Joplin, Missouri is the largest city in Jasper County, although not the county seat. A portion of the city spills over into northern Newton County. Lead was discovered in the region prior to the Civil War, but mining operations didn’t develop until after the war. By the 1870s, there were mining camps throughout the region, and John C. Cox filed a plan for the city on the east side of the Joplin Creek Valley, naming it Joplin City for the spring and creek nearby, which had themselves been named for the Rev. Harris G. Joplin, who settled the area in 1840. Patrick Murphy filed a plan for a city on the other side of the valley, naming it Murphysburg. The two cities eventually merged to form Union City, but the merger was challenged in court and found to be illegal. Murphy suggested a combined city to be named Joplin, and the two cities merged again, forming the City of Joplin in 1873. Although the mining operations are no longer active, about seventy-five percent of the main part of the city has mine tunnels beneath it, some shafts as deep as a hundred feet. Several historic places in Joplin were demolished in an urban renewal effort in the 1960s and 1970s, but the city still has several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The former New York Yankee outfielder and first baseman, Mickey Mantle, played with the Joplin Miners minor league baseball team in 1950. Joplin is surrounded by the smaller communities of Iron Gates, Tuckahoe, Prosperity, and Dennis Acres.
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Recommended Resources
The Joplin, Missouri Boy Scout troop meets at College Heights Christian Church on Thursday nights. A profile of the youth organization, affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, is offered, with schedules, leadership contacts, and a downloadable parent guide and scout packet. Announcements are posted to the site.
http://boyscouttroop77.scoutlander.com/
Maintained by the Joplin Convention & Visitors Bureau, general information about the organization and its purpose is presented, along with a guide to the Joplin, Missouri community, including directions, a calendar of events, and a guide for meeting planners and others considering visiting the city.
http://www.visitjoplinmo.com/
Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce
The not-for-profit member organization advocates for businesses in the Joplin, Missouri area. The purpose and history of the Chamber is spelled out, along with a member directory, member services and programs, and its board of directors and staff. A private login for Chamber members is included.
http://www.joplincc.com/
The museum complex includes the Everett J. Ritchie Tri-State Mineral Museum, Dorothea B. Hoover Historical Museum, the Empire District Electric Company Museum, the Joplin Sports Authority Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Historical Cookie Cutter Museum, each of which are highlighted here, with membership information, locations, hours, and contacts.
http://www.joplinmuseum.org/
Situated on South Main Street, the Joplin, Missouri public library occupies the entire 300 block. Its hours of operation, books and other collections, research facilities, and online services are highlighted, along with its policies, calendar of programs and events, book reviews, and employment opportunities.
http://www.joplinpubliclibrary.org/
The official web site of the municipal government of Joplin, Missouri posts council agendas, minutes, and other official documents and forms, such as the municipal code, bids and projects, and employment postings. Administrative and departmental contacts are set forth, and a community calendar is included.
http://www.joplinmo.org/
Metro Emergency Transport System
METS is a private, not-for-profit corporation, based in Joplin and offering emergency medical services to Joplin, Webb City, and the surrounding region. Its services, training programs, community outreach, career information, and a calendar of events are featured.
http://www.metsambulance.com/
Published in Joplin, Missouri seven days a week, the newspaper covers portions of fourteen counties in southwestern Missouri. First published in 1869, the publication is available in print or online. Its web edition offers news and sports reports, community events, obituaries, public notices, and opinion columns, with full access to its content requiring a subscription.
http://www.joplinglobe.com/