Tucked in the Ozark Mountains, near pristine wilderness areas and spring-fed streams, West Plains, Mo. attracts nature lovers, entrepreneurs and families searching for an authentic yet progressive small city. In fact, West Plains was selected as the 9th best small town in America for 2013 by Livability.com.An extensive park system, sidewalks and paths allow residents to walk through much of the city. The Downtown Square marks the center of West Plains' historic downtown, where the nearby Civic Center hosts a variety of concerts, athletic contests and special events. Downtown Antique Mall, one of several antique stores, occupies the old Aid Hardware building on the square and has more than 100 booths of antiques and collectibles and a coffee shop. Several festivals celebrate the culture and fellowship of West Plains, such as the annual Old Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival, which fills the streets with crafts, demonstrations, and music lovers. Naturally occurring springs across the Ozarks keep rivers and lakes full, providing year-round opportunities to fish, canoe and kayak. The 1.5 million-acre Mark Twain National Forest and Grand Gulf State Park include miles of trails, campsites and abundant wildlife.The city also boasts the Ozarks Small Business Incubator, which helps and supports startups as well as established businesses. The Incubator recently won the Governor's Award, recognition for being the best redevelopment/economic development project in the state.West Plains is also the home of Missouri State University-West Plains, which was recently selected as the #6 best value for community colleges in America by Washington Monthly, and the West Plains School District, which achieved a top 10 percentile ranking in state academic performance.