Springfield

Away from the busy streets of downtown Springfield lies the Bissett neighborhood, where residents live in national-style homes surrounded by tall trees. Neighbors catch up at events hosted by the Bissett Neighborhood Association. Some might visit L.A. Wise Park to chat while they walk along the paved trail. Residents also have popular barbecue spots like Bubba’s BBQ and Missouri Mike’s BBQ & More, a little over a mile away. And when homeowners want more options for dining out or ways to have a fun weekend, they drive or take a CU Transit bus 4 miles to downtown Springfield. Bissett gives residents a quiet escape and easy access to city center fun. The appearance of Bissett’s homes strikes a balance, says Peter Radecki, president of the Bissett Neighborhood Association. “There are some lots of an acre or larger, and right next to that are more modern subdivisions,” he says. Prices can range from $120,000 to $200,000, and most stay on the market for less than a week. The homes feature similar national-style designs with minor color variations. All have attached garages, hipped roofs and paved driveways. The homes are planted on neat lawns along the subdivision streets. Those that sit south of West Nichols Street have ranch and bungalow styles. “There’s a builder working on 12 new houses in that area,” says William Smith, a Realtor with AMAX Real Estate who has sold homes in Bissett. “Another builder is also going to add more houses soon.” However, Radecki adds that Bissett is not a community bound by stern rules or covenants. “It’s not a neighborhood where if you ran a table saw or your grass is two inches too tall, people are going to complain. It’s a bit more relaxed,” he says. Bissett Elementary School stands in the heart of the neighborhood, within walking distance for many families. Niche gives the elementary school a C-plus. Students later attend the C-rated Westport K-8 School for sixth through eighth grade and Central High School, which earns an A-minus. In 2024, the Central High boys' basketball team won their first district championship in 15 years. L. A. Wise Park, a 6-acre area south of Bissett Elementary, has a paved walking path, playground equipment and a wide-open grassy area. For more ways to have fun outside, residents can take a short drive to Westport Park to play on the tennis courts or even more playground equipment. The Park Central Branch Library organizes events for visitors of all ages, including the First Friday Art Walk, where the library opens a brand-new art exhibit and allows the artist to present their work. Hungry Bissett residents head south on the West Bypass to get lunch or dinner at Bubba’s BBQ. Customers can order a pulled pork sandwich or get down to business with their baby back ribs. Missouri Mikes BBQ & More, located off West Chestnut Expressway, also has a full menu of smoked meats, juicy burgers and crispy chicken. Residents can make their own comfort food after picking up ingredients at Price Cutter or Dollar General. Radecki says neighbors come together for the occasional community event, including the annual yard sale and block parties. The neighborhood association also hosts meetings at the nearby Eden Village 2 Community, an organization dedicated to supporting those who face homelessness by providing access to tiny homes. Paved sidewalks run in front of the homes, making it easy to go for a jog or walk furry friends. Those who work downtown have a 4-mile drive that lasts about 10 minutes. CU Transit has bus stops along West Nichols Street. A railroad company lies north of the neighborhood. Residents might hear the far-off sound of trains moving along the tracks, but Smith says the trains move at walking speed and don’t sound off their horns. Three churches, including the Faith Baptist Church and Awakening Church of God, also sit nearby.

