Howell County Digital Magazine

HOWELL COUNTY ROAD MAP
AREA HISTORY
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
BUSINESS RESOURCES
REALTOR® CONTACT INFORMATION
Provided by Ozark Mountains Living

FRISCO RAILROAD
The railroad depot at Brandsville, Missouri used by the St. Louis-San Francisco
Railway Company. Laid out in 1883 by the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad
and named for Michael Brand. During the construction of the railroad, the place
was known as Flag Pond.
The railroad depot at Burnham, Missouri used by the St. Louis-San Francisco
Railway Company. Named for C. B. Burnham, vice-president of the old Kansas
City and Memphis Railroad of Kansas City.
The railroad depot at Olden, Missouri, used by the St. Louis-San Francisco
Railway Company. A small town on Highway 63 and the Frisco R. R., in Dry
Creek Township. It was established in 1882 by the railroad and named for
Benjamin F. Olden, an early lawyer and influential citizen of West Plains, who at
one time, was attorney for the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis R. R.
Company (later the Frisco R. R.). He came from Illinois during the late 1860s.
During the construction of the road, the camp here was known as Edom for
Edom Dixon of West Plains, one of the contractors. (—Place Names)
The railroad depot at Pomona, Missouri used by the St. Louis-San
Francisco Railway Company A small town in Dry Creek Township, on
Highway 63 and the Frisco R. R. The land had been homesteaded by
William White who sold it to William Pitts who started a large fruit farm.
H. D. Mackey owned a 400 acre farm of apples, peaches, pears and berries;
others owned large orchards near. Through the influence of the railroad
company, and William Pitts, the town was laid out between 1894 and 1896.
The railroad depot at Trask, Missouri, used by the St. Louis-San Francisco
Railway Company on the Current River RR Branch off the Willow Springs
Main Line.
The railroad depot at Willow Springs, Missouri, used by the St.
Louis-San Francisco Railway Company A town on Highways 60
and 63 at the junction of the Frisco and Current River R. R.

Howell County is located in the southern portion of the U.S. state
of Missouri. The largest city and county seat is West Plains.
History Howell County area before the white settlers, was
inhabited mainly by the Osage. The first recorded white settlement
took place in 1832 by James Howell near present-day West
Plains. The early settler’s enjoyed wild honey, farmed the area
known as Howell Valley, hunted, and traded furs. The future
would see a flour mill, a wool mill, the railroad, and lumber
mills. Howell County was organized on March 2, 1857, from
parts of Oregon and Ozark Counties. Named after the early
settler James Howell, the county seat was named West Plains.
The majority of the people in the new county located on the Arkansas border were pro-Confederacy
when Brigadier General McBride arrived in July 1861. He declared martial law, and demanded Union
supporters to either join the Confederacy or leave. Some fought in the Confederate army promised
the protection of their homes and families. There were no major battles in Howell County, although a
federal fort built in West Plains caused small conflicts. Guerrilla and border warfare was constant.
Historians estimate there were less than three hundred people in the entire county by the end of the
war in May 1865. Most of the settlements, including West Plains and the courthouse, had burned.
Railroad construction begun in 1880, brought about an industrial boom. An ice plant, distillery, brick
yard, cigar factory, and canning factory all became very successful. Lumber mills in the pine forests
that supplied the ties for the railroad now supplied the growing demand for lumber in Springfield.
The first Circuit Court met in a log cabin one mile east of West Plains, according to an 1876 account.
A small, wooden courthouse was built on the square in West Plains in 1859. It was damaged during
the Civil War in 1862. The county was reorganized three years later, but all of the county records were
destroyed in an 1866 fire. A second courthouse was built in West Plains in 1869.
Geography
The estimated 2015 population was 40,117 over a total area of 928 square miles. It is the fourthlargest
county in Missouri.
Demographics
40 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 16,340 housing units at an average density of 18 per
square mile (7/km²).
Religion
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2000), Howell
County is a part of the Bible Belt with evangelical Protestantism being the majority religion. The most
predominant denominations among residents in Howell County who adhere to a religion are Southern
Baptists (47.70%), Churches of Christ (8.81%), and Roman Catholics (6.99%).
Politics
The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Howell County. Republicans
hold all of the elected positions in the county.

