Celebrating National Historic Districts & Places That Matter

Katherine J. (Foley) Douthat House

The Katherine Johanna (Foley) Douthat House is only one of two houses in the Murphysburg Historic District built in the Tudor Revival style.  It was built in 1932 earning the distinction of “youngest” house in the district. 

The property is also unique in that it is named for a woman and not a married couple or in a husband/man’s name.  Katherine was widowed in 1921 with three children aged 8, 11 and 14 when her husband, Zahn Lefountain “Toot” Douthat passed away at the young age of 39.

Like most Joplin capitalists and mine operators/owners of their time, the Douthat’s were able to acquire a comfortable income starting in 1916 due to mining operations.  They leased their land in the townsite of Douthat, Ottawa County, Oklahoma to the Admiralty Mine.  The family moved to Joplin so that the children “…might be given advantages of Joplin schools.”  Douthat is now a “ghost town” and part of the Tar Creek Superfund site.   

Frank Childress House

Frank Childress made his fortune in the mining business in the area as the owner of Lead and Zinc Mining Company. His legacy lives on with the Frank Childress Boy Scout Reservation, located near Diamond, Missouri.  The grounds were originally a recreation home for the Childress family.  Son, Paul Childress donated the land to the 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 Austin Allen House & Virtual Tour of his Designs

Flip Book for a virtual tour of Austin Allen designs

Samuel Austin Allen arrived in Joplin in 1890 at the age of 10. His father was J.W. Allen an early pioneer and successful mine operator in the area.   Austin graduated from Joplin High School in 1898. He received a degree in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania in 1902 and later went to Paris where he pursued his interest in architecture. Returning to the United States Allen became associated with Bruce Price of New York, one of the foremost architects in the United States. After two years in New York he returned to Joplin to begin practicing his craft in 1905. Allen was an extremely successful architect with offices in Kansas City and in the Frisco Building in Joplin. His professional Joplin resume included such handsome structures as the Newman Building, Saint Peter’s Catholic Church, Olivia Apartments, Joplin High School, United Hebrew Temple, Elks Lodge, and many impressive homes. Mr. Allen was a member of the American Institute of Architects. His obituary in their journal noted, “that his work was marked by a “chaste dignity and scholarly restraint.” Mr. Allen married Belle Taylor and had three children.

The land this house sets on was deeded by Lulie Taylor to her daughter, Belle Taylor Allen for “$1 and Love and Affection.”  The house is not first period, meaning two houses were razed and lots combined so Austin could design and build the house you see today.  Belle’s parents, John H. and Lulie Taylor were Joplin pioneers and made their fortune in mining and real estate.  

It is believed Austin added a second floor sleeping porch to his house at some point.  At a later date, the porch was enclosed to create year-round additional living space.  This practice was not uncommon in the Murphysburg district.

The living room is paneled in rich dark oak.  Some of the features include a large brick fireplace, diamond paned bay windows with built-in window seats, beamed ceilings, and a leaded glass bookcase. After Belle and Austin moved to Kansas City, Missouri, this house was sold to Frank Wallower.  The U.S. Census shows Frank, wife Marie, three sons, a private cook, and a private nurse residing here in 1920.  The Wallowers moved out in 1943. 

Beamed ceilings, and a leaded glass bookcase

The Arts and Craft movement heavily influenced Austin Allen when he designed his home in 1905, for it clearly reflects the movements principals, beautiful materials and honest craftsmanship. Prominent feature in the home include the rich polished wainscoting. Curved built-in window seats, massive brick fireplace and leaded glass bookcases. The most impressive feature however is the elegant coffered ceiling, reminiscent of the homes of the English Tudor and Jacobean periods.

 The Allen Mausoleum is located at Mount Hope Cemetery.  Inside Allen’s mausoleum is a resolution from the Kansas City Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Several family members are interred in the mausoleum. 

The mausoleum architecture features solar disks between the pair of falcon wings at the very top. It represents the sun god, Re and rebirth. Mr. Allen married Belle Taylor and had three children. He died at the early age of thirty-six from typhoid fever.

 Interred S. Austin Allen -3-3-1917, Walter Scott Estes -2-12-1926. Linda McOwen Allen -6-6-1926, Whitby J. Allen -5-22-1930 and Austin Allen Jr. – 12-2-1940

Mr. Allen was a prolific architect who left a lasting impression on the region’s building landscape. He was the most distinguished architect during Joplin’s first fifty years. In a short span of fourteen years, Mr. Allen accomplished what most architects could only dream of in their lifetime. Most of his lasting cherished commercial designs in Joplin, Webb City, and Oronogo are highlighted in this booklet. Many of those buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and some have local designations. Today his elegantly designed buildings, all over 100 years old, remain a testimony to his talent and continue to be some of Joplin’s most admired and honored building blocks. Austin Allen treasured designs. While Mr. Allen created many grand residential houses, according to the March 28, 1916, Joplin News Herald, he also designed and constructed four-room houses in Joplin’s East Town for “home loving people of moderate means.” The houses were modern bungalows with overhanging porches and roofs. According to Jasper County probate documents, the Allen’s children inherited numerous developed and non-developed lots in East Town.

 HMP plans on conducting additional research, partnering with community groups, and identifying houses that may still exist in East Town.

