West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Howard County, Texas
A local guide to the county: the stories that give it a shape, practical checks, and a few things worth knowing before they surprise you. Every note points to its source.
7 stories · 8 practical · 1 good to know
The practical part
Howard County offices and deadlines
Appraisal district & tax office →
The Comptroller's official directory for Howard County: who sets your value and who sends the bill.
Homestead exemption →
File Form 50-114 with the appraisal district. It is free. The regular deadline is April 30, and late filing is allowed for up to two years.
Protest your appraisal →
The usual deadline is May 15, or 30 days after your notice arrives, whichever is later.
Estimate a tax bill →
Model a bill from local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
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A little of what makes this place itself
Howard County · Historic Structure
A Depression-Era CCC Pavilion Still Stands in Big Spring State Park
Civilian Conservation Corps workers built stone structures in Big Spring State Park in 1934-35 that are still in use today.
Howard County · Scenic Mountain
Scenic Mountain Makes Big Spring State Park Feel Like a Lookout
Big Spring State Park is built around a 200-foot bluff, so the main outdoor lesson is height, sky, and dry country spread out below you.
Howard County · Air Base Legacy
The Old Air Base Still Shapes Big Spring's College Map
Big Spring's military-airfield story did not end with deactivation; pieces of that land became part of local education and industry.
All 16 local notes
The full county shelf is mixed so stories and useful checks travel together. Use the filters when you need one kind.
Showing all 16 notes.
- Stories & local character History & Culture A Depression-Era CCC Pavilion Still Stands in Big Spring State Park Civilian Conservation Corps workers built stone structures in Big Spring State Park in 1934-35 that are still in use today.
- Practical Outdoors Big Spring State Park Is Inside City Limits and Free to Enter Big Spring State Park is a 382-acre park within Big Spring city limits, open daily with no entrance fee and several miles of trails.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Scenic Mountain Makes Big Spring State Park Feel Like a Lookout Big Spring State Park is built around a 200-foot bluff, so the main outdoor lesson is height, sky, and dry country spread out below you.
- Practical Money & Taxes Farm and Ranch Land Can Be Taxed on Productivity, Not Market Value In Howard County, agricultural land can qualify for a special lower tax valuation based on what the land produces, not what it would sell for.
- Good to know Home & Property Check FEMA Flood Maps Before Buying Property in Howard County Even in dry West Texas, low-lying areas near draws and creeks in Howard County can be in FEMA flood zones that affect insurance and building rules.
- Stories & local character History & Culture The Old Air Base Still Shapes Big Spring's College Map Big Spring's military-airfield story did not end with deactivation; pieces of that land became part of local education and industry.
- Practical Money & Taxes Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill in Big Spring If you own and live in your home in Howard County, a homestead exemption can reduce the taxable value of your property.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Big Spring Grew From a Water Hole to a Railroad Town to an Oil Boom City Big Spring and Howard County went through three waves of growth: a natural spring drew travelers, then a railroad brought settlers, then oil brought a boom.
- Practical Cars & Driving The Road Administrator Is the First Stop for Rural Road and Driveway Questions Howard County's Road Administrator handles project-specific road and driveway permits and can answer questions about a particular rural road.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Comanche Trail Park Marks an Older Route Through the Spring Country A Texas Historical Commission marker in Comanche Trail Park ties Big Spring to the springs, lakes, and older trail routes that shaped travel here.
- Practical Home & Property A Groundwater District Regulates Water Wells in Most of Howard County Most of Howard County falls under the Permian Basin Underground Water Conservation District, which requires permits and spacing rules for new water wells.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Potton House Puts Big Spring's Railroad Era Into Stone The Potton-Hayden House at Gregg and Second is a railroad-era Big Spring landmark built from Pecos sandstone, iron, and zinc detail.
- Practical Home & Property Oil and Gas Activity Is Common in Howard County, So Know Who Owns the Minerals Howard County sits in the Permian Basin, where active oil and gas drilling is common, and mineral rights are often owned separately from the surface land.
- Stories & local character History & Culture The 1953 Courthouse Gives Main Street a Modern Face Howard County's active courthouse at 300 South Main is a 1953 Modern building of limestone and cast aluminum.
- Practical Cars & Driving Register Your Vehicle Through the Howard County Tax Office Vehicle registration and title transfers in Howard County are handled by the county Tax Assessor-Collector, which also serves as the local TxDMV office.
- Practical Money & Taxes Two Offices Handle Your Property Tax in Howard County Howard County has two separate offices for property taxes. The appraisal district sets your value, and the tax assessor-collector sends your bill.
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