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Texas County
Howard County, Texas
Big Spring's natural spring and Permian Basin energy heritage - from the Big Spring itself (the natural artesian spring that gave the city its name was a landmark for Comanche, buffalo hunters, and ranchers on the Llano Estacado - the spring's reliable water in an otherwise arid landscape made it a critical watering point on the cattle trail era) to Howard County's Permian Basin oil and gas production (the county's energy industry has powered the west Texas economy through boom-and-bust cycles for nearly a century) and Webb Air Force Base's Cold War legacy.
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Office: Howard County 911 Addressing/Emergency Management – PO Box 91, Big Spring, TX 79720; part of the Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission’s 17-county emergency communications network.
Sheriff’s Office/Detention: 3613 West Highway 80, Big Spring, TX 79720 | Main: (432) 263-7311 | Detention Center: (432) 264-2259
City of Big Spring Police (non-emergency): (432) 264-2550 | 3613 West Highway 80, Big Spring, TX 79720
EMS: Big Spring Fire Department Emergency Medical Services – provides ALS ambulance service for Big Spring and Howard County, (432) 264-2303/2304
Notes: Howard County recently posted a real, current alert regarding New World Screwworm – a serious agricultural/veterinary pest concern for the region; check co.howard.tx.us for the latest guidance if raising livestock or pets in the area. For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-20 and US-87 cross at Big Spring, the county seat, in West Texas
Transit: No dedicated county-wide public transit system was found in this search – confirm directly with the county or your city
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: New house, agriculture, septic, building, and driveway permits in unincorporated Howard County are coordinated in part through the 911 Addressing office, PO Box 91, Big Spring, TX 79720/79721 – contact for current permit and addressing procedures.
Within Big Spring: City of Big Spring Permit Application Portal – handles food, building, and alcohol permits; see mybigspring.com.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Regional VA Medical Center: George H. O’Brien, Jr. VA Medical Center – 300 Veterans Boulevard, Big Spring, TX 79720 | (432) 263-7361 or (800) 472-1365; part of the West Texas VA Health Care System, which serves veterans across 33 counties and 53,000 square miles of West Texas and eastern New Mexico; maintains a 40-bed Community Living Center and 40-bed Domiciliary Program (inpatient hospital services ended in October 2013, shifting to an outpatient/rural health/telehealth model).
Regional Health Care Advocate: covers Borden, Dawson, Fisher, Gaines, Garza, Howard, Kent, Lynn, Martin, Mitchell, Nolan, Scurry, Stonewall, Terry, and Yoakum counties, based at the O’Brien VAMC, Room 1202.
State VSO: Texas Veterans Commission – tvc.texas.gov
Notes: This significant VA medical facility makes Big Spring a real regional hub for veterans’ healthcare across a large swath of West Texas – an important, checkable detail for veterans researching care access in this region.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Howard County Library – Big Spring, TX; confirm current hours via co.howard.tx.us or mybigspring.com.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Big Spring State Park, a 382-acre Texas Parks and Wildlife Department park established in 1936, sits atop a 200-foot bluff outside Big Spring and is a genuinely remarkable, well-preserved example of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) craftsmanship – built 1934-35 using locally quarried limestone, including the famous three-mile “Roman Road” loop drive of hand-shaped stone blocks and a native limestone pavilion perched on the bluff’s edge. The site sits at a real ecological crossroads where the Edwards Plateau, western Rolling Plains, and Llano Estacado (Southern High Plains) all converge, and was historically a Comanche campground and vantage point for prehistoric bison hunters. In town, Comanche Trail Park – a 400-acre city park containing the actual natural “big spring” the city is named for – features a 6,900-seat limestone amphitheater (also CCC-built), an 18-hole golf course, and hiking/biking trails. The Hangar 25 Air Museum preserves the history of the Big Spring Army Air Force Bombardier School and Webb Air Force Base, honoring area veterans. The Heritage Museum documents the broader cultural and historical significance of Big Spring and West Texas.
Notes: Big Spring State Park is a genuinely exceptional, well-documented example of Depression-era public works craftsmanship – one of the finest-preserved CCC parks in Texas.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Howard County Appraisal District – confirm current contact via co.howard.tx.us
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Within Big Spring: City of Big Spring Animal Control – a division of the Big Spring Police Department with 3 Animal Control Officers; Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (only emergency calls handled after hours and on weekends); maintains the city animal shelter and works to place housed animals for adoption; also serves Howard County residents more broadly per the department’s own description.
