Celebrating National Historic Districts & Places That Matter

 SOUTHWEST MISSOURI RAILROAD CLUBHOUSE 

In 1889, Alfred Harrison “A.H.” Rogers (1858-1920) started a railway system between Webb City and Carterville pulled by mules.  After 1893, the system was electrified.  It continued until late summer of 1935 for Carthage, and 1940 for other communities.  The clubhouse was constructed for officials and employees. 

The A.H. Rogers House is in the Murphysburg Historic District at 623 W. Fourth Street and is currently being restored by Joplin Historical Neighborhoods, Inc.

Charlie22 Outdoor’s mission is to provide outdoor activities to the nation’s veterans and their families.  For more information, contact Scotty Rae Hettinger at (417) 437-7247 or charlie22outdoors.com.

Following are excerpts from the Joplin History & Mineral Museum calendar published in 2021:  Originally, the first floor was divided into a pool room, a gymnasium that was also used for large social groups, a locker room, a dressing room, toilets, and shower baths.  The second floor housed the clubrooms, complete with a kitchen and dining area.  The clubrooms were used for reading, writing, card playing, social entertainments, banquets, and to conduct business meetings.  The third floor consisted of two dormitories, where a bed could be rented by the day or week.  The facility was possibly best remembered for the elaborate employee banquets. 

CLEVELAND APARTMENTS

The Cleveland Apartments were built by William Phelps Cleveland (1870-1936) who was in
the mining business and the inventor of a magnetic separator. He was married to Annabelle
Bartlett Cleveland (1866-1919).
 
Stones and other materials that were salvaged from the deconstruction of Patrick Murphy’s
mansion (built in 1898 at 4 th & Wall) were used to construct these luxury apartments.

Each of the six prestigious residences were “modern and up-to-date” with seven rooms, a large sleeping
porch, pantry, closets, large attic, basement, two fireplaces with mantels, and a private garage. In
spite of a major fire in May 2022, restoration continues by owners (and brothers) Shawn and
Stephen Grindle and Neal Group Construction & Restoration.

The Cleveland was a prestigious place to live, similar to the Olivia Apartments, especially for
wealthy widows. Common for the language of the time in 1916, a help wanted advertisement in
the Joplin Globe read as follows: WANTED-Colored or white girl; must be experienced; easy
work; small family; permanent place. No. 3 Cleveland apartments; apply personally.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland lived here, but eventually moved to 108 N. Jackson Avenue, the duplex
directly to the north. That structure is also part of the restoration project. At this time, it is
unknown if Austin Allen designed that structure.

COSGROVE BUILDING

Built by Henrietta Jackson Cosgrove (1849-1927) who was a mine operator, writer, civic
leader, suffragist, philanthropist and involved in real estate. One of her greatest
accomplishments was securing pensions for miners’ widows by proposing that states adopt
widow’s pensions rather than vagrancy laws, thus saving the states’ money. By the 1920s, all
but four states adopted widows’ pension laws. She was married to Aruna P. Cosgrove (1842-
1901) and they had one daughter.
 
In May 2014, Mr. Allen was forced to sue Mrs. Cosgrove for the balance due on his commission
for the building. In December 2014 the case was dismissed when she finally paid him the
$460.32.

Businesses were located on the bottom floor and offices and living quarters on the top floor. In
December 1915 while Mrs. Cosgrove slept upstairs, robbers entered the Graham Brothers’
Grocery Store downstairs and stole chewing gum, cigars, chewing tobacco, ate lunch, and kept
warm around an oil lamp!
 
Through the years many different companies have officed here including the City of Joplin
Commissioners and Atlas Powder Company in 1914 and the Joplin Convention & Visitors
Bureau in the 1990s and early 2000s.
 
To learn more about the future of this building, contact Heather Lesmeister, Executive Director,
Spiva Center for the Arts at 417-623-0183.

ELKS CLUB LODGE NO. 501

Currently: Old Elks Club Office Building

The Elks Club/Lodge was an important part of the business, social, and philanthropic lives of
many men who established their homes in what we now call the Murphysburg Historic District.
Some of the wives also sat on sub-committees for grand balls and charity fairs. In 1910 several
wives were involved in the infamous baby auction- – -but that’s a story for another time!
This brick and stone building features a columned portico flanked by two slightly projecting bays
accentuated by limestone quoins. The first floor featured an Oriental-inspired lobby, billiard
room, reading room, card rooms, a social function room, kitchen and serving rooms. Sleeping
quarters, lodge hall, and bathrooms occupied the second floor. The basement housed a four-
lane bowling alley, gymnasium, Turkish bath, lockers, and storage rooms.

NEWMAN BROTHERS BUILDING (1910-1972)

Currently: Joplin City Hall
602 S. Main Street | Chicago Style | circa 1910
The Newman Mercantile Company was founded by Jewish merchant Joseph Newman, who
emigrated from Germany in the mid-19th century. Joseph Newman’s sons Albert and Sol, and
son-in-law, Gabe Newburger were all involved in the company. Albert, Sol, Gabe, and their
families all lived in what is now the Murphysburg Historic District. The Albert Newman House
still stands at 130 S. Moffet Avenue and the A.B. McConnel/Sol Newman House still stands at
115 S. Moffet. Extreme deterioration of Gabe’s house at 110 S. Moffet caused it to be razed in
2003.
 
After Newman Brothers moved into the newly built  Northpark Mall  in 1972, the building had
many different businesses and owners, and fought off threats of demolition.

restored and renovated in 1995 with 5 million dollars (of ill-gotten gains) by two so-called
“financial advisors.” In 2003, the City of Joplin purchased the building, investing 3 million
dollars in additional renovations thus creating present day City Hall. The Thomas Hart Benton
mural, Joplin at the Turn of the Century, was moved here from the Municipal Building and
hangs prominently in the lobby above the elevators.
 
During construction, Austin Allen and Walter Arcularius, of the Joplin Hardware Company,
were standing on a cement beam on the fourth floor when it suddenly collapsed, and the men fell
15 feet onto the third floor! Both men escaped with slight injuries and were taken to their
respective homes. Insufficient strength of the support timbers on the third floor was believed to
have caused the accident.