Joplin

The City That Jack Built – Joplin, Missouri

Like many people, we are learning that there are lots of things to do in some of the medium sized cities. Our visit to Joplin, Missouri lasted just over 24 hours, but could have easily been extended to a full weekend. (We packed a lot into our timeline.) Joplin is a name that many have seen in recent years, due to the massive tornado that struck a significant portion of the city. While there are still scars from this event, the people of Joplin have pulled together to rebuild from this tragedy. With so much history in this region, it was important for [...]

Have You Heard Of The Peanut Man?

Like many of you, we associated the name George Washington Carver with peanuts, but couldn't really tell you why. The knowledge that he was a botanist seemed familiar, but that was about the extent of what we remembered from school. A visit to the George Washington Carver National Monument would forever change this. The site is located in Diamond, Missouri, which lies just about 20 minutes south of Joplin. Our contact at Visit Joplin suggested a visit, so we made sure to add it to our itinerary. It ended up being an educational eye-opener. The Early Years Born into slavery in the 1860s, [...]

What To Expect At The Joplin History Museum

When the name of Joplin, Missouri is mentioned, many will think immediately of the 2011 EF5 tornado that devastated portions of the city. Joplin is so much more than that. It has a rich history reaching back before the Civil War. We stopped in the Joplin Museum Complex to learn more about this southwestern Missouri city. The official name of this portion of the museum complex is the Dorothea B. Hoover Historical Museum. It is laid out as an assembly of collections, with each having its specific gallery area. We want to thank the Joplin Museum Complex and Visit Joplin, Mo. for their hospitality. Rest assured that [...]

Getting Stuffed At Red Onion Cafe

During our visit to Joplin, Missouri we took some time to visit the downtown area. This section of the city falls on the path of Route 66, so it draws a wide variety of travelers every year. After taking in some of the sights, we had worked up a big lunchtime appetite, so we made a stop in the Red Onion Cafe. The restaurant was pretty busy, but we were still seated almost immediately. We want to thank the Red Onion Cafe for their hospitality. Rest assured that all opinions are our own. Popular Place This day's lunch crowd was clearly a mix of local [...]

Candy House Gourmet – A Sweet Story

Let's just face the facts. We like chocolate! There, it has been said, and there is no taking it back. This may be the reason why so many of our trips include a visit to a chocolate shop. We like to think it is just a service we provide for our readers who are looking for a sweet treat option when touring a destination. At least that is our way of convincing ourselves we are just doing public service work. Whatever the reason, we have had tremendous fortune in digging up some wonderful chocolatiers during our travels. In Joplin, Missouri our luck continued [...]

Eagle Drive In – Not Your Average Burger Stand

At one time or another most of us have stopped into one of those little roadside burger joints for a cheap meal. Usually, they have a name like Dairy-Inn or Pop's Burger Stand. You can almost be guaranteed that the menu will consist of greasy burgers and fries, and not much more. In Joplin, we happened upon a place that screamed of this type of establishment, but we had been promised it would be different. The Eagle Drive-In even has a name that would perfectly fit this old-school dive, but we were about to be blown away. Diamond in the Rough Upon arriving [...]

Digging The Joplin Mining Museum

Many people are unaware of the integral role that mining played in the settlement and growth of communities in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas. The discovery of lead in the mid-1800's drew miners to the area. Our visit to the Joplin History & Mineral Museum allowed us a chance to learn more about the history of mining in the region. We want to thank the Joplin Museum Complex for their hospitality. Rest assured all opinions are our own. Early Fascination During my childhood, my grandparents moved to the small town of West Mineral, Kansas, which lies in the Southeast corner of Kansas. My [...]

Focus On The Food At The Bruncheonette

Joplin, Missouri has an interesting Route 66 history. The city actually has multiple paths, since the route was realigned a couple of times. While we were making our itinerary for a visit to Joplin, we worked with Carrie Puffinbarger at Visit Joplin. She pointed us toward testing the eats at The Bruncheonette, a local hotspot that rests on the 1937 to 1945 alignment. What we found there confirmed our belief of  listening to the locals. Unassuming Exterior We knew that the restaurant opened at 9:00, so we planned our morning to have us arrive right on time. When we arrived the parking lot was already [...]

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