marks the first time in a decade the reunion has returned to Abilene, which last hosted the event in 2015.
The three-day reunion will be based at the historic Seelye Mansion, a nationally recognized landmark built in 1905 by Dr. A.B. Seelye. The mansion, still filled with its original Edison light fixtures and furnishings, offers a rare glimpse into early 20th-century life and continues to serve as a focal point for the Seeley family story.
Attendees will enjoy family history research sessions, workshops, group tours, and meals together, including a barbeque on the mansion grounds and a train excursion aboard the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad. A cherished tradition, the 2025 Reunion Quilt Raffle, will also take place during the event.
Terry Tietjens, longtime caretaker and historian of the Seelye Mansion, said the reunion is a fitting tribute to the family who built the home.
“Dr. and Mrs. Seelye and their daughters, Marion and Helen, were remarkable people whose influence can still be felt in this community. They welcomed innovation, valued family, and left behind a home that continues to tell their story. Hosting the Seeley Genealogical Society reunion here is a tribute to their legacy and the family’s history.”
Julie Roller Weeks, Director of the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau, said Abilene is proud to serve as host city.
“The Seelye Mansion is one of Abilene’s most cherished historic sites, and it is an honor for our community to once again host the Seeley Genealogical Society reunion here. It’s gatherings like these that keep the mansion’s story alive and remind us why Abilene has been recognized by USA Today as one of the Best Historic Small Towns in America.”
For more information visit www.seeley-society.org/2025-reunion