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===Topography=== |
===Topography=== |
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West Plains is located in extreme south-central Missouri, near the center of Howell County. The city |
West Plains is located in extreme south-central Missouri as part of [[The Ozarks]], near the center of Howell County, to the east of the Ozark Mountains and Ozark Plateau. The city is mostly flat on the northern and eastern sides; however, the western and southern sides tend to have more hills. The city has slowly developed around Court Square (known by locals as "The Square"), with the west having more land development than the eastern side of the city. |
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===Climate=== |
===Climate=== |
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Revision as of 21:24, 17 September 2010
West Plains | |
|---|---|
 Location of West Plains, Missouri | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Howell |
| Founded | 1828 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Joe Paul Evans |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.4 sq mi (32.1 km2) |
| • Land | 0.1 sq mi (32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2) 0.16% |
| Elevation | 1,004 ft (306 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 10,866 |
| • Density | 879.0/sq mi (339.4/km2) |
| • 2008 estimate[1] | 12,045 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time) |
| Zip code | 65775 |
| Area code | 417 |
| FIPS code | 29-78928Template:GR |
| GNIS feature ID | 0740027Template:GR |
| Website | www.westplains.net |
West Plains is a city and the county seat of Howell County, Missouri, United States. At the 2000 Census, the city's population was 10,866. A 2008 estimate by the Census Bureau shows that the population has risen to 12,045. The West Plains Micropolitan Statistical Area is all of Howell County.
History
Boom town
West Plains was founded in 1828 as an unincorporated town. The early days of West Plains have been described to be similar to those of a boom town. By the late 19th century, the town's population had grown to around 300. Population then broke above 1,000 around 1930.
West Plains Explosion and Depression Era
On the night of Friday, April 13, 1928, about sixty young people had gathered in the Bond Dance Hall. The Bond Dance Hall was on the second floor of an East Main Street building; the first floor was occupied by Wiser Motors. At 11:05 p.m., as the orchestra played "At Sundown," a violent explosion occurred.
Thirty-seven people were killed; twenty of the dead were so badly mangled that they were unidentifiable. All of the unidentified dead in the explosion are today buried in the Oak Lawn Cemetery. They are memorialized by the "Rock of Ages" monument, erected on October 6, 1929. Numerous buildings, including the courthouse, were damaged to where they were not of use. To this day, no official cause to the explosion has been found. Numerous theories and stories have been passed through generations, one involving gasoline leaking from Wiser Motors. Later, lifelong West Plains resident Robert Neathery wrote in his book, West Plains as I Knew It, that a truck full of explosives parked in the underlying garage was likely the cause.
The Great Depression impacted West Plains.
Geography
West Plains is located at 36°44′14″N 91°51′54″W / 36.73722°N 91.86500°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (36.737355, -91.864991)Template:GR. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.4 square miles (32.1 km²), of which 12.4 square miles (32 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.16%) is water.
Topography
West Plains is located in extreme south-central Missouri as part of The Ozarks, near the center of Howell County, to the east of the Ozark Mountains and Ozark Plateau. The city is mostly flat on the northern and eastern sides; however, the western and southern sides tend to have more hills. The city has slowly developed around Court Square (known by locals as "The Square"), with the west having more land development than the eastern side of the city.
Climate
West Plains generally has a temperate climate year-round, with rain totals reaching their peak during spring and autumn months. Temperatures normally reach their maximum during mid-summer.
| Climate data for West Plains, Missouri | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 43 (6) |
49 (9) |
59 (15) |
69 (21) |
76 (24) |
84 (29) |
89 (32) |
89 (32) |
81 (27) |
71 (22) |
57 (13) |
46 (8) |
68 (20) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20 (−7) |
24 (−4) |
32 (0) |
41 (5) |
51 (11) |
60 (16) |
65 (18) |
63 (17) |
55 (13) |
43 (6) |
33 (1) |
24 (−4) |
43 (6) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.6 (66) |
2.99 (76) |
4.8 (120) |
4.33 (110) |
4.61 (117) |
4.33 (110) |
3.15 (80) |
3.15 (80) |
4.02 (102) |
3.39 (86) |
4.92 (125) |
3.98 (101) |
46.27 (1,175) |
| Source 1: [2] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: [3] | |||||||||||||
References
- ^ "Population estimates (2008) for Missouri" (Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheet). Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ "Climate West Plains - Missouri - Climate graph". U.S. Climate Data. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
- ^ "West Plains, Missouri (MO 65775) Detailed Profile". Onboard Informatics. Retrieved 2009-10-28.