Frank & Minnie Childress House

Story

Lewis Franklin “Frank” Childress (1875-1944) made his fortune as a pioneer mine operator of the Tri-State Mining District and was familiar with every detail of lead and zinc mining.  One of his most cherished accomplishments was reviving the rich Oronogo field by dewatering the ground to make it available again for mining.  He used pumps on many miles of subterranean drifts.  Frank was also president of the Childress Royalty Co. with oil holdings largely in Texas.  He raised Hereford cattle, more or less as a hobby.     

His legacy lives on with Camp Childress. The grounds were originally a recreation home for the Childress family.  His son, Paul donated the land to the Boy Scouts in 1964.  The camp included campsites named after the characters of Rudyard Kipling’s “Jungle Book,” a large swimming pool, dining hall, Pirate Ship, Old West Fort, Old Mine, Indian Village, and a stocked trout pond for fishing.  The reservation is also home to many hiking and biking trails and abounds with native plant and animal life.  The camp is located near Diamond, Missouri, southeast of Joplin.

Frank’s wife, Minnie Suzanne Hickox Childress (1877-1964) was a member of the Joplin Woman’s Club and Women of Rotary.

Architecture – This brown brick clad house has a cozy sunroom addition on the south.  Hipped dormers rise from the east and west slopes of the roof.  A hipped roof over the front porch welcomes guests with brick columns and kneewall.  Sidelights flank the historic wood panel front door.  The (original) historic openings have stone sills.