In the early twentieth century, all major railroad lines
passed through Joplin. Next came the highways, bringing
cars, trucks, and buses. Joplin’s appellation as the
“Crossroads of America” came after the federal
government passed legislation in 1926 to create a continuous
paved highway from Chicago to the Los Angeles basin. This
highway, the famous Route 66, ran through the heart of Joplin.
Paving of the Missouri stretch of Route 66 was completed
in 1932. All along Route 66, as it meandered through the
Joplin area, restaurants, motor courts, and service stations
sprang up to cater to motorists. Other highways, such as
U.S. 71 and U.S. 166 and state highways 43 and 57, further
insured Joplin’s prominence as a focal point in the
state.
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