Located at the southeastern edge of Springfield, Missouri, Sequiota is a suburban neighborhood conveniently situated along major Highway 65. The northern part of Sequiota features the Fox Grape community, with one of the largest shopping centers in the area, and the southern sector consists of Galloway Village’s residential communities and trendy shops and restaurants. Sequiota’s name is said to mean “many springs” in the Osage language, which is represented by the neighborhood’s main attraction: Sequiota Park. The area is a popular recreation space, with a cave and spring for exploring, a lake for enjoying ducks and geese and trails to meander. “People who live close by to the park have a sense of ownership of it; it’s theirs. But, people come from all of Springfield for its unique features,” says Public Information Administrator, Jenny Fillmer Edwards, who has worked for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board for 12 years. Sequiota promotes a slow-paced, peaceful lifestyle in an environment with homes of various styles, nearby health care, restaurants and shops of every type, creating a mixture of suburban living with proximity to amenities in the busier parts of Springfield. One of the main draws to the area is the neighborhood’s namesake, Sequiota Park. The park is a former state fish hatchery, with a cave navigable by boating tours, striking stone bridges and walkways, and the trailhead for the Galloway Creek Greenway Trail, which takes explorers through a scenic patch of preserved Missouri nature. “One thing that stands out at Sequiota Park is the living room sized rock that sits near the cave entrance, where kids enjoy climbing,” Edwards says. Visitors can also enjoy an al fresco lunch at the picnic pavilion or stroll the park’s paved walkways in the shade of towering trees. “The wooded area has trails to explore, and it’s big enough to make you feel like you are really out in the wilderness,” Edwards says. Community events also take place here, including Art in the Park, which celebrates regional and national artists and vendors. “If you ask anyone in Springfield which park is their favorite, Sequiota will most likely be in their top 5, which says a lot since we have 105 of them,” Edwards says. This neighborhood is located adjacent to the Fox Grape Plaza, which provides a slew of stores and attractions, including Price Cutter supermarket, an AMC IMAX movie theater and several restaurants. One dining option, the ReRico Brazilian Grill, stands out both in architecture and in cuisine. This popular spot is located within an adobe edifice and serves highly rated, buffet-style Brazilian food with barbecued meat cut tableside. On both sides of Battlefield Road, several more dining options can be found, from Thai and Mexican cuisine to nationally recognized pizza and coffee chains. Toward the southern part of Sequiota, Galloway Village features restaurants, including Galloway Grill, Niji Sushi Bar & Grill and The Rock – Food & Friends, all of which sit along Lone Pine Avenue. Under 3 miles southeast, residents can stop at department stores, such as Walmart and Target or home improvement stores, including Lowe’s and The Home Depot. While Sequiota is close to a booming retail area and popular restaurants, it is still suburban in nature. Property types vary, from $200,000 to $550,000 brick ranch styles and townhouses in subdivisions and on single-family lots, to one-to-two-bedroom apartments Sequiota’s residential, sun-washed streets are flanked by sidewalks and large, verdant front lawns, making it a scenic place for an afternoon stroll. Adam Graddy, a top Realtor in Sequiota, says, “Fresh landscaping makes privacy-fenced back yards feel like oases, and quiet cul-de-sacs and big fenced back yards offer the perfect environment for kids to play.” Rent at complexes such as Galloway Creek or Quarry Town often falls between about $1,000 to $3,000 per month, with amenities, such as gyms, pools and social spaces. Sequiota’s students can attend Springfield R-XIII School District public schools, many of which are well-rated by Niche. Learners can start out at the B-plus-rated Sequiota Elementary School before heading to Pershing Middle School and Glendale High School, which both earn B grades. Glendale High stands out, being among the top 60 college prep high schools in the state, while also featuring strongly rated extracurriculars and sports programs by Niche. Dual credit classes allow for students to attend college at more affordable rates and get a head start in the workforce, while the school also offers career programs such as the Biomedical Pathway. Sequiota is located adjacent to Highway 65, which runs south to Arkansas and north into the heart of the state. While public transportation does not run through the neighborhood, most residents drive, and this highway and its side roads offer commuters an easy trek into the heart of Springfield, accessible within an 8-mile drive. For air travel, the Springfield-Branson National Airport is about 14 miles away.