HMP 2021 Accomplishments & Activities

All made possible through your generous support

JANUARY: Made Their Mark. Continued the distribution of the coloring book Coloring JOMO: Women Who Made Their Mark

FEBRUARY: Facilitated architectural salvage of 111 South Moffet, The James Lawrence House (circa 1905) due to its fire in December and before its demolition in April. Some items were donated to the Schifferdecker House restoration project.

MARCH: Hosted a book signing party at the Thomas Connor Nolan House for Chad Stebbins, author
of Tom Connor: Joplin’s Millionaire Zinc King and Joplin’s Connor Hotel. HMP was a guest on Newsmakers TV show filmed at MSSU and aired on KGCS TV and KOAM TV for Women’s History Month and the coloring book.

APRIL: Submitted a grant request application to the W. R. Corley Memorial Trust for security lights and got denied. HMP will still research a security lighting program.

MAY: Represented Murphysburg at a Mayoral Proclamation and Awards for Historic Preservation Month.

JUNE: Hosted two days of educational tours of Murphysburg for 200 summer school students! Participated in the Trivia Night at the Museum fund raiser.
Hosted a neighborhood meeting with Nick Edwards, Joplin City Manager as guest speaker.

JULY: Partnered with Freedom of Flight Museum (at Joplin Regional Airport) with the goal of promoting original Murphysburg residents involved in aviation, such as Olivia Bendelari.

AUGUST: Hosted a Missouri Bicentennial Celebration Ice Cream Social at the Creative
Cottage. Participated in the Connect2Culture’s 6th annual Joplin Arts & Cultural Preview! Paula and Mary Anne were guests on Shannon Bruffett’s morning radio show at KKOW to promote the Murphysburg Sesquicentennial Celebration.

SEPTEMBER: MurphysburgSesquicentennialCelebration…PatrickMurphy’sLegacy. Fivehundred guests enjoyed the festivities. Installed 15 new boundary signs.

OCTOBER: Hosted the annual membership appreciation meeting at The Boardroom on October 26th; guest speaker Dr. Chad Stebbins. Commissioned Paula Guiltner to draw Murphysburg illustrated map

NOVEMBER: After conducting a genealogical search, HMP was able to turn over 50 handwritten, long- lost, World War 2 letters written to a Joplin family from Private Robert DeVaney in 1945! The story was covered by The Joplin Globe for Veterans Day.

DECEMBER: Kelly Hallecy, Mary Anne Phillips and Paula Callihan represented HMP at Regina Jennings’ “The Joplin Chronicles” book signing/presentation held at the Joplin Public Library. Regina (originally from Joplin) writes historical romance novels and novelettes. Her next book will involve historic Murphysburg stories such as rags-to-riches, the mines, crime, a baby raffle, and more. Learn more
at www.reginajennings.com

ONGOING

  • Manage Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Mail Chimp, and HMP website
  • Manage communications – inquiries about houses for sale, Joplin history, media inquiries
  • Historical research using Ancestry.com, Find-a-Grave, Newspapers.com, etc.
  • Interface with Downtown Joplin Alliance, North Heights Neighborhood, Group, City of Joplin, Joplin Historical Neighborhoods, Inc., and many other community organizations
  • Welcomed new Murphysburg homeowners with historical documentation regarding their houses and general HMP membership information

2021 Marked the 150th Anniversary of Murphysburg

ADD SLIDESHOW OF EVENT HERE

In September 1871, Murphysburg was incorporated in Missouri and named for co-founder Patrick Murphy. At the time, Murphysburg was generally on the west side of Joplin Creek and Joplin City was on the east side of the creek. Although the two cities had a contentious relationship, they merged and incorporated in March 1873, under the name of Joplin.

Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. hosted an event on Saturday, September 11, 2021, to commemorate the 150th year anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Murphysburg. Murphysburg Sesquicentennial Celebration . . . Patrick Murphy’s Legacy showcased the past and future of the Murphysburg Historic District via a behind-the-scenes tour of an ambitious preservation project, rare visits to several private gardens, pools, and porches, and numerous street fair activities
This event was a way to have fun with history and learn about the rehabilitation and future use of four significant Murphysburg properties—the Olivia Apartments at 4th and Moffet, plus the Schifferdecker, Zelleken, and Rogers Houses near 4th and Sergeant.

The celebration was on Saturday, September 11, 2021 from 2 to 6 pm, on Sergeant Avenue between 2nd and 5th Street. Activities include Irish heritage musical entertainment by The Sea Hollies (a local Joplin band) and Irish dancing demonstrations with audience participation. The area’s German heritage will also be featured with music from the The GAST Blaskapelle community band affiliated with the German American Society of Tulsa. American style standards were performed by the Heartland Concert Band. Other activities included a walking tour and scavenger hunt; period costumed reenactors; equestrian demonstrations by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Posse, miniature train rides, and more. Joplin’s city flower, the iris, was spotlighted. A Patriot Day flag ceremony to honor the victims and first responders of 9/11. Docents educated visitors about architectural details, stories about the original homeowners, and tidbits of history.

Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc., is a non-profit organization that implements charitable and educational activities, which promotes and stimulates historic awareness throughout Joplin.
Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the activities of HMP.

The event is in cooperation with Joplin Historical Neighborhoods, Inc.