Self-Guided Tour
Joplin's History
Is Right Outside.
Every location in Joplin's Story Project is real, accessible, and waiting. Open the map and start wherever calls to you — one stop leads to another, and the whole city opens up.
Your Guide to Joplin
Everything on One Map
Joplin's stories don't live on a screen. They live on actual streets, in actual buildings, in actual neighborhoods you can walk through, drive past, and stand in front of right now.
Our companion map app plots every story location in Joplin's Story Project so you can navigate the city's history on your own terms — in any order, at any pace, from any starting point.
Start at the Bonnie & Clyde apartment on the south side of town. Cut across to the Newman Building downtown and find Thomas Hart Benton's final mural. Wind through Murphysburg's tree-lined streets and stop in front of the Schifferdecker House. Every turn is a chapter.
Where the Stories Live
Six Locations. One Unforgettable City.
Each of the six stories in Joplin's Story Project has a real, physical home in the city. Here's where to go.
Location 01 — Early History
Where two rival mining towns collided and became one city.
Location 02 — Murphysburg & The Schifferdecker House
A German castle-inspired stone mansion in one of Missouri's most architecturally significant neighborhoods.
Location 03 — The Newman Building & Spiva Park
The last mural Thomas Hart Benton ever signed. And the corner where Joplin's golden age stood shoulder to shoulder.
Location 04 — The Bonnie & Clyde Apartment
The building where America's most wanted couple left behind the photographs that made them legends.
Location 05 — Joplin Takes Flight
The last mural Thomas Hart Benton ever signed. And the corner where Joplin's golden age stood shoulder to shoulder.
Location 06 — Bob Cummings: The Actor Who Loved to Fly
Joplin Museum Complex Hollywood called him a star. Joplin called him a kid who loved to fly. Both were right.
Plan Your Trip
How to Make the Most of Your Time in Joplin
All six story locations are within easy reach of each other and of Historic Route 66. Here's how to think about your visit:
Two hours
Gets you to the top three stops — the Bonnie & Clyde apartment, the Newman Building mural, and a walk through Murphysburg. That's two hours that will change how you think about this city.
Half a day
Lets you visit all six locations at a comfortable pace, with time to read the full stories along the way.
A full day
With a stop for lunch in downtown Joplin and a visit to one of the area's museums — and Joplin earns a permanent place in your Route 66 memories.
For dining, lodging, and local visitor guides, visit the Joplin Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at visitjoplinmo.com.
Go Even Deeper
More Resources for Exploring Joplin
Joplin's Story Project is a starting point — not the whole story. The organizations on our Community Partners page are the institutions, museums, and civic groups that have been doing this work for decades. They have the archives, the exhibits, the walking tour maps, and the local knowledge that no website can fully replace.
After you explore the stories here, visit our Community Partners page and go deeper.
The Map Is Ready. So is Joplin.
Start Wherever Feels Right.
Every story location is plotted and waiting. Whether you've got an hour or an entire afternoon — open the map, pick your first stop, and let Joplin's history take it from there.
A Leadership Joplin Class 2026 Project
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Various Joplin, MO photographs provided by 1281 Photography and Waypoint UAV.