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West Plains, Howell County, Missouri
West Plains was originally platted by J.R. Woodside, Surveyor. Levi Johnson and Milton Rippa were chairmen and Wm. Johnson was the flag man. The plat was approved February 1, 1858, by W.H. Johnson, who was the commissioner of the seat of justice, with J.S. Harrie serving as clerk.
At the beginning of the Civil War, the population in West Plains was about 150, but by 1865, the town site was void of inhabitants or houses, having been burned by guerillas in 1863.
Josephus Howell was a merchant in West Plains before the war. After peace had been declared, the refugees began to return and new settlers began to arrive. Among the first to go into the mercantile business were Steve Woodworth, John Rice, B.B. Carter and R.W. Johnson. William Monks, who came to this country in 1844, was one of the early citizens after the war, owning property south of the spring. He engaged in the Hotel business.
On August 16, 1883, West Plains became a city of the fourth class. Mayors of the City prior to 1905 included Sam A. Risley, O.H.P. Cantron, John Halstead, W.J. Zorn, J.C. Kirby, J.A. Truex, G.B. Thomas, Richard Ramsey, H.G. Doty, G.H. Cobb and C.F. Funkhouser
According to the October 12, 1905 issue of the West Plains Weekly Journal, the population of West Plains at that time was about 3,200. West Plains is pleasantly located near the center of the county at an altitude of 1,100 feet above sea level. It was also situated on the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad 110 miles South East of Springfield. At that time, West Plains boasted of many handsome residents, Brick business houses, three banks, a large opera house and electric light and water plant owned by the city, two large flour mills, two planning mills and seven churches. There were five public school buildings, including a new high school built in 1904 at a cost of ten thousand dollars. In 1905, the school system employed 20 teachers. West Plains was also the home of a good College, a public library, several good hotels, four newspapers and lodges of various orders.
The 1905 Journal article states that " The city has general merchandise stores, drug stores, groceries, furniture stores and a wholesale grocery, all doing a good business
West Plains is an important shipping point for flour, fruit, cattle, hogs, horses, mules, sheep, eggs, poultry, ore and cotton".
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