Howell County is in southern Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,750. The largest city and county seat is West Plains. The county was officially organized on March 2, 1851, and is named after Josiah Howell, a pioneer settler in the Howell Valley.
Howell County comprises the West Plains, MO, Micropolitan Statistical Area.
| Name: | Howell County |
|---|---|
| FIPS code: | 29-091 |
| State: | Missouri |
| Founded: | March 2, 1857 |
| Named for: | Josiah Howell, pioneer settler |
| Seat: | West Plains |
| Largest city: | West Plains |
| Total Area: | 928 sq mi (2,400 km²) |
| Land Area: | 927 sq mi (2,400 km²) |
| Total Population: | 40,400 |
| Population Density: | 44/sq mi (17/km²) |
| Time zone: | UTC−6 (Central) |
| Summer Time Zone (DST): | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Website: | www.howellcounty.net |
Howell County location map. Where is Howell County?
History
Howell County was organized on March 2, 1857, from Oregon County, and is named for Josiah Howell, who made the first settlement in Howell Valley.
The first circuit court met in a log cabin one mile east of West Plains, according to an 1876 account. A small, wooden courthouse was built on the square in West Plains in 1859. It was damaged during the Civil War in 1862. The county was reorganized three years later, but all of the county records were destroyed in an 1866 fire. A second courthouse was built in West Plains in 1869. It was a small, three-room, frame building, about 24 by 30 feet.
Howell County Road Map
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 928 square miles (2,400 km), of which 927 square miles (2,400 km) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km) (0.1%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Missouri by land area and fourth-largest by total area.
Adjacent counties
- Texas County (north)
- Shannon County (northeast)
- Oregon County (east)
- Fulton County, Arkansas (south)
- Ozark County (southwest)
- Douglas County (northwest)
Major highways
- U.S. Route 60
- U.S. Route 63
- U.S. Route 160
- Route 14
- Route 17
- Route 76
- Route 142
National protected area
- Mark Twain National Forest (part)
Howell County Topographic Map
Howell County Satellite Map
Howell County Outline Map
