1946 Map of West Plains

About this map

West Plains serves as the regional hub for Howell County in the mid-1940s, anchored by the St Louis - San Francisco railroad. The landscape is a network of small upland communities and rural school districts, including Langston Sch, Bradford Sch, and Homeland Sch, reflecting a highly localized agrarian society. To the south, the terrain follows the South Fork Spring River and its many tributaries like Myatt Creek and Mustion Creek, where family-named sites such as the Mc Elmerry Cem and Brown Chapel mark the long-standing settlements near the Arkansas border. The presence of the County Home and American Legion Field near the city center provides a glimpse into the civic infrastructure and social life of the era before post-war suburban expansion altered the local geography.