ABOUT WEST PLAINS
Visiting West Plains is made easy with our infrastructure and amenities
Tucked in the Ozark Mountains, near pristine wilderness areas and spring-fed streams, the City of West Plains attracts nature lovers, entrepreneurs, and families searching for a small-town feel with big-city conveniences.
As the largest city within 100 miles in Missouri, West Plains provides the most options for lodging, dining, outfitting, and other services. It’s been this way since 1883 when the railroad came to West Plains, establishing the town as the regional hub of trade and commerce. Now thousands of people enjoy great schools, quality healthcare, higher education, and a progressive spirit of entrepreneurship made possible by forward-thinking civic leaders.
We hope you enjoy your visit to West Plains, truly a place where you can experience life on your terms.
Take a drive around our town and learn about some of the pivotal events and people who are part of our past, present, and future.
Click here for a History Tour of West Plains
We are happy to assist travelers with area maps, brochures, and event information. Also at the center is a gift shop, RV dump station, and water fill.
Hours of operation:
Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Located at:
2999 Porter Wagoner Blvd. in West Plains
For more information,:
email tourism@westplains.gov
or call 417-256-8835
The West Plains Regional Airport (FAA identifier UNO) is located at 4523 County Road 2340, Pomona, MO 65789. The airport is full service with an 18/36 5102×75 ft. asphalt runway. Amenities include a pilot’s lounge/quarters, unisex shower, kitchen area, spacious lobby, conference room and Wi-Fi. Hangar rental is available. The airport is located 11 miles north of West Plains. Courtesy cars are available.
Office hours of operation:
Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Contact:
Phone number 417-257-1530. After hours, contact airport manager, 417-257-1539
For more information:
visit westplains.gov/west-plains-regional-airport or email airport@westplains.gov
Hours of Operation:
City Hall is open Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Located at:
1910 Holiday Ln West Plains, Missouri 65775
For more information:
Call 417-256-7176 or visit westplains.gov
West Plains Transit offers affordable fares and passes with group discounts.
Hours of operation:
M-F, 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
No service on 11 major holidays
For more information about schedule and routes:
visit westplains.gov/transit-department or contact the City of West Plains Transportation Dept.
417-256-1241
In an effort to help curb future costs of electricity, the City of West Plains has built and put online a 40-acre solar farm just north of the city. It features 25,000 solar panels, making it the largest municipal-owned solar farm in the state of Missouri. It provides enough electricity to power over 2,000 homes, or overall, roughly 7 percent of the city’s electricity needs. This equates to saving over 1.3 million gallons of gasoline and recycling 3,908 tons of waste to avoid greenhouse gas emissions.
Neighboring communities are Bears, Eagles, and Bobcats, but West Plains is famous for being home to the Zizzers, the only ones in the whole country! But what is a Zizzer? It all started in 1907 when the senior class put together an eight-page commemorative booklet for the junior class, presented on Class Day. The juniors loved the idea, so they put together their own booklet in 1908. This was the beginning of an annual yearbook tradition at the school. When they presented the book to faculty member Phoebe Davidson, she exclaimed, “What a Zizzer!” a term which is said to have been a colloquialism for lightning or a flash from the sky. The name was put on the 1908 edition, and it stuck. It continues to be the name of the West Plains High School yearbook, as well as academic and sports teams across the district. A lightning bolt is the school logo/mascot. In recent years, school officials have coined another definition of a Zizzer: an expert in any activity, a winner!
Several famous people were born in West Plains and/or lived here for some time. Click on their links below to view more information.
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains or Ozark Plateau, is a region in the United States that includes 93 counties in four different states including parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and southeastern Kansas. The Ozarks covers approximately 50,000 square miles.