Thousands of church members converged on Big Sandy and surrounding communities for the week-long Feast of Tabernacles each year, creating a significant economic impact.

The presence of the college, along with the annual convention operation, influenced hundreds of church members to relocate to Big Sandy and the surrounding area over the years.

In March 2000, the campus was sold to the Green Family Trust (owner of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.), which leased it to the Institute in Basic Life Principles.

The Academy also serves as a camp and conference center, and holds four-week summer programs for boys and girls.

By the 1990s, both businesses had been purchased in separate transactions by Dynamic Resource Group (DRG), a publishing company in Berne, Indiana.

SFG, which handles mailing and subscription fulfillment for DRG and other clients, is now Big Sandy's and Upshur County's largest employer.

On July 10–11, 1986, more than 1,000 law enforcement officers responded to Big Sandy Chief of Police Richard Lingle's request for assistance after the convicted murderer Jerry "The Animal" McFadden escaped from the Upshur County jail.

[11] Lingle broadcast his call for help after Upshur County authorities were unable to track down McFadden and his hostage that evening.

Responding officers securely cordoned off the city, leaving McFadden little chance of escape, and he was recaptured and returned to jail.

Due to severe overcrowding in prisons, he had been paroled despite a past marked by violence, and committed additional crimes.

The Big Sandy High School football team won three Texas Class B state championships, in consecutive years 1973–1975.