Grant Beach was named after Grant Avenue and a lake that acted as the community beach. Although the neighborhood no longer has sandy shores, the swimming pool in Grant Beach Park gives residents a summer destination to enjoy together. Locals can spend hours walking around the park, exploring the Railroad Historical Museum or volunteering at one of the community gardens. “Some people we’ve rented homes to seek out areas like Grant Beach. There’s more of a city life feel with all the old buildings and being close to the art scene downtown,” says Stepanie Tilton Reid, a Realtor with Sturdy Real Estate who has over 21 years of experience. When residents want an adventure outside the neighborhood, they travel 2 miles south to downtown Springfield. As one of Springfield’s older neighborhoods, home prices are generally lower in nearby areas. “I've met neighbors who grew up in the area and lived there forever, and they’re proud of their street,” Reid says. Bungalows, duplexes and Craftsman-style homes spend less than a month on the market and can sell for $135,000 to almost $300,000. Most feature paved driveways for uncovered parking, so residents don’t have to worry about parked cars clogging the slim streets. Grant Beach residents also live in homes with wide front porches, two bedrooms and large front yards. Skinny sidewalks with grass growing through the cracks run throughout the neighborhood for locals to use during a morning jog or while walking furry friends. “Springfield has multiple grants to help first-time homeowners with closing costs and existing residents with renovations,” says Amanda Gold, owner of Exceed Homes with Keller Williams who grew up in the Springfield area. Weaver Elementary School, north of Grant Beach Park, earns a B-minus from Niche. After learning at Weaver Elementary, kids move on to Pipkin Middle School, which gets a C-plus, before attending Central High School. Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs at Central High can choose from a long list of school clubs, including the MUSE Literary Magazine or the Culinary Team. Niche gives Central High an A-minus. Residents of all ages visit Grant Beach Park to walk around the paved walking trails, have fun on the playground or cool off at the community pool. The Railroad Historical Museum, which sits near the playground and pool, offers free admission to see a historic train and other pieces of history. The heart of this neighborhood is the Hovey House, which serves as a community center and the home of the Grant Beach Neighborhood Association. Outside of the Hovey House, the Grant Beach Community Garden provides a space where residents come together to reconnect with nature and each other while growing their own fresh produce. “I’ve heard lots of feedback about people liking being close to downtown, the breweries and the artistic flair downtown has,” Reid says. Pappy’s Place on the corner of West Nichols Street and North Main Avenue has been serving juicy barbecue and live music since 1926. Some grab a burger for lunch at Lindberg’s Tavern on West Commercial Street or catch up with friends over brunch at Big Momma’s Coffee & Espresso Bar. Residents can also head north to the Price Cutter when they need to stock up on groceries. Dollar General sits along West Division Street for last-minute needs. Community enrichment groups like the Hand in Hand Multicultural Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield-Henderson Unit and Grant Beach Neighborhood Association work to bring residents together with group events. “The Drew Lewis Foundation organized the Blue House Project to build three-bedroom Craftsman-style homes starting at $135,000 to help first-time homeowners find their place in Grant Beach. The project is scheduled to finish in 2025,” Gold says. The Grant Beach neighborhood is 2 miles north of Downtown Springfield, so residents only have about a 5-minute drive when they need to commute to work or celebrate the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival. Others can be at Springfield-Branson National Airport after a 12-minute drive. CU Transit buses run through the neighborhood for those who prefer public transportation. Cyclists might ride along the bike lane that stretches down West Nichols Street. Cox North Hospital is less than a mile from the neighborhood, just east down Lynn Street, and features the Cox College for nursing. Grant Beach has nine different churches in the area, and the Embassy of Hope is the central campus for the Evangel Temple of Christian Center. They host ParkFest events every Sunday from June through September to welcome anyone who would like a free lunch and opportunities to meet other community members.

