True Stories of Amazing People and Places in Texas

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Big Spring: The casual biography of a prairie town

by Shine Philips

"It looks like God kind of made it easy for Big Spring to be a town three hundred miles each way from everything and a natural jumpin' off place. If you don't know where Big Spring is, it's in West Texas, in the foothills of the Cap Rock, where the Great Plains start . . . Look inside

The thirty-three Depression-era interviews presented here were culled from the WPA-Federal Writers' Project. They faithfully show how old-time Texas cowhands lived and how they felt about their glamour-less existence. "We wound up in Howard County, and Dad made his headquarters right by the old Tahoka Lake Trail. You see, there were no roads anywhere in that part of the country in them days,. If you wanted to go somewhere and wanted something to guide you, you took a cattle trail " ... Read more Look inside

From Page 230 - "Whatever the ailment, Agnes recovered, but her bouts with illness had only begun. In the meantime, Joe Casey, after escaping from El Paso, beat his way on the Texas & Pacific Railroad to Big Spring, Texas, 350 miles to the east" . . . Read more Look Inside

Despite the Depression, James Bruce Frazier spent the best years of his childhood on the Cross Ell Ranch just west of Big Spring. Years later, as he reflected on those days, he began writing down the experiences he had, the people he met, and the lessons he learned . . . Read more Look inside

God, Oil, and One Family's Search for the American Dream

In 1892, Bryan Mealer’s great-grandfather leaves the Georgia mountains and heads west into Texas, looking for wealth and adventure in the raw and open country. But his luck soon runs out. Beset by drought, the family loses their farm just as the dead pastures around them give way to one of the biggest oil booms in American history. They eventually settle in the small town of Big Spring, where fast fortunes are being made . . . Read more Look Inside

While Native Americans had been visiting the oasis at the cross roads of the Comanche War Trail for hundreds of years, Captain Randolph Marcy was the first White man to "discover" the springs on October 3, 1849. Settlers moved their families to the area, and the region quickly developed into a ranching and farming community. Captured here in over 200 vintage images are the trials and triumphs of settlers and residents to build a life in Big Spring and the towns of . . . Read more Look inside

In West Texas, the land that would one day become Big Spring was originally home to Comanche Indians. In 1880, the Texas Rangers were sent ahead of the railroad to establish peace among the ranchers and to protect the western frontier from the Comanche who lived there. New Texans began to follow the railroad from Colorado City to Big Spring, which was named the county seat of Howard County in 1882. The small Texas town once known for its saloons, dance halls, shoot-outs, and gambling grew into . . . Read more Look inside

Many photos of planes from the 1920s and 1930s included in the unique history of aviation in this small West Texas town . . . Look inside

Within the pages of this book these genuine legends who rode through a golden moment in American history live on. Found inside: "Vance Davis. Interviewed 22 September 1989 in Big Spring. The older brother of Ralph Davis, he was born February 4, in Runnels County . . . Read more

Almost Like a Professional: My life and career as a West Texas Musician

The story of West Texas musician, songwriter and educator, Cary C Banks. From his upbringing in the rigidly fundamentalist Church of Christ, to his glorious discovery of devil rock and roll and the Beatles, Cary Banks traces his long journey down the lost highway of the music business with stories that are often funny but many times poignant. From the stinging lows of endless rejection . . .  Read more Look Inside

Jake Pickle was a representative from Texas from 1963 to 1995; born in Big Spring, Howard County, Tex., October 11, 1913; educated in the public schools of Big Spring, in this book, Jake Pickle tells the story of a lifetime in public service, including thirty-one years as Representative for Texas' Tenth Congressional District. Jake tells his story by telling stories—most of them humorous, some poignant . . . read more

Emphasizing the region’s social and economic history, The Great Plains during World War II is the first book to examine the effects of the war on the region and the responses of its residents.

"In Big Spring law enforcement officers stopped trucks carrying workers heading for town during the cotton season warned them that stopping there meant arrest. This policy kept the migrant workers passing though Big Spring, but they often kept going, leaving the area entirely, all to the detriment of nearby farmers who needed their labor. Many of these workers were" . . . Read more Look inside

HAUNTED PLACES IN BIG SPRING TEXAS

According to this book of haunted places in Texas, Big Spring is home to 4 mysterious and haunted places . . .  Check it out

In this newest installment of this award winning series, the authors look at what they like to call School Spirits! Find Haunted Texas schools in Alpine, Alvin, Amarillo, Arlington, Austin, Beaumont, Belton, Big Sandy, Big Spring, Brownsville, Bryan/College Station, Caldwell, Carrollton, Clint, Coahoma, Commerce, Corpus Christi, Corsicana, Cotulla, Dallas . . . Read more

by Veva Vonter

Texas movies are as vast as the Lone Star State. This book offers readers the chance to visit Texas vicariously by viewing movies filmed in and about the state that reflect Texas history, cultures, and landscapes. Found inside: "Midnight Cowboy (1969) If you haven't seen this movie in a while, you may have forgotten how much footage there is of Joe Buck's life in Texas before he left for New York City. The opening scenes, starting with the credits, show off the streets of Big Spring in the 1960s   . . . " Read more Look inside

by James. Johnston

by Joe Pickle

Browse more Yearbooks from Big Spring Texas

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Resources:

West Texas History & Memories

Early Life in Texas County by County

Books about Texas People and Places

Amazing People from Texas County by County