Historic Spring Site

The Civil War ended 150 years ago. The original plan was to celebrate this anniversary by razing the battlefield and replacing it with a golf course. But people caught the idea, and in 1997 Congress voted to give the battlefield the status of a national historic site. Now the battlefield is protected, and you can visit it.
Big Spring is odd, and Big Spring was odd in 1861. The town was on a route to nowhere, so people didn’t build it there. And the terrain was flat and easy to cross, so nobody fought here. Most of the fighting was elsewhere, and Gettysburg and Vicksburg were the closest.
That might have had something to do with why Big Spring was quiet. Big Springs in 1861 was a town whose identity was defined by its peculiar geology.
Big Spring is a spring that flows from a large aquifer. The water, coming from the earth, is crystal clear. The aquifer is under pressure, so when the spring is flowing, the water comes out 200 feet into the air, and you can hear it whistling. Big Spring is surrounded by flat, barren land, and the water falls from great heights. But the water was relatively clean, and the spring was fed by an underground river, so Big Spring was a good place for people to settle. After a while, Big Spring became not just a spring but a town. The first buildings were simple log structures, but the town grew, and by 1860 Big Spring had six churches, three schools, two banks, and a population of 1,500. Big Spring people laid out the streets and planted the lawns.

The Historic Spring Site is located in Comanche Trail Park. Tourists and locals love the scenery, and agree the city did a great job building the trail. The original spring in Big Spring TX overlooks the city and holds some of the most beautiful views. Parking spaces are plentiful, you’ll find official historical markers along the way. When you are in Big Spring, it is an attraction you won’t want to miss.