(From the City of Joplin)
Through the work and support of the Joplin Historical Museum, visitors to Joplin City Hall can stop and reminisce about Joplin and its diverse history as they view the City’s Historic Image Gallery on story boards, an historical exhibit from the Museum Complex.
From Joplin’s founding in 1873 to today’s booming economy, the history of Joplin portrays the early mining days that supported the labor market causing many to settle in this area. In time, Joplin became the business and industrial hub of the area. Thousands traveled through Joplin during the heyday of Route 66, often referred to as The Mother Road.
The historical display is located in the northwest section of the main lobby of City Hall. The area is open during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and for special occasions held in the lobby area. The display debuted during the open house events in spring 2005 when City Hall operations moved to this historic downtown building. Since that time, the area has been utilized in various other capacities; however City staff is pleased to have the historic display back in place.
As many people come to City Hall daily for personal and commercial business, they often comment on the beauty of the 1910 structure, originally serving as Newman’s Mercantile Company, one of the largest retailers in the area with its Chicago-style architecture and its fashionable merchandise. Additional historical displays located in the side windows of the building’s main entrances on Main and 6th Streets portray the nature of the business that this building profited from originally.
Visitors also enjoy other historical photographs throughout the building, as well as the Thomas Hart Benton mural, “Joplin at the Turn of the Century”, hangs above the main elevators. Another mural, this one depicting Joplin in the 1950’s by Benton’s grandson, Anthony Benton Gude, is also located in the main lobby.
For more information about the historical displays, contact the Public Information Office at 417-624-0820, ext. 204.
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