Joplin, 1877

This 1877 rendering contrasts dramatically with the aerial photograph shown above. It depicts the two separate towns that made up primitive Joplin—the lower right portion is the original city of Joplin, founded by John C. Cox. Across the Joplin Creek valley to the west, in the central and upper left portion, is the town of Murphysburg, established by Patrick Murphy. The two towns merged under the name of Joplin in 1873. The bird’s eye view
also vividly illustrates the catalysts that put Joplin in position to grow at a phenomenal rate for the next four decades—the lead and zinc mining industry and the arrival of the railroad.