This year, during their unit on community history, some of the third-grade students at Richards Elementary have learned about the importance of the railroad coming to West Plains in 1882-1883. The children have learned how the railroad first got here, what West Plains was like when the trains first arrived, how the town has changed since, and about some of the railroad accidents that have occurred in the West Plains area.

While the children were studying the history of West Plains and writing their own stories, the entire classroom was involved in the creation of a mural called "The Railroad Comes to West Plains." The children involved in the creation of the mural were Melissa, Nathan, Quinn, Zack , Dane, Tafton, Chayse, Jonathon, Krista, Stephanie, Adam, Brooke, Joseph, Jordan, Kirsten, and Cameron. This mural is on display at the Howell County Courthouse.

 Student Stories

 Link to historic photos of the 1914 West Plains depot
(Thanks to missouridepots.com and Jack Forbes)