Joplin Missouri

Joplin was generally along our route South and seemed to have some destinations worth visiting. Our first upon coming into town was Grand Falls. Cascading over a chert step formation along Shoal Creek, it is claimed to be the largest waterfall in the state of Missouri.

Joplin happens to lie along the Mother Road, historic Route 66 linking Chicago with Los Angeles. While there is not a lot of historical architectural remnants from that golden age, Joplinites do honor the history of the route, as well as trying to take advantage of its marketing potential.

In keeping with the Mother Road theme, we stumbled upon one of the hideouts of the famous Bonnie and Clyde. In 1933, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow holed up in Joplin at 3347 ½ Oak Ridge Drive thinking that they could lie low in this small town. Unfortunately, the Joplin police were alerted to suspicious activity, and on April 13, 1933 they raided the site. Bonnie and Clyde escaped the raid, and sadly they killed two Joplin police officers on their way out. It turns out that some undeveloped photographs found in the hideout eventually helped lead officials to the end of the gang.

About 20 minutes East of Joplin is one of the most informational National Monument we think we have ever been to. We both knew the name, we knew the connection to agriculture and in particular, peanuts, but as was usually the case in 1960’s Midwest curricula, in depth education on people of color was weak.

Moses Carver was a white farmer who acquired 240 acres of land in Diamond Missouri under the Preemption Act of 1841. To help him manage the farm, Moses purchased two slaves, thirteen-year-old Mary and Giles, on October 1855 from William P. McGinnis. Mary and Giles later bore two children born into slavery, James and George. As was the custom of the day, the children took the surname of the slave owner. This was the home that Moses and his wife, Susan, lived in during that time. The slave quarters where George Washington Carver was born no longer exist.

We learned that George thirsted for learning, but racial prejudice worked hard to hold him back. Missouri was totally segregated at that time, and no schools existed in such rural areas that would teach black folk. So, with Moses’ permission, he walked 10 miles to Neosho Missouri to attend the grade school, being taken in by Mariah Watkins, a kind woman. When he felt he had learned all he could from his teacher, he would travel to another town with a more advanced black school. Interestingly we were in Winterset a couple days ago. In 1888 he ventured to Winterset attempting to find a college in the North that would accept blacks. He found Simpson College in nearby Indianola Iowa, moving later to Iowa State Agricultural College in Ames Iowa. We had wondered why there was a George Washington Carver Park in Winterset, now we know.

In the mid-1890’s he caught the attention of Booker T. Washington who recruited him to Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee Alabama. During his agricultural research, he determined that decades long neglect and planting only one crop in the South resulted in land being depleted and very unproductive. His research proved the land could be reenergized using both equipment and methods. However, his people, poor black farmers, could not afford equipment. So, he researched to find hand tools and methods that would bear similar results. Then he actually did road shows in rural areas where he taught the methods to his people, and their production increased considerably. His road shows were so well produced and successful that eventually the US Department of Agriculture copied his methods for their outreach programs.

In 1921 George Carver appeared at a Congressional Hearing to testify on the importance of the peanut and its uses for American agriculture. He so mesmerized Congress that his testimony, originally scheduled for 10 minutes, was extended several times and eventually made unlimited. After his testimony, the Fordney-McCumber Tariff of 1922 was established, including one on imported peanuts. George Washington Carver died in Tuskegee on January 5, 1943 and is buried on the grounds of his beloved Institute. Moses and Susan Carver are buried in the Carver family cemetery now on the grounds of the National Monument.

We found one more gem before we left. Just outside Springfield Missouri is Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. On August 10, 1861, the second battle of the American Civil War, and the first West of the Mississippi River, was fought here, in Southwestern Missouri, and likely dictated the outcome, although it took 4 more years to conclude this tragic event.

In 1861, Missouri was deeply divided on the slavery issue. Those in charge in Springfield were strongly Union and anti-slavery. Southern Missouri was heavily agricultural, with large farms owning many slaves. Union forces from Springfield lead by Brigadier General Nathaniel Hawthorne met Confederate forces led by Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch. Confederate forces were further supplemented by the Missouri State Guard, volunteers supporting Missouri’s secession, led by Sterling Price. These combined forces meant that Hawthorne’s army was outnumbered more than 2 to 1. These were Price’s headquarters on that infamous day.

Hawthorne, a West Point graduate, had a career of successes from being bold and decisive. Despite being outnumbered, he marched his army from Springfield the evening of August 9 under the cover of darkness. He did accomplish the surprise, but couldn’t match the Confederate numbers and fire power. After 12% of Confederate forces were lost, and nearly 25% of Union forces, Hawthorne became the first Union General to lose his life on the battlefield. Historians believe that had McCulloch’s and Price’s forces continued to engage Union forces and defeating them, the tides of the war may have changed. But Price and McCulloch argued and couldn’t agree on a next step. Price went on to Lexington where he defeated Union forces and captured the town. McCulloch, however, without Price’s added forces, moved on to Pea Ridge Arkansas, a battlefield and National Military Park we have visited. Here despite having an advantage in numbers of men, he was thoroughly routed by the Union, and the end was now in motion.

Built by John Ray in the 1850’s, this house is the remaining complete structure that existed during the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Ray was the local postmaster, and was a strong Unionist and even stronger when it came to anti-slavery. On the morning of the battle he saw the forces engage right from this porch. He quickly moved his family into a basement shelter under the house, where they were safe from the flying ammunition. After the battle, his home became a field hospital, trying to help injured men in both blue and grey uniforms. 

While it’s now in the mid-50’s, were still pushing slowly South. 

Talk to you soon!