The Big Spring

Rockwall has its wall, El Paso has its pass, Big Lake has its … well that is another story for another time, but Big Spring does have its “Big Spring”

The Big Spring is located just south of the City of Big Spring, Texas at the Comanche Trail park. The spring that was for thousands of years a watering place for man and beast alike now sits in a tranquil sitting more adapted to a picnic basket than a place to sustain life in the desert.

Starting in the late 18th century through the later part of the 19th century the spring was virtually owned by the Comanches. Several branches of the Comanche war trail funneled through the Big Spring as they rode south to raid northern Mexico and Southeast to San Antonio and on to the newly arrived Anglo settlers of colonial Texas.

The Big Spring at Big Spring, Texas

Heritage Museum
Big Spring, Texas

In the late 1800's the Buffalo were exterminated from the area and the Indians driven off the land. Then came the ranchers to use the Big Spring to water livestock.

Next the Texas and Pacific Railroad laid track a few miles north of the Big Spring. Pumps were added to the Big Spring to pump water for man, beast and steam engines. Water wells were drilled all around the country side. By 1917 the Big Spring had been pump dry.

If the Big Spring dried up in 1917 and the site of the Big Spring is listed in many sources as "location" of the historical spring where does the water in the hole pictured above come from. I have yet to find out. If you know drop me a line.

Texas Bob

Resources:

Heritage Museum