West Plains, Missouri is a regional Ozarks center of about 12,100 people. Growth here accelerated when the railroad arrived in 1883, shifting the community from a small courthouse town to a market center; you can still trace that turn in the building stock and the rail line skirting the business district. Today, the city’s identity blends that festival’s fiddles and craft demos with college life at Missouri State University–West Plains and a school spirit built around the uniquely named Zizzers, an enduring local nickname with roots in early 20th-century campus lore.
Culture in the city beats to a steady rhythm, thanks to the Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival, the signature event that showcases fiddles, dulcimers, square-dance workshops, artisans, and pie contests. After three decades running in early summer, organizers moved the 31st year to October 17–18, 2025, bringing cooler weather and the same full schedule across downtown and the civic center grounds. Between festivals, murals and public art keep the streets lively. Stop by the Ozark Heritage Welcome Center to see the chainsaw-carved tribute to hometown country icon Porter Wagoner, unveiled with fanfare and now part of local art tours.
Day to day, there’s plenty to do. Outdoors, Galloway Creek Nature Park offers paved walking paths, a covered bridge, and a little riparian bird-watching along a gentle loop—easy to fit in before lunch or after work. People’s Park anchors the west side of downtown with playgrounds, a reservable pavilion, and the Veterans Memorial, dedicated in 2002 with a Gold Star Mothers section added in 2014—quiet ground for reflection beneath mature shade trees
Food anchors local routine just as firmly as parks and ballfields. Ozark Pizza & Bread Co. is where folks order blistered-edge pies and grab loaves for the weekend—proof that simple ingredients and a hot oven still win. Hibby’s Sports Grille brings the game-day energy with burgers, wings, and walls of screens; on a big Friday night, you can hear the cheers from the sidewalk. And for a hearty breakfast or a plate of diner classics, Ozark Cafe has long served coffee refills and scratch-style comfort food a short stroll from the square.
A few hometown businesses stand out for what they’ve meant to the region. Hirsch Feed & Farm Supply has been outfitting farms and backyards for decades—feed, fencing, tractors, and seasoned advice under one roof—making it a regular stop for producers and hobbyists alike. On the industrial side, quilting enthusiasts know the city for Gammill, the long-arm quilting manufacturer headquartered on Gibson Street, which draws customers and technicians from far beyond the Ozarks. Together, they show how this community values practical know-how and meticulous workmanship, an expectation that carries over when folks look for professionals who solve problems thoroughly.
We know this community well, and we’re proud to serve our neighbors here. If wildlife has started to make itself at home in your attic, crawlspace, or walls, Critters Gone Urban can inspect, remove problem animals, and seal up the gaps that let them back in, work we tailor to the way homes and businesses are built in West Plains.
Contact us and we’ll get you on the schedule, answer questions up front, and take care of the issue from start to finish.