NORTHERN HOWELL COUNTY

Some of the named places you see on the map are towns. Today they serve as markers to what part
of the county you’re in. Someone will ask “Where do you live?” And you will tell them, Burnham, or
Peace Valley, and they will know the exact area, they may recount childhood stories of a visit to your
house or fishing in your pond.
Burnham A small town established in 1882 named C. B. Burnham, vice-president of the old Kansas
City and Memphis Railroad. It became a flourishing lumber town, one center of the Missouri Land and
Lumber Company, during the 1880's and 1890's.
Fanchon A post-office established in 1901. It grew to be a little village at one time, with two stores, a
grist mill, a blacksmith shop, a shingle mill and several dwelling houses
Grimmett A post-office established as early as 1895, in 1917 Jesse R. Byers, who lived one and onehalf
miles southeast of the present site of Grimmett, took the office and restored the old name. In
1919, he bought the store it was discontinued between 1937 and 1939.
Horton Laid out in 1883, named George Horton, a civil engineer who had surveyed for the road.
Lumber in 1880’s and 1890’s.
Hutton Valley A small town and post-office on the Current River Branch of the Frisco R. R., laid out in
1873.
Mountain View on the Current River, laid out in 1888 by the railroad but the village was named when
the post-office was established December 22, 1879. The town at a higher elevation than the
surrounding area, and one could see over the hills, plains and valleys for a long distance; thus the
name Mountain View.
Olden Established in 1882 by the railroad and named for Benjamin F. Olden, an early lawyer of West
Plains.
Peace Valley A village and post-office, two and one-half miles south of the stream of this name.
Pomona A small town laid out between 1894 and 1896, on Highway 63 and the Frisco R. R. Named
for Pomona the goddess of fruits, because it was situated in a good fruit growing area.
Siloam Springs A village and post-office beautifully situated in the Ozark hills. It reached a population
of about 600 persons during the timber days of the 1880's and 1890's. It is said that originally there
were ten or twelve springs; now there are three good springs, all claimed to have various medicinal
properties.
Sterling A railroad station on the Frisco line, in the north part of Willow Springs. Named for John
Sterling. Post-office followed, and became a saw mill village.
Trask A station and a little village and post-office, on the Current River Branch of the Frisco Railroad.
White Church A village, post-office, named because of the churches established there. The
Cumberland Presbyterians finished their church here in 1864.

How to use this Map SOUTHERN HOWELL COUNTY
The Townships are marked on the left column. The Ranges are marked on the bottom line. The Section numbers are marked in the
center of each Section. Sections are one-mile square. This enables you to estimate distance to a Highway, or Town.

Southern Howell County Named Places
AMY Post-office moved to Hocomo (q.v.) in 1932, was established by Dr. James Black and kept in
a store on his farm one and one-half miles no of the present site of Amy until 1903, when it was
moved to the home of Mrs. Rebecca Gill for a short time before the Carter Store of Amy took
charge of the mail. Dr. Black, district postmaster, suggested the name for his daughter.
BRANDSVILLE A small town in Howell Township, laid out in 1883 by the St. Louis and San
Francisco Railroad and named for Michael Brand who owned 17,000 acres of land in Howell
County, and gave the town site. Mr. Herman Wisch came with Mr. Branch (evidently Brand is
meant), and they put in a store and many acres of apple, peach and grape orchards, and started a
large sheep ranch. During the construction of the rail road, the place was known as Flag Pond
because the large marsh plants grew in such abundance and the place was a shallow pond.
CAUFIELD Village and post-office in Benton Township on Highway 80, near the Amyx mines in
Ozark County. John C. Harlin, of Gainesville, who was at that time state senator, suggested the
name for Governor Caulfield. Henry Stewart Caulfield, born in St. Louis in 1873, was governor of
Missouri from 1929 to 1933.
CHAPIN A station and discontinued post-office on the Frisco Railroad line, established in 1883 and
named by the railroad officials for Hugh Chapin. The village, sometimes called Chapin Station, was
also known as Chapinville.
CULL A village and post-office established in 1897 through the efforts of a prominent citizen,
merchant, landowner and Confederate soldier, David W. Cull, a native of Kentucky, who had come
here form Mexico, Missouri. Refusing the name sent in by him, the Postal Department gave his
name to the place.
HOCOMO A post-office established in 1931 in northeast Benton Township when Russell McHan
put in a store and filling station on Highway 80. The name was suggested by the merchant's father,
B. McHan, coined by combining the first two letters of Howell and the abbreviations of County and
Missouri.
POTTERSVILLE A village and post-office near the center of Spring Creek Township. Earlier it
was a village of considerable size. Josiah Carrico and Joel M. Potter came to the vicinity long
before the Civil War. Joseph Carrico, son of Josiah, was the first postmaster and named it for the
elderly man, Joel M. Potter who owned 160 acres of land near by.
SOUTH FORK The post-office and later name for Cross Roads, (q.v.), a very early name for the
community. It is located on the head waters of West Fork of South Fork of Spring River, from which
it took its name. William Black, father of James Black (see Amy), who had a store 2 miles west of
the road crossing was the first postmaster. The log cabin store was still standing in 1937. Now
owned by Thomas Divine.
WEST PLAINS The county seat, not just the hub of Howell County, this fast growing town is one
of the major hubs for the region. Forward thinking this town is diverse and offers much more to the
region than any other town for miles in any direction. Amenities, Education, Medical Services.

