In West Texas, the land that would one day become Big Spring was originally home to Comanche Indians. In 1880, the Texas Rangers were sent ahead of the railroad to establish peace among the ranchers and to protect the western frontier from the Comanche who lived there. New Texans began to follow the railroad from Colorado City to Big Spring, which was named the county seat of Howard County in 1882. The small Texas town once known for its saloons, dance halls, shoot-outs, and gambling grew into an oil- and agriculture-rich community. This pictorial collection illustrates the continual progress that Big Spring has made, from the first wooden buildings thrown together on First and Main Streets to the discovery of oil. Big Spring also experienced economic booms with the building of an oil refinery, an air force base, and the rise of the cattle industry. Today this once-small West Texas town is dotted with wind farms, an oil refinery, and three hospitals.
While Native Americans had been visiting the oasis at the cross roads of the Comanche War Trail for hundreds of years, Captain Randolph Marcy was the first White man to "discover" the springs on October 3, 1849. Settlers moved their families to the area, and the region quickly developed into a ranching and farming community. Captured here in over 200 vintage images are the trials and triumphs of settlers and residents to build a life in Big Spring and the towns of Howard County. As the first settlers began setting up stakes in the region, a tent city was built at the springs while awaiting the arrival of a railway. Once the train was in service, Big Spring began to develop more permanent dwellings; schools, churches, and a newspaper were established, followed quickly by the building of hotels and banks and the formation of a local government. Featured here are over 150 years of the region's residents, homes, and social events, covering the many towns and communities of the County such as Forsan, Coahoma, Lomax, Elbow, Garden City, Knott, Vealmoor, Ackerly, and Vincent.
While Native Americans had been visiting the oasis at the cross roads of the Comanche War Trail for hundreds of years, Captain Randolph Marcy was the first White man to "discover" the springs on October 3, 1849. Settlers moved their families to the area, and the region quickly developed into a ranching and farming community. Captured here in over 200 vintage images are the trials and triumphs of settlers and residents to build a life in Big Spring and the towns of Howard County. As the first settlers began setting up stakes in the region, a tent city was built at the springs while awaiting the arrival of a railway. Once the train was in service, Big Spring began to develop more permanent dwellings; schools, churches, and a newspaper were established, followed quickly by the building of hotels and banks and the formation of a local government. Featured here are over 150 years of the region's residents, homes, and social events, covering the many towns and communities of the County such as Forsan, Coahoma, Lomax, Elbow, Garden City, Knott, Vealmoor, Ackerly, and Vincent.
In West Texas, the land that would one day become Big Spring was originally home to Comanche Indians. In 1880, the Texas Rangers were sent ahead of the railroad to establish peace among the ranchers and to protect the western frontier from the Comanche who lived there. New Texans began to follow the railroad from Colorado City to Big Spring, which was named the county seat of Howard County in 1882. The small Texas town once known for its saloons, dance halls, shoot-outs, and gambling grew into an oil- and agriculture-rich community. This pictorial collection illustrates the continual progress that Big Spring has made, from the first wooden buildings thrown together on First and Main Streets to the discovery of oil. Big Spring also experienced economic booms with the building of an oil refinery, an air force base, and the rise of the cattle industry. Today this once-small West Texas town is dotted with wind farms, an oil refinery, and three hospitals.
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