Murphysburg Residential Historic District

In 1992 the City of Joplin, Missouri, designated a portion of Sergeant Avenue as the “Murphysburg Residential Historic District.” The City expanded the district in 2004 to encompass Sergeant Avenue from First Street to Seventh Street, and Moffet Avenue from First Street to Fourth Street. In 2015 the Missouri Advisory Council on Historic Preservation voted to place Murphysburg Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

Second Annual Murphysburg Treasure Hunt

Help us celebrate Historic Preservation Month in May at the second annual Murphysburg Treasure Hunt, a race to solve riddles, uncover clues, and explore Joplin’s rich history. The event starts at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2026—rain or shine—in the west parking lot of Joplin City Hall, 602 S. Main Street.

Your host, Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc., has raised the bar this year by adding cash prizes for second and third place!

The event promises to take treasure seekers on an interactive adventure to find iconic historic sites, links to significant events and people, and hidden history stories in the Joplin metro area.

At the start of the event contestants will receive their first riddle to solve that will lead them to a landmark. Once they arrive at the correct location, they will find a QR code. Scanning the code will unlock their next clue that will take them further along the treasure trail. The race continues until someone solves all the clues in the correct order and reaches the final destination—destination—thus claiming the $1,000 prize money! The second-place contestant
will receive $750 and third-place contestant will receive $250.

Register here to start the adventure . People can also pay in person on May 16 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the parking lot on the southeast corner of 6^th and Joplin Avenue. For questions contact Paula at paula@murphysburg.org. The treasure hunt is open to participants of all ages. The entry fee is $35 per person.