2010 Map of Big Spring North

About this map

The high plains of Howard County are anchored by the northern expansion of Big Spring, shown here just as the modern decade began. The landscape is a study in industrial and hydraulic management, dominated by the Big Spring Oil Field and the petroleum infrastructure surrounding Refinery Lake and Refinery Dam. Water management is central to the area's layout, with ephemeral features like Big Sandy Draw and Little Sandy Draw cutting across the terrain toward the southern drainage of Beals Creek. Cultural and genealogical landmarks provide historical depth to the grid-patterned growth, including the prominent Mount Olive Cemetery on the edge of the city and the elevation of Gold Hill. Small settlements and road junctions like Ziler mark the transition from the dense urban streets of the city's northern neighborhoods to the wide-reaching ranch and oil roads of the surrounding countryside.