Howard County

Howard County's county seat is Big Spring. The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1882. It is named for Volney E. Howard, a U.S. Congressman from Texas. Howard County is located at the boundary between the Llano Estacado to the north and the Edwards Plateau to the south. 

Archeological data from numerous universities and agencies found that the spring was a significant watering hole in West Texas before man set foot in the region. Mastodon, wooly mammoth, saber-toothed tiger, and the remnants of many other now-extinct species have been found near the spring, suggesting this was an important watering hole for thousands of years.

As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,860.

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