National Register of Historic Places

Courthouse Square Historic District

West Plains, Howell County, Missouri
Listed
July 16, 2003
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
03000651

About this property

Courthouse Square Historic District is a national historic district located at West Plains, Howell County, Missouri. The district encompasses 46 contributing buildings in the central business district of West Plains. It developed between about 1881 and 1950 and includes representative examples of Italianate, Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, Late Gothic Revival, and Art Deco style architecture. Located in the district are the separately listed Elledge Arcade Buildings, W. J. and Ed Smith Building, and West Plains Bank Building. Other notable buildings include the IOOF Building #2 (c. 1923), First Presbyterian Church (c. 1887, 1910, 1978), Howell County Courthouse (1937), Aid Hardware Building (1914-1915), W. N. Evans Building (c. 1892), J. R. Foster Building (c. 1929), Foster-Renfrew Building (c. 1919), Alsup, Risley & Skillman Block (c. 1887), Catron Opera House / Johnson Opera House (1893), IOOF Building / J. R. Galloway Building (1896), Evans Theatre (c. 1899, 1913), W. J. Zorn Building, #1/Howell County Gazette Building (1911-1912), West Plains Fire Department/City Hall (1917), and Avenue Theatre (1950). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Location

West Plains, Howell County, Missouri
36.72883, -91.85242

Categories

COMMERCEPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Courthouse Square Historic District

This page lists Courthouse Square Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Courthouse Square Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

West Plains Bank Building
Industrial
0 mi
Smith, W.J. and Ed, Building
Industrial
0 mi
Elledge Arcade Buildings
Industrial
0 mi
Mount Zion Lodge Masonic Temple
Industrial
0.1 mi
International Shoe Company Building
Industrial
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Courthouse Square Historic District listed on the National Register?

Courthouse Square Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 16, 2003.

What type of historic resource is Courthouse Square Historic District?

Courthouse Square Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Courthouse Square Historic District?

The period of significance for Courthouse Square Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Courthouse Square Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Courthouse Square Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Howell County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Howell County.

Explore HowellCounty ›

More historic places in Missouri

Browse all historic places in Missouri.

View Missourihistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Missouri history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Missourihistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Courthouse Square Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report