1893 Map of Big Springs

About this map

El Paso and surrounding frontier counties are captured here in the late 1880s, revealing a landscape defined by isolated homesteads and seasonal watercourses. The settlement at Big Springs serves as a central point in an area where the transition from open range to ranching is evidenced by family holdings such as Galloway Ranch and Hancock Ranch. These established sites, along with the distinctively named Crows Roost, provide critical geographic anchors for genealogists tracing early cattle-country pioneers. Drainage patterns across the high plains are documented through the winding paths of Black Squirrel Creek and Steel's Fork, which were vital for sustaining livestock and early agriculture. The northern terrain is marked by the Holcolm Hills, while the northeastern corner shows the small outpost of Holtwold in Elbert County, illustrating the sparse network of settlements that existed before more intensive development reached this portion of eastern Colorado.