RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of West Virginia >> Calhoun County >> Big Springs >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Big Springs, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Big Springs and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Big Springs:
    • 38.985363, -81.072056
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Big Springs
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Calhoun County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Calhoun County
    • Since Big Springs is near Ritchie County and also Gilmer County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Ritchie County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Gilmer County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Big Springs

Communities Also Named Big Springs ...

We found 22 communities that are also named Big Springs.

Within West Virginia, the name Big Springs is unique.

Beyond West Virginia, we know of 22 communities that are located in the United States.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Bibb County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Alabama community of Big Springs [Bibb County].
      • Randolph County
      • This Big Springs is located in Randolph County and lies 459 miles [738.7 km]<2> to the south southwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Randolph County community of Big Springs.
    • Arizona
      • Coconino County
      • This Big Springs is located in Coconino County and lies 1,706 miles [2,745.5 km]<2> to the west of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Coconino County community of Big Springs.
    • Arkansas
      • Stone County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Arkansas community of Big Springs [Stone County].
    • California
      • Siskiyou County
      • This Big Springs is located in Siskiyou County and lies 2,163 miles [3,481 km]<2> to the west northwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Siskiyou County community of Big Springs.
    • Georgia
      • Troup County
      • This Big Springs is located in Troup County and lies 465 miles [748.3 km]<2> to the south southwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Troup County community of Big Springs.
    • Idaho
      • Fremont County
      • This Big Springs is located in Fremont County and lies 1,591 miles [2,560.5 km]<2> to the west northwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fremont County community of Big Springs.
    • Indiana
      • Boone County
      • This Big Springs is located in Boone County and lies 286 miles [460.3 km]<2> to the west northwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Boone County community of Big Springs.
    • Kansas
      • Douglas County
      • This Big Springs is located in Douglas County and lies 772 miles [1,242.4 km]<2> to the west of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Douglas County community of Big Springs.
    • Mississippi
      • Clay County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Mississippi community of Big Springs [Clay County].
    • Nebraska
      • Deuel County
      • This Big Springs is located in Deuel County and lies 1,117 miles [1,797.6 km]<2> to the west northwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Deuel County community of Big Springs.
    • New Jersey
      • Sussex County
      • This Big Springs is located in Sussex County and lies 371 miles [597.1 km]<2> to the east northeast of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sussex County community of Big Springs.
    • Ohio
      • Logan County
      • This Big Springs is located in Logan County and lies 171 miles [275.2 km]<2> to the northwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Logan County community of Big Springs.
    • South Carolina
      • Chesterfield County
      • This Big Springs is located in Chesterfield County and lies 317 miles [510.2 km]<2> to the south of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Chesterfield County community of Big Springs.
    • South Dakota
      • Union County
      • This Big Springs is located in Union County and lies 853 miles [1,372.8 km]<2> to the west northwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Union County community of Big Springs.
    • Tennessee
      • Blount County
      • This Big Springs is located in Blount County and lies 279 miles [449 km]<2> to the southwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Blount County community of Big Springs.
      • Dickson County
      • This Big Springs is located in Dickson County and lies 392 miles [630.9 km] to the west southwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Dickson County community of Big Springs.
      • Hancock County
      • This Big Springs is located in Hancock County and lies 193 miles [310.6 km] to the south southwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hancock County community of Big Springs.
      • Madison County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Tennessee community of Big Springs [Madison County].
      • Overton County
      • This Big Springs is located in Overton County and lies 288 miles [463.5 km] to the southwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Overton County community of Big Springs.
      • Rutherford County
      • This Big Springs is located in Rutherford County and lies 364 miles [585.8 km] to the southwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Rutherford County community of Big Springs.
    • Texas
      • Rusk County
      • This Big Springs is located in Rusk County and lies 913 miles [1,469.3 km]<2> to the west southwest of the Big Springs that is located in Calhoun County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Rusk County community of Big Springs.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Big Springs ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Brohard
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Brohard is located in Ritchie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brohard
  • Burnt House
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Burnt House is located in Ritchie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt House
  • Dutchman
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Dutchman is located in Ritchie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutchman
  • Five Forks
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Five Forks is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Forks
  • Freed
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Freed is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freed
  • Grantsville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Henrietta
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Henrietta is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrietta
  • Iris ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Iris is located in Ritchie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iris
  • Joker
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Joker is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joker
  • Pleasant Hill
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Pleasant Hill is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
  • Purdy
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Purdy is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purdy
  • Tanner
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Tanner is located in Gilmer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanner

How Far From Big Springs to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers & Almanacs that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Big Springs to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Big Springs and extending to:

  • Grantsville, which is the Seat of Calhoun County, lies just to the South Southwest.
  • Charleston, which is the State Capital of West Virginia, lies 53 miles [85.3 km]<2> to the southwest (SW). If you could walk a straight line from Big Springs to Charleston, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take most of three days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take over two days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 216 miles [347.6 km] to the east (E). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take nearly four hours, a buggy would take 9 days and walking would take 13 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,062 miles [9,755.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,777 miles [10,906.5 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,652 miles [7,486.7 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Big Springs could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<2>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Big Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Big Springs to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Big Springs. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 38.9854, Longitude: -81.0721       In this case, the coordinates for Big Springs have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 310.305 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 306.201 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 306.412 degrees.