Big Spring, Texas

Located in Texas at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20, Big Spring’s population of 25,233 (2000 Census) makes it the largest city between Midland to the west, Abilene to the east, Lubbock to the north, and San Angelo to the south. Big Spring is also the largest city in, and county seat of, Howard County, Texas.

Geography

Location of Big Spring, Texas

Big Spring is located at 32°14'36" North, 101°28'31" West (32.243198, -101.475231)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 49.7 km² (19.2 mi²). 49.5 km² (19.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.42% water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 25,233 people, 8,155 households, and 5,463 families residing in the city. The population density is 509.8/km² (1,320.4/mi²). There are 9,865 housing units at an average density of 199.3/km² (516.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 76.69% White, 5.31% African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 14.41% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races. 44.64% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 8,155 households out of which 32.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% are married couples living together, 14.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% are non-families. 29.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.51 and the average family size is 3.10.

In the city the population is spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 125.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 132.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $28,257, and the median income for a family is $35,448. Males have a median income of $27,636 versus $21,863 for females. The per capita income for the city is $14,119. 22.2% of the population and 17.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 30.0% of those under the age of 18 and 18.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Points of Interest

Landmarks

• Settles Hotel (abandoned)
• Howard County Courthouse
• Big Spring Municipal Auditorium
• ALON USA Refinery
• Comanche Trail Park
• Whataburger
• McMahon-Wrinkle Industrial Airpark
• Vietnam Memorial of Big Spring
• Big Spring State Park
• Signal Mountain
• Heritage Museum of Big Spring
• VA Medical Center
• Scenic Mountain Medical Center

Organizations

• Moore Development for Big Spring
• Big Spring Chamber of Commerce
• Big Spring Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
• Downtown Revitalization Association

Media

• Big Spring Herald
• KBST/KBTS Radio
• KBYG-AM Radio

Education

• Big Spring Independent School District
• Howard College (Junior College)
• South West Collegiate Institute for the Deaf

Prisons

• Big Spring FCI
• Big Spring Federal Prison Camp
• Big Spring Correctional Center (Cornell Companies)

Culture and Economics

Big Spring’s economy is primarily based on agriculture (with cotton as the primary crop) and petroleum production and refining. Public-sector institutions such as Howard College, a federal prison, and a VA hospital are also major employers in the area.

Many people believe that Big Spring is representative of the social rot that Republicanism has wrought upon Texas. The school system is appalling, from kindergarten through Howard College, the local community college. In the local high school, football takes precedence over any pretense of education.

The economic base of Big Spring consists largely of low-wage, unskilled and semi-skilled work. One of the major career opportunities in Big Spring is prison guard, working in one of the numerous local prisons. A high percentage of the local population lives in poverty, and would be eligible for public assistance if the Republicans had not gutted social safety net programs. Upon visiting Big Spring, the poverty and lack of medical care will be readily evident as soon as a local smiles, showing off a mouth full of the rotting stumps of what were once teeth. Obesity and diabetes are also at epidemic levels in Big Spring. The teen pregnancy rate is astounding, and in fact it is not uncommon to meet young women in Big Spring, as young as 20, who have 3 children, each with a different father. This is especially ironic considering the dedication to fundamentalist, evangelical Christianity displayed by most residents of Big Spring. There is something of a racial divide in Big Spring between the majority white population and the large hispanic population. The municipal water in Big Spring emits a quite unpleasant odor and is not recommended for actual drinking. The downtown improvement plan for Big Spring has consisted of periodically knocking down abandoned buildings, turning what was once a prosperous downtown into vacant lots overgrown with weeds and filled with trash. The city of Big Spring does not have a single general interest bookstore (non-Christian), which says quite a bit about the local literacy rates. The class structure in Big Spring is third-world like, with a small number of well connected and well off business people ruling over the 90% of the population who are poor.

There are also many positives about Big Spring. The people are the friendliest you'll meet! And if you like barbecue and Tex-Mex food Big Spring has some outstanding restaurants. Brenda’s Barbecue is highly recommended, although residents of Big Spring are quite opinionated when it comes to a discussion of barbecue or Tex-Mex food. There is one truly amazing display of Christmas lights at the Partee residence. The "Live Drive Through Nativity" is one of a kind. Housing costs are unbelievably inexpensive and many people have adapted to the arid climate by xeriscaping their lawns.

Big Spring’s population and economy have seen steady declines since the closure of Webb Air Force Base, a training site for Air Force bombardiers and pilots, in 1977.

In recent years Big Spring has been the site of several major hang gliding championship tournaments, including the U.S. Hang Gliding Nationals. Big Spring will host the Hang Gliding World Championship in 2007.

The opening scenes of the film Midnight Cowboy, the 1969 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, were filmed in Big Spring. The city was also the site for the filming of parts of Hangar 18.

Green Bay Packers tight end Bubba Franks, although born in California, was raised and played high school football in Big Spring.

History

The completion of the Texas and Pacific Railroad led to the the founding in the early 1880s of Big Spring, a railroading and ranching towns where saloons, gambling dens, and prostitutes flourished. These establishments attracted cowboys and later oilfield workers from throughout the region. Prostitution continuted to flourish in Big Spring well into the 1950s. The Settles Hotel was well known as a center for prostitution in Big Spring, with the large sign on the roof being used to signal the presence of prostitutes in the hotel.

In the late 1950s anti-prostitution groups gained an influential advocate in Texas attorney general Will Wilson, whose office led the way in disrupting Texas prostitution, including the Galveston racketeers. Church, legal and news media pressure forced many brothels to close and set the prostitution business on a downward course that continued into the 1960s. Wilson's was influential in pressing local law-enforcement officials into curbing prostitution in Big Spring.

External links

• City of Big Spring homepage
• Big Spring historical info and photos
• Bondwebs.com Big Spring Community Site
• Big Spring Independent School District