Celebrating National Historic Districts & Places That Matter

Exterior staircases had matching decorative metal railings

Another structure that Mr. Nutz designed and built with concrete and brick around 1953 was a nursing home located at 417 E. 23rd Street.  It overlooked Joplin High School.  On May 22, 2011 the house wasn’t hit by a bomb but was hit by the EF5 Joplin Tornado. In a 2007 Joplin Globe interview with Louise Nutz, she said that the Adele was so well built with concrete that it could, “take a direct bomb hit!” The same could have been said about the structure that was at 23rd & Grand.

  • Mediterranean/Spanish style quatrefoil windows
  • Exterior staircases had matching decorative metal railings
  • Arched door ways
  • Interior had a curved staircase
  • Garden
  • Entryway
  • Foyer
  • Therapy pool
  • Concrete roof with devastated Parkwood High School in the distance in the
  • Totla devastation all around this concrete & rebar construction
  • Brick fireplace and surround
  • Local historians and Nutz family members had hoped that the structure could be saved
  • Much of the structure survived the tornado
  • The structure was demolished due to the high cost of rebuilding such unique construction.

The interior had a curved staircase, brick fireplace and surround, an indoor therapy pool, wall sconces, built in bookcases, and curved archways throughout.  The interior and exterior staircases had matching decorative metal railings.  Matching stylized (operable) Mediterranean/Spanish style quatrefoil windows flanked the front door.   

Much of the structure survived the tornado, unlike traditionally built houses in the neighborhood.  Photographs of the nursing home were taken five months after the tornado by Paula Callihan.  Local historians and Nutz family members had hoped that the structure could be saved, but it was ultimately demolished due to the high cost of rebuilding such unique construction. 

The nursing home had many names through the years starting as Turner Rest Home, then Grand Rest Home, Grandview Nursing Home, and Maddox Nursing Home.  

Between 1974 and 1977, Gordan Dean Stinson operated the Stinsonic Talent Agency in the building.  According to the Billboard-World of Country Music publication, Mr. Stinson was a personal manager and booking agent.  In a 1974 Joplin Globe article, Mr. Stinson “claimed” to have been the former manager of Johnny Paycheck.  While we cannot confirm his association with the musician, it makes for a good story.  Born Donald Eugene Lytle, Johnny Paycheck (1938-2003) was a singer and songwriter in the “outlaw movement” in country music.  He is best known for his 1977 recording of “Take This Job and Shove It” written by David Allan Coe.    

James Nutz also built the Kozy Kort Apartments at 1210-1212 S. Joplin Avenue around 1934.  In 1935, he added a second floor to the units.  At some point, it was razed.