1938 Map of West Plains

About this map

West Plains serves as the bustling hub of Howell County in the late 1930s, anchored by the St Louis San Francisco railroad and a grid of residential and industrial streets. The landscape beyond the city limits is defined by a dense network of rural infrastructure, including a notable concentration of neighborhood schools such as Oakgrove Sch, Langston Sch, and Greenwood Sch. This survey provides a rare view of the County Home and its adjacent County Cem, reflecting the social services of the era. The terrain is shaped by the winding course of Howell Creek and Chapin Branch, which dictated the early settlement patterns and the placement of country churches like Smith Chapel. Genealogists will find particular value in the clearly marked family-named landmarks and cemeteries scattered across the South Fork and Howell Valley regions.