Phelps Apartments for Rent

The Phelps neighborhood, just south of Missouri State University in Springfield, has shady streets lined with bungalows and contains a scattering of larger homes. John Phelps was a Union soldier who became governor of Missouri. He homesteaded there, and his wife sheltered war orphans while he fought. Development in the neighborhood began about 1900, and almost all the small homes were completed before 1940.

Trees have had time to mature in the Phelps neighborhood. They often echo the plantings of lush Phelps Grove Park, which borders the neighborhood to the south. Across East Grand Street to the north, Missouri State University contributes intellectual sparkle to the neighborhood.

Many MSU students share bungalows in Phelps. A grassy greenbelt at the north end of the neighborhood is also university territory. To the west, across South Jefferson Avenue, is historic Maple Park Cemetery, where both Union and Confederate dead are buried. The eastern boundary of the neighborhood is South National Avenue, with houses of worship standing beside homes. The zip code for Phelps is 65807.

The Springfield Art Museum, situated at the east edge of Phelps Grove Park, is within easy walking distance of any part of the neighborhood. The park holds well-equipped picnic grounds where friends and families can barbecue. Fitness buffs have a trail with spaced exercise stations, and there are also facilities for playing baseball and tennis. Dogs are welcome in the park, though they must be leashed.

Most of the homes in the Phelps neighborhood have a welcoming front porch. This feature, tidy front lawns, and quiet narrow streets give the neighborhood a friendly, old-fashioned air. Its convenient central location, the cultural opportunities at the university and the museum, and the appeal of historic surroundings make the Phelps neighborhood a memorable in which place to live.