Joplin’s Story

Joplin’s Story

The Birth of Joplin Origins and the Discovery of Lead The land that would become Joplin, Missouri, was once an expanse of unbroken prairie. In 1868, it was covered in tall grass, scattered bushes, and occasional trees, offering little indication of the immense mineral...
Joplin’s Enduring Fascination with Bears

Joplin’s Enduring Fascination with Bears

Joplin’s Enduring Fascination with Bears The Early Days of Bears in Joplin The story of Joplin’s Bears begins with the establishment of Schifferdecker Electric Park in 1909. Originally a trolley park with attractions that included alligators, Texas longhorn steers,...
Edmund Jennings

Edmund Jennings

The First Explorer in Southwest Missouri Edmund Jennings’ Journey into the Ozarks In the early 1800s, the Ozark region remained an untouched wilderness, a land of dense forests, rolling hills, and crystal-clear springs. It was during this time that Edmund...
Illuminating the Night

Illuminating the Night

Illuminating the Night Cole Circus’s Historic Debut of Electric Lights in Joplin In the late 19th century, a remarkable spectacle rolled into Joplin, Missouri—not with the usual parade of elephants and daring acrobats, but with a technological marvel that would...