Big Spring State Park (Texas)

History

The first written record of the spring was made on October 3, 1849, in the journal of Captain R.B. Marcy of the U.S. Cavalry while on his return trip to Fort Smith, Arkansas, from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Spanish are thought to have visited the area as early as 1768, while Comanches and other Native American groups likely frequented the region much earlier, probably attracted by the permanent water source. Carvings dated c. 1917 indicate that other visitors to the park area included cattle drivers and those travelling to new territories.

Shortly after the state of Texas acquired the land in 1934, the Civilian Conservation Corps began construction on the park. Limestone quarried on-site was used in the building of the headquarters, pavilion, lodging, pump house and restroom. The limestone was also used in the building of retaining walls for a three-mile (5 km) drive that loops around Scenic Mountain. The walls were built using mortarless masonry techniques with large blocks of limestone, some weighing as much as two tons.

Nature

Animals

Wildlife species in the park include cottontail rabbits, jackrabbits, black-tailed prairie dogs and greater roadrunners.

Flora

Trees in the park include honey mesquite, shin oaks, and redberry junipers. Other plants include species of cacti with prickly pear being most abundant.

Facilities

Facilities at the park include a lighted group pavilion, which can accommodate up to 50 people; restrooms with no showers and a Texas State Park store. Native American artifacts and fossils from the area are on display at a seasonal interpretive center, which is also located in the park.

Activities

Some of the recreational opportunities offered on the site include hiking, mountain biking, nature study, jogging and star gazing. The Big Spring Film Society began screening movies on top of the mountain in 2008, and continues to do so every summer. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and The Dark Crystal are just a few of the films they have screened over the years.

File:Big Spring State Park Scenic Drive 2009.jpg|alt=A photo of the scenic drive with the city of Big Spring in the background|Scenic Drive File:Big Spring State Park Picnic Table 2009.jpg|alt=A photo of a park picnic table in Big Spring|Shaded picnic table with a view File:Big Spring State Park Scarp 2009.jpg|alt=A photo of the escarpment in Big Spring State Park with the city in the background|View from the summit of Scenic Mountain

References

References

1. Christopher Adams. "What is the most visited state park in Texas? Here’s the top 10 countdown".
2. "Big Spring State Park". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
3. {{cite gnis. 1330661. Big Spring State Park (Texas). January 7, 2013
4. (2005). "Official Guide to Texas State Parks". University of Texas Press.