History
Big Spring School District
Education has been an important endeavor in Howard County since its formal organization in 1882, when the first commissioners court ordered the construction of a school building and created Howard County Common School District No. 1 in 1883.
History
First National Bank in Big Spring
Chartered on April 19, 1890, the First National Bank of Big Spring opened for business on the first floor of a two-story building at the northwest corner of Second and Clinton (now Main) streets with an initial capital of $50,000. The post office occupied the south side of the building until 1927; the remaining space was rented to a variety of tenants.
History
Howard County
Formed from Young and Bexar Territories. Created August 21, 1876. Organized June 15, 1882. Named in honor of Volney Erskine Howard 1809-1889. Came to Texas in 1844. Delegate to the first state constitutional convention. Member of the state legislature. Member of the United States Congress. Big Spring, the county seat
History
Masonic Cemetery
Staked Plains Lodge No. 598, A.F. & A.M., was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Texas on December 12, 1884. The members soon recognized a need for a Masonic cemetery in Big Spring. In May 1885 George Bauer (1836-1898), a member of the Lodge, donated land at this site for that purpose.
History
Moore School
In 1906 a group of pioneers arrived on the frontier north of Big Spring to take advantage of rancher Sid Moore's offer to sell land to farmers. Four acres were set aside, and a one-room school was built in 1906. The first school term, with one teacher and fifteen students, lasted six months. A second teacher was hired in 1908, and a curtain was used to partition the classrooms.
Architecture
Potton House
Joseph Potton (1847-1920), a native of England and master mechanic for Texas & Pacific Railroad, built this Victorian residence in 1901. Designed by the Fort Worth firm of S. B. Haggart and Son, the house was constructed of Pecos sandstone with iron pillars and zinc gable decorations.
History
Route of Marcy's Trail
Mapped by Captain Randolph B. Marcy, in charge of the U.S. Army detail guarding citizens bound for California gold rush. Captain Marcy exploded theory that West Texas was a desert. In making his map, he traveled along a chain of springs and lakes known to Comanche guide Manuel. In October 1849, reached The Big Spring-a site marked by many converging Indian trails.
History
Settles Hotel
Will R. and Lillian Settles built this hotel after the discovery of oil on their ranch in 1927. The grand opening was October 1, 1930. Designed by David Castle (1884-1956), the 15-story brick highrise was for many years the tallest building between Fort Worth and El Paso.
Architecture
St. Thomas Catholic Church
Organized in 1883 under the leadership of The Rev. H. A. Boniface, the first Catholic parish in Big Spring was named St. Mary's. A small frame sanctuary was built and early services were conducted in English, German, and Spanish. The need for a larger place of worship resulted in the construction of this building. Completed in 1911 under the direction of J. M. Morgan, it was dedicated to St.
History
The J. & W. Fisher Company
In 1881, as Big Spring was being established, Joseph Fisher (1845-1906), born in Austria, opened a general store in a tent. William (1855-1932), a brother, joined him in 1883. They had a trade territory as large as four New England states. Their free delivery pushcart doubled at times as the city hearse. The firm served as the first local bank, sometimes open until 2:00 a.m., to cash paychecks.
History
W. P. Soash, Colonizer
Land promoter W. P. Soash (1877-1961) of Iowa came (1905) to Texas to sell parcels of XIT Ranch land. He founded the towns of Ware in Dallam County and Olton in Lamb County. He platted Soash (1 mi. N) on part of C. C. Slaughter's Long S Ranch in 1909 and brought trainloads of farmers from the East and Midwest to settle this area.
History
W. T. ("Uncle Bud") Roberts
(1849-1940) William Travis Roberts, son of William and Rachel Roberts, was born near Georgetown, Texas. At 13, "Bud" assumed care of the family while his father fought and died in the Civil War. In 1870, he married Mary Thompson (1855 - 1915) at Georgetown. The young couple quit cotton farming for cattle raising, but soon lost most of their small longhorn herd to rustlers.
Elsewhere in Texas
Hear it from the road
Whistlestop tells you this story automatically when you drive past. No searching, no tapping, nothing to ask.
