Don't just pass through
Be part of the story.
Joplin, Missouri has been at the crossroads of American history for over 150 years. Outlaws. Aviators. Architects. Mining magnates. And stories on every corner. Pull over. We'll show you around.
Mission
A Community-driven journey through the history of one of Missouri's most fascinating cities. Whether you're rolling through on Route 66, growing up here, or discovering Joplin for the first time — you belong in this story.
A Leadership Joplin Class Project · Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce
Our Stories
Explore Joplin's History
STORY 1:
The City That Never Should Have Been
There was a time when what we now call Joplin was actually two towns — and they hated each...
STORY 2:
The Neighborhood Where Joplin's Elite Lived — and Still Do
There's a neighborhood in Joplin where the trees arch over the...
STORY 3:
The Mural, the Building, and the Last Signature of a Legend
Thomas Hart Benton was one of the most celebrated American painters of the 20th century...
STORY 4:
The Apartment Where Bonnie and Clyde Made Their Last Big Mistake
The officers who responded to the call on April 13, 1933, weren't...
Story 05:
Before Bob Cummings, Before Lindbergh — Joplin Was Already Flying
Most cities have one connection to early aviation history. A famous...
Story 06:
The Boy Who Became America's First Flight Instructor
Most people know the name Bob Cummings from the silver screen — the charming bachelor...
Mission
Community-driven journey through the history of one of Missouri's most fascinating cities. Whether you're rolling through on Route 66, growing up here, or discovering Joplin for the first time — you belong in this story.
A Leadership Joplin Class Project · Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce
Our Stories
Explore Joplin's History
Story 01 · Early History
Where Joplin Began
Two rival mining towns, one state-mandated merger, and the birth of a city. Joplin's origin story...
Story 02 · Historic Neighborhoods
Murphysburg & The Schifferdecker House
Tree-lined streets and a German castle-inspired stone mansion tell...
Story 03 · Downtown Landmarks
The Newman Building & Spiva Park
The Newman Building holds the last Thomas Hart Benton mural he...
Story 04 · Outlaws
The Bonnie & Clyde Apartment
A tip about bootleggers became one of American history's most iconic confrontations. When police...
Story 05 · Aviation History
Joplin Takes Flight
It started when Orville Wright's doctor treated him for a fungal infection and struck up a friendship...
Story 06 · Famous Sons
The Actor Who Loved to Fly
Before he was a Hollywood star, Bob Cummings was a Joplin teenager learning to fly at 16 and fixing...
The Mother Road
Route 66 Runs Right Through Our History
Joplin isn't just a dot on the Mother Road — it's one of Route 66's best-kept secrets. While the highway passes through, an entire world of history waits just a few blocks away.
Did you know the Jefferson Highway — the first north-south highway in the U.S., which predates Route 66 — also runs through Joplin? Two legendary roads. One unforgettable crossroads.
Give yourself two hours. You'll be glad you did.
Self-Guided Tour
Explore Joplin's History on the Map
Our companion map app plots every story location so you can navigate Joplin's history in any order. Drive the whole trail, walk a neighborhood, or jump to whichever story calls to you first.
Start at one end of town or pick up in the middle — every destination tells part of the same incredible story.
You Found Us
Welcome. You're Already in the Right Place.
If you're reading this after scanning the QR code on our downtown monument sign — welcome to Joplin's Story Project. You're standing in the middle of more history than most cities could dream of.
The six stories on this site are all within a few miles of where you are right now. Open the map and start wherever feels right.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Joplin's Story Project exists
Because of the generosity of the following community sponsors. Their investment makes it possible to tell Joplin's story to the world.
A Leadership Joplin Class 2026 Project
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Various Joplin, MO photographs provided by 1281 Photography and Waypoint UAV.