The West Plains Gazette is a large magazine (the size of the old Life magazine) chock-full of articles about pioneer families and businesses in the small town of West Plains, Missouri. Each issue contains hundreds of old photos, reproduced clearly and large enough to see details. There are stories about the mining operations (lead mines), the large peach orchards, and other businesses which were once a vital part of the local economy but which have faded from sight.

And although the magazine is specifically about this small town in Missouri and surrounding counties (Ozark County, Oregon County, et al), the articles and photographs will be of interest to anyone who loves small town history, family histories, and old photographs. Thirty issues were published between 1978 and 1988.

The Old Timers Club by Toney Aid
THE WEST PLAINS EXPLOSION of April 13, 1928, which killed 37 people
Howell County History 1839-1866 (What the Civil War did to this area)
Pioneers: Dr. J.C.B. Dixon, physician who learned medicine from the Indians
Dr. Bohrer's Photograph Album (showing photos of homes and businesses 1910-1917)
Ozark County Scrapbook (Pioneers of Ozark County, Mo.)
West Plains Gazette #1 - $50.00      

An Interview with Homer Arnett
Howell County History 1865-1899 by Dorotha Reavis
Parkside Part I, about Dr. Hogan
A History of Banking in West Plains by Toney Aid
An Interview with Ann Sims Dugan

West Plains Gazette # 2-$5      

Interview with the WPHS Class of 1979
Parkside Part II, Dr. Bohrer
Pictures of the First Annual 10,000 Meter Run
Howell County History 1900-1908 by Dorotha Reavis
A History of the First United Methodist Church

   
West Plains Gazette # 3-$5      

A Visit with Cap Newberry (blacksmith)
A History of Mining in south Central Missouri by Toney Aid
The Pomona Oil and Gas Co. by Mary Corman
West to Missouri, a Story of Pioneer Movement by Michael Cochran
Interview with Aunt Bess Newton, a pioneer woman of the Hills
Log Cabin Homes by Olva Griffin
The Sherwood Vaughn Homestead
Howell County History, 1911, by Dorotha Reavis
Hootin' and Hollarin' 1979 Ozark County's Annual Fall Festival

   
West Plains Gazette # 4-$5      

West Plains Native Porter Wagoner--In His Own Words
Pioneers: The Galloway Family by Beulah Galloway Thornburgh
A Look at the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904 by Patricia Barley and Joan Woods
History of the First Baptist Church by Dorotha Reavis
A Photographic History of West Plains' Centennial Celebration in 1952

 
West Plains Gazette # 5-$5      

Fish Stories by Sam Freel
The Langston Brothers, Pioneer Merchants by Michael Cochran
Mayoral Race, Joe Pyles and Gerald Elmore, 1980
In the Line of Duty, History of the Cordell Family by Allene Chapin
Looking back with Dorothy Robertson
West Plains Scrapbook (photos)

   
West Plains Gazette # 6-$5      

An Early History of Oregon County, MO by C. S. Gohn
A Visit with Jan Howard (famous West Plains country music star)
The Norfork Project (the building of Norfork Lake) by Michael Cochran
Detours can be Fun by famous photographer Joe Van Wormer
Photographs by Joe Van Wormer and article by Helen Van Wormer
West Plains Scrapbook

 
West Plains Gazette # 7-$5      

Memoirs of an Ozarks Bus Driver by Joe Fite
The Harlin Brothers, the Story of an Ozarks Dynasty by Michael Cochran
Koshkonong, the First Hundred Years by Clara Williams
The History of the Richards Family by Dwight Richards
Hugh and Pauline Pond, Howell County Farm Family by Jim Cox

 
West Plains Gazette # 8-$5      

Captain Buck by Jim Cox
Howell Countians in the Civil War Part I
Memories of a One-Room School by Freda Cromer
Ella Lilly Horak, by Maxine Curtis
Hoofpower! by Olva Griffin

 
West Plains Gazette # 9-$5      

Interview with Country Music's Speck Rhodes
A History of Boy Scouting in West Plains by Jim Cox
Virgil and Noma Gabel (small town cafe)
History of Episcopal Church by Viki Brigham
Memories of Scouting by Andy Cochran
Doc Bailey

 
West Plains Gazette # 10-$5      

Mrs. Kreigh (Weather Reporter in West Plains)
The Bill Virdon Story (native of West Plains, major league baseball player/coach)
Part II of Civil War History, The Rolla Connection by John F. Bradbury, Jr.
Gazette Gallery (more old photos)
Pigs are Beautiful! (How West Plains became the feeder pig capitol of the world)
Our People: Profile of Clyde Moseley

 
West Plains Gazette # 11-$5      

Mrs. Poole
Private School by Phyllis Swan
Pioneers: History of the Hunter Family
Ozarks Rivers Fanfare (Greer Springs, North Fork River, White River)
Our People: Jack Gannon
Dr. Cooper, A Lifetime of Service by Clara Williams

 
West Plains Gazette # 12-$5      

Myrtle, MO Celebrates 100 Years by Clara Williams
Whitmire Family History
Gazette Gallery
Hutton Valley Reunion
Famous Talkie Tent Show (Forrest and Oneta Glass traveling from town to town, showing movies in a tent)
In Memory of Carl Ferguson 1896-1981 by Maxine Curtis

 
West Plains Gazette # 13-$5      

Harry and Dorotha Reavis (police chief and wife)
Grand Gulf, Subterranean Wonder by Joe Senn
Gazette Gallery (photos)
Family Heroes C. T. Bolin and Nehemiah Burgess
Gainesville's 1981 Hootin' and Hollarin' Festival
Our People: Lycurgus M. Starkey

 
West Plains Gazette # 14-$5      

The Glory that was Brandsville by Allene Chapin
Gazette Gallery (photos)
Clifford Kintner's Unique Woodcraft
Alton's Lewis A. W. Simpson by Clara Williams
A Special Cave Rediscovered by Clara Williams
Black Powder Shooter's Fall Frolic at Thayer
Pioneers: The Barnett Family by Hayward Barnett

 
West Plains Gazette # 15-$5