Notes: Confirm whether unincorporated Howard County has separate animal-control coverage or relies on the city service – contact the Sheriff’s Office if unclear.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
No county-wide landfill or transfer station was confirmed in this search – confirm current household waste disposal options directly with the County Judge’s office or Big Spring City Hall. The City of Big Spring offers a “Large/Bulk Item Pickup” program – check mybigspring.com for current scheduling.
NOTES: Howard County is the fourth county in this batch (Hood, Hopkins, Houston, Howard, Hudspeth, Hunt, Hutchinson). Big Spring State Park’s CCC-era craftsmanship is genuinely exceptional and well-preserved. The George H. O’Brien, Jr. VA Medical Center makes Big Spring a real regional hub for West Texas veterans’ healthcare. NAMING TRAP: searches for “Howard County Veterans Service” often surface results for Howard County, Indiana – always confirm state. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Howard County
Howard County is west Texas’s natural spring gateway and Permian Basin energy county – the artesian spring that drew Comanche and buffalo hunters to the Llano Estacado now anchors a Permian Basin city navigating energy industry cycles.
Big Spring (the county seat, population ~28,000) grew from the natural spring’s reliable water into a Permian Basin service community. The city’s role as a regional healthcare, retail, and transportation hub for west Texas continues despite energy industry volatility.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Howard County Appraisal District at 315 S. Main Street, Big Spring, TX 79720, phone 432-267-6011. TX property assessed at 100% market value.
Courts & Legal
Howard County District Clerk at 300 Main Street, Big Spring, TX 79720, phone 432-264-2223, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
300 Main St, Big Spring, TX 79720
(432) 264-2213
DISTRICT CLERK
300 Main St, Big Spring, TX 79720
(432) 264-2225
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Howard County Clerk’s Office, Big Spring (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Howard County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
County Clerk, Howard County 300 South Main Street, Room 104, Big Spring, TX 79720 (432) 264-2213 Howard County is in West Texas, seated in Big Spring.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Texas probate law is governed by the Texas Estates Code. Probate jurisdiction in Texas is split between statutory probate courts (in larger metro counties) and county courts (in smaller counties like Howard, sometimes assisted by district courts). In Howard County, the County Court handles probate matters.
Small Estate Affidavit (Tex. Est. Code § 205.001) – available ONLY when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate), the estate (excluding homestead and exempt property) does not exceed $75,000, and assets exceed debts. At least 30 days must have passed since death. The affidavit must list every asset and debt, establish the family history showing who the heirs are, and be sworn to by the heirs and two disinterested witnesses; a judge then reviews and approves it under § 205.003.
Independent Administration – used when a will exists (or all heirs agree) and the estate has debts; minimal court supervision after the executor is appointed. This is the most common and efficient path in Texas when available.
Muniment of Title – available when a valid will exists, there are no unsecured debts (other than a mortgage), and there’s no other need for a full administration; transfers title without appointing an executor.
Dependent Administration – required for complex, contested, or disputed estates; involves ongoing court supervision and approval of most actions.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative (or an interested party) files an Application for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration, if intestate) with the Howard County Clerk.
The original will (if one exists), a certified death certificate, and information about heirs and the proposed executor are included with the application.
The court holds a hearing and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors and gathers, inventories, and appraises the estate’s assets.
The personal representative pays valid debts and expenses.
Remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries or heirs, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees in Texas typically run $250–$400 depending on the county; confirm current Howard County fees directly.
Texas law allows a statutory executor fee of 5% of all sums actually received and paid out in cash, with specific exceptions. The court may also approve reasonable attorney fees paid from the estate.
Small estate affidavits typically cost $600–$1,900 total when factoring in filing and related fees.
Texas does NOT impose a state estate tax or a state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to very large estates.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
306 South Lancaster St, Big Spring, TX 79720
(432) 264-2244
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
300 Main St, Big Spring, TX 79720
(432) 264-2213
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
610 Scurry St, Big Spring, TX 79720
(432) 264-2249
HHSC Office
1901 Wasson Rd, Big Spring, TX 79720
(432) 263-6491
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
No standalone county health department was confirmed in this search – confirm current public health service arrangements directly with the County Judge’s office.
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Editorial Trust
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Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Big Spring
Population: 36,000
Established: 1882
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Howard County residents.
