1893 Map of Big Springs

About this map

Big Springs and the surrounding high plains of El Paso County are depicted here as they appeared in the late nineteenth century. Surveyed by Willard D. Johnson in 1889, this reconnaissance sheet captures a landscape defined by intermittent watercourses and isolated ranching outposts. The network of drainage systems, including the prominent Black Squirrel Creek and Horse Creek, suggests the vital importance of water rights in this semi-arid region.