With century-old homes surrounded by two commercial areas, Midtown Springfield is a residential community that links the city's past to its present. "Midtown is just a great historical neighborhood that has great bookends. It's got Drury University to the south, which is a great campus to stroll around," says Rusty Worley, Executive Director of the Downtown Springfield Association. "On the north side, there's the Commercial Street area, which has roots back to the 1880s. It also has a great selection of local restaurants." The small college-town vibe on the south side of the neighborhood transitions into downtown just a few blocks away. The community's population is a mix of long-time residents, young families and people who study or work at Drury. Residents can easily access shopping and dining, local parks and major employers like Cox North Hospital and the city government. On the north side of Midtown, The Commercial Street Historic District, known simply as C-Street, is lined with locally owned shops and restaurants, offering plenty of options for dining out in old Italianate-style buildings with diagonal street parking in the front. Van Gogh's Eeterie, famous for its Dutch pancakes, is a well-known spot to grab brunch. Lindberg's Tavern is the oldest bar in the city, tracing its history back to 1870. Today, the tavern is popular for live music and comfort food like mac and cheese or fried green tomatoes. Worley recommends Big Momma's Coffee & Espresso bar for a cup of joe. Residents can sip on a wide variety of drinks in this colorful local café. There is a Price Cutter at the corner of Commercial Street and North Grant Avenue for groceries. Residents can also shop at Save A Lot on the corner of Commercial Street and National Avenue. Residents have easy access to two of the city's oldest parks — Washington Park and Silver Springs Park, established in 1869 and 1918, respectively. "These are historic parks that each have their own history and flavor," says Jenny Fillmer Edwards, Public Information Administrator with the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. "Washington Park has a picturesque gazebo that hosts a number of community events. Silver Springs Park is a big, beautiful park with a sloping hillside and a creek that runs through it." Residents can visit Silver Springs Park for basketball or tennis with friends. The park also has a playground and a swimming pool with dump buckets in the shallow end and a waterslide in the deep end. Silver Springs was the only city park open to black residents during segregation and is part of the city's African American Heritage Trail, a byproduct of the Jordan Creek Greenway. Washington Park is a smaller park square, but offers more natural scenery with lots of mature trees that surround a large central gazebo, basketball and tennis courts and a playground. The parks around Midtown Springfield host several events each year. Washington Park hosts the annual Old Fashioned 4th of July Parade and Celebration, which includes a parade, games, food trucks and more. Silver Springs Park hosts the annual Park Day Reunion, where current and former neighbors come together for a parade, beauty pageant, concerts and a cookout. Edwards says people with ties to Springfield come from all over the country to celebrate this annual event. The C-Street City Market is held every Saturday and Thursday from April to October, where people can shop for produce, artisan jewelry, plants and other products from local vendors. Midtown's grid-pattern, tree-lined streets are full of houses from the late 1800s and early 1900s. They include styles such as bungalows, Craftsman and Tudor cottages. Most homes in the neighborhood have spacious front porches, where residents set up porch swings and other furniture. Shrubs often flank the front walk, and mature trees stand tall in the yards, casting shade across the streets. Newer ranch-style homes with attached garages built after 2020 can also be found in the neighborhood. A three-bedroom house can cost anywhere from $170,000 to $250,000. Four-bedroom homes usually cost $250,000 to $300,000. Students are zoned to Springfield Public Schools, which gets a B grade from Niche. All three schools are located in Midtown, including Boyd Elementary, which earns a C. Pipkin Middle receives a C-plus, while Central High is graded an A-minus and ranked the best public high school in Springfield. The high school offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, along with Missouri's A+ Scholarship Program, where qualified high schoolers can earn free college tuition by tutoring younger students. Students can stay in the neighborhood by attending Drury University, a private "church-based" university with more than 50 undergraduate majors, seven graduate programs and Division II sports. Midtown is conveniently located near several streets that run east to west through the entire city, including Commercial Street and Division Street. Chestnut Expressway is just south of the neighborhood, giving residents a route east to Kansas Expressway or west to Schoolcraft Freeway. The Lime route of the city bus system has two stops in the area, but residents can also walk to many places they want to be. "It's one of our most walkable neighborhoods. There are lots of walkable and bikeable amenities," says Worley. "It's even walkable to downtown, which opens you up to more than 60 restaurants.