Automobiles

The early 20th century was the golden age of the railroad and the electric streetcar system. However, the advent of the horseless carriage soon rendered these modes of transportation obsolete. In 1903, George Graves opened the Joplin Automobile Company, the first automobile agency in Joplin. By 1909, 520 automobiles had been registered in the city. Garages and car dealerships sprang up on Wall and Joplin Streets. Around the city and across the country, road systems were built to handle the increasing traffic.