The Lincoln School, located on 1400 E. Pony Thomas St. in West Plains, is nearly a century old. Operating as a public school in the segregation era, it was one of the few schools for Black students in the region and their only option for attending classes in West Plains until desegregation in 1954.
The historic school has recently undergone a complete restoration and renovation by local residents Crockett and Tonya Oaks, who purchased the building in 2023 and undertook the Lincoln School Project. Through the project, an important piece of history is being preserved, and the facility is being made available as a community cultural center. It also is home to a large-scale painting by Dr. Bolaji Ogunwo, one of four murals in West Plains by the artist.