| |
BIG
SPRING, TEXAS"The
Main Spring of West Texas"
Howard
County Seat, Panhandle*/
West Texas
US I-20 (US 80) Hwy 87
Hwy 350 FM 700
Hwy 176
39 miles NE of Midland,
59 miles NE of Odessa,
via I-20
86 miles NW of San
Angelo via 87
Population: 25,233 (2000)
County population: 33,000
|
| The
Texas & Pacific Depot, circa 1896
Courtesy
Doyle Phillips / FotoGrafica |
Big
Spring in Brief by
Doyle Phillips
Big Spring has long been known as the crossroads of
West Texas. The ancient spring
for which the town was named attracted prehistoric people, Amerinds, Spaniards,
Mexicans and Anglos. The fascinating Comanche 'War Trail' to Mexico branched at
the spring.
Old
tales are legion and photographic documentation is extensive.
Early explorers and cartographers noted the 'big spring of
the Colorado River'. In 1839, Dr. Henry Connelly, a trader from Chihuahua,
Mexico successfully led a huge caravan with a fortune in silver to Fort Towson,
Oklahoma, stopping midway at the spring. U.S. Army Captain R.B. Marcy in
1849 lauded the beauty of the place and one of his Indian guides, Manuel, said
that his brother-in-law died in a battle between Indians at the spring, fifteen
years earlier. Official reports of Texas Rangers and U.S. Cavalry frequently
mention the Big Spring.
When the town was formed about 1880 it
consisted of canvas dwellings and a noticeable predominance of saloons. The citizenry
was hard to tame; in the 1880 census Texas Rangers outnumbered citizens. Large
mercantile stores were established to supply regional ranches of the Staked Plains.
The Texas & Pacific Railroad hauled in materials of all kinds and took
away cars full of cattle and buffalo bones for eastern markets. Railway workers
contributed much to the culture of the thriving metropolis.
Two
major highways were eventually constructed and prosperity continued. Fine hotels
went up to accommodate commercial travelers and tourists from all over the world.
Three airlines hubbed at the Big Spring Air Terminal - all in time for
the massive discovery of oil in almost every part of Howard County. Even the Depression
failed to kill the economy, or at least it seemed to be felt less. For a time
there were four oil refineries located in the town.
Cotton
farming thrived. Many gins were built in several communities throughout the
county. At the beginning of World War II the substantial Big Spring
Army Air Base was laid out and thus brought in new culture and new money.
Big Spring and Howard County residents enlisted in the military services in unusually
high numbers. Music-making
was an integral and large part of Big Spring area life from the beginning.
Honky-tonks promoted many soon-to-be-famous performers. A magnificent municipal
auditorium and city park with a unique amphitheater provided the stages for popular
musical shows.
At one time Big Spring was reputed to have more Protestant
churches than any place in the U.S., per capita. The population of the city once
reached 35,000.
Big Spring Today
Skipping to the
present, the town is now about 23,000 with a large part of the economy based on
public-sector institutions, such as prisons, a regional VA Hospital and a state
mental hospital. Although the decline in oil revenues has dramatically affected
the entire region, employment rate is high and cost-of-living relatively low.
New business ventures are encouraged by city government policies.
Copyright
Doyle Phillips
Big
Spring Hotels > Book Here |
|
A Big Spring Service Station c.1948
Photo
courtesy Doyle Phillips / FotoGrafica |
| Big
Spring with The Settles Hotel in the center
Photo courtesy of Doyle Phillips / FotoGrafica |
Big
Spring Landmarks / Attractions / Photos |
The
Spring - The town's namesake.
next pageHoward
County Courthouses next pageSettles
Hotel next pageHanger
25 Air Museum: www.hanger25.com A museum of the
Big Spring Army Air Corps Bombardier School (its purpose during WWII)
and Webb AFB (1955-1977). Potton
House (circa 1901): Second Street and Gregg - one
of West Texas' best examples of Victorian
architecture. Red sandstone construction with vintage furnishings. Heritage
Museum: 510 Scurry Street. Local HistoryBig
Spring State Park: On the southern edge of the city, this 340 acre park offers
a scenic view of the city.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us.htmCity
Park: 400 acres downtown, including the Comanche Trail Amphitheater and the
spring that is the town's namesake. Moss
Spring Centennial Marker - About nine miles SE of
Big Spring near Moss Lake.
Big
Spring Hotels > Book Here |
 |
| "The
Potton House at 200 Gregg St. (US 87,) built by Englishman Joseph Potton in 1901.
Potton was a master mechanic for the Texas & Pacific Railroad." -
Terry
Jeanson,
June 2006 photo |
Former
State National Bank Building
Photo
courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2009 |
Big
Spring Cemetery Funeral Chapel
Photo
courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 |
Ritz
Theater
Photo
courtesy Don Lewis |
Alberto's
Crystal Cafe Neon
Photo
courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2009 |
Big
Spring Public School
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More Texas
Schoolhouses |
Post
office in Big Spring. "An Air Mail Hub of West Texas"
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
More
Texas Post Offices |
| The
Crawford Hotel
Courtesy
Doyle Phillips / FotoGrafica |
Nearby
Destinations
I-20 West 39 miles to Midland,
another 20 miles west to Odessa.
Hwy 87 South
86 miles to San
Angelo.
FM
33 south about 25 miles to Garden
City.
Big
Spring Chamber of Commerce:
215 W. 3rd Street 915-263-7641
Website: www.bigspringtx.com
Big
Spring Hotels >
Book Here |
Moss
Spring Centennial Marker
40
or 50 years ago the Moss Spring Centennial Marker was easily reached from the
north side of Moss Lake. It was a well known swimming hole during WWII where airmen
training at the local Army Air Field came on weekends with their wives and girl
friends to swim and hike to the distant Signal Mountain...
Photo Courtesy Barclay
Gibson, January 2010 |
Texas
Escapes wishes to thank Doyle Phillips for the loan of photos from his collection
and for writing the Big Spring history. Mr. Phillips is the author of numerous
books on West Texas and Big Spring in particular. About Doyle
Phillips and more vintage photos
*Texas Department of Transportation
includes Howard County in the Panhandle Plains | |
| Book Hotel Here
- Expedia
Affiliate Network | |