HOWELL COUNTY NUMBERS
EMERGENCY
Sheriff’s Office
Air Evac (air ambulance)
Ambulance
Animal Control
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Mountain View
West Plains
Willow Springs
City Utilities West Plains
FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Brandsville
Howell County Rural District 1
Lanton Volunteer
Moody Volunteer
Mountain View
Peace Valley Volunteer
Plains- Pumpkin Center
Pomona
Pottersville
West Plains
Willow Springs
11 Point Rural
911
417.256.2544
417.256.0010
417.256.2490
417.255.1860
417.934.2794
417.256.4433
417.469.5519
417.256.8087
417.867.3245
417.257.1270
417.257.2222
417.284.3906
417.934.2198
417.277.5562
417.257.7550
417.469.1223
417.256.4848
417.256.2424
417.469.4789
417.469.9111
West Plains Animal Shelter
West Plains Country Club
SENIOR CENTERS
Mountain View
West Plains
Willow Springs
MEDICAL
Medical Clinic of Willow Springs
Mercy Clinic Family Medical
St Johns Clinic Willow Springs
Medical Clinic Willow Springs
Westwood Rural Health Clinic
Good Samaritan Care Clinic
McVicker Family Health Clinic
Mercy St. Francis Hospital
St Johns Clinic
Burton Creek Rural Clinic
Ozarks Medical Center
OMC Urgent Care Clinic
West Plains Christian Clinic
Southern Missouri Community
Internal Medicine Clinic
417.256.8438
417.256.7197
417.934.6504
417.256.4055
417.469.3892
417.469.3116
417.469.1820
417.469.1820
417.469.3116
417.469.5124
417.934.6500
417.934.2273
417.934.7000
417.934.2251
417.256.2111
417.256.9111
417.257.5911
417.256.9722
417.255.8464
417.257.5989
Howell County Assessor
Howell-Oregon Electric Co-op
License Bureau
Centurytel Telephone Service
Highway Patrol Non-Emergency
Missouri Summit Natural Gas
Ozarks Regional Stockyards
417.256.8284
417.256.2131
417.256.0678
877.862.9343
417.496.3121
800.927.0787
417.256.3449
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Willow Springs Elementary
Howell Valley Elementary
West Plains Senior High
Mountain View-Birch Tree
Fairview Elementary
Junction Hill Elementary
Glenwood Elementary
Richards Elementary
Ozark Action Headstart
417.469.2474
417.256.2268
417.256.6150
417.934.2020
417.256.3868
417.256.4265
417.256.4849
417.256.5239
417.469.2893
PRIVATE SCHOOL
Faith Christian Academy
417.256.1817

RECREATIONAL AREAS
CARMAN SPRINGS NATURAL AREA Explore ten miles of high-quality Ozark creeks that course
through
narrow, steep-sided valleys. Access through Mark Twain National Forest
DAVIDSON/PARIS CONSERVATION AREA - 270 Acres, 200 acres are mixed warm-season grasses,
old fields and crop land. The remainder of the land is wooded. There is a two-acre pond and three
smaller ponds on the property. Middle Fork Creek meanders through the area. There have been as
many as 12 coveys of quail on the property, with as many as 100 quail being harvested in one year.
ELEVEN POINT NATIONAL SCENIC RIVER Established in 1968 as a 44-mile scenic river, free of
impoundments with a largely undeveloped shoreline and watershed. The Eleven Point River meanders
through the picturesque Ozark hills. Barely more than a small stream at its start, it gets wider and deeper
and it travels South-East. Springs pouring from bluffs or rushing up from a vast number of underground
spots provide continuous water and beauty. Stretches of rapids and deep clear pools wind around moss
covered boulders and shading bottomland hardwood trees.
NORTH FORK SECTION OF OZARK TRAIL The Pomona Trail Trailhead is located 1 mile west of
Pomona on the south side of P Highway. The Blue Hole Trailhead is located 9 miles west of Pomona,
Mo on P Highway, then turn left on AP Highway, go approximately 3 miles and the trailhead will be on
the right side of road.
TINGLER PRAIRIE CONSERVATION AREA - 255 Acres. One-half-mile of the South Fork of Spring
River meanders through the east side of this 240-acre area. Approximately two-thirds of the area is
open, and about 65 acres are classified as woodland. The area preserves a 10-acre wet mesic prairie
natural community, a shallow marsh and a five acre sinkhole pond call Tingler Lake. The is the site
of two varieties of the state endangered green orchid.
WHITE RANCH CONSERVATION AREA - 6,614 Acres Located 11 miles south of West Plains. White
Ranch is the local name for a region of land previously owned by Harry White. The 6,614-acre area is
mostly forested. Visitors to the area will find abundant populations of deer, turkey, and forest wildlife
species. The area offers fishing opportunities along the South Fork of the Spring River and at White
Ranch Lake. A shooting range is located near the end of Trail #6. Its facilities include a 50- and 100-yard
rifle range, plus an area set aside for shotguns. The parking lot, ranges, and public restrooms are
accessible to disabled users.