Native Americans and military forces long camped at nearby springs that served as an oasis in the surrounding area. In 1852, U.S. Capt. Randolph B. Marcy led an expedition in search of the Red River headwaters, and his party camped here on June 16. Records of later military engagements and expeditions involving Col. Ranald S. MacKenzie, Gen. Nelson Miles, and others also noted the springs. Archeological investigations have confirmed that an 1874 battle between U.S. troops under Lt. Frank Baldwin and the forces of Cheyenne chief Grey Beard occurred in the general vicinity. Nearby development has dramatically decreased the flow of the historic Big Springs over the years.