Big Spring Park is a beautiful area just to the west of downtown Huntsville. At the upper end is the outlet of the "Big Spring" that was the attraction for the original settlement by John Hunt 200 years ago. The spring provided the water source for the canal, opened in 1831, to transport cotton from city square to Triana, some miles away on the Tennessee River. A short piece of the canal is preserved in the park. The spring itself is built up into an attractive pool and cascade. A dam at the lower end of the park forms the lake that is the centerpiece of the park. The lake is edged by Japanese Flowering Cherry trees that are spectacular in spring. There is the colorful Japanese foot bridge and other attractive and historical structures. Ducks, Geese and Goldfish are year round residents of the lake and put on a good show when food is tossed by the public. Free Monday night concerts are held throughout the summer and are very popular. Numerous benches are provided in the park for people to rest and enjoy themselves

Page two provides an account of the exploration trip by John Hunt and Andrew Bean to Big Spring in 1804 that led to the settlement of the community. It also gives a description of the Big Spring area in its totally undeveloped state. .

Page three is a map showing the locations important to the 1804 Joh Hunt exploration trip.

Subsequent pages are photos of current Big Spring International Park and also some fall color photos of the historical area of Huntsville.