Celebrating National Historic Districts & Places That Matter

The Mayflower Apartments

Original Owners: Harry Bennett and Richard Cole, both of Joplin
Opened February 1, 1929 Originally, the name was to be the “Colben” based on Cole and Bennett’s last names but was changed to “Mayflower” once construction started.

In October 1928, investors were sought for the Mayflower through bonds guaranteed by Cole Bennett Investment Company—“two responsible businessmen whose net worth exceeds the amount of the bond issue.” Maturity was to be from 1931 to 1938 with a yield of 5.8% to 6%. To put that timeline in perspective—and simply defined—the beginning of America’s “Great Depression” is often cited as the dramatic crash of the stock market on October 24, 1929 known as “Black Thursday” and October 29, 1929 known as “Black Tuesday.” Economic recovery started around World War II in 1939-1940.

Excerpts from a Joplin Globe August 24, 1928 news article —

The owners announced the many modern details that the 48 unit (with one unit in the basement for a live-in service attendant/janitor), six-story, fire-proof, concrete construction apartment building will have. The apartments range from compact type studios, buffet kitchen bachelor units to larger units with separate bedrooms and numerous closets. Electric refrigeration will be in each apartment and convenient service closets with “immediate incineration of all kitchen and other accumulation.” Each unit to have “sound proofing.” The laundry room will be in the basement.

The property is to be attractively landscaped in addition to the wooded character of the property to the south.

The exterior architecture is faced with tapestry brick and ornamental stone on all four sides. An interesting grouping of windows permits floods of daylight, plus the stairs are daylighted. There is a colonnade of stone columns along 5th Street and a great stone circular arch. Inside, the marble foyer welcomes tenants