1940 Map of West Plains

About this map

West Plains serves as the focal point of this 1940s-era topographic survey, revealing a well-defined urban grid at the intersection of the St Louis San Francisco railroad and local trade routes. The landscape transitions quickly from the town’s civic spaces like Peoples Park and American Legion Field into the agricultural expanses of Howell Valley. This period of Ozark history is marked by a dense network of small rural institutions, including numerous schools like Galloway Sch and Valley View Sch that supported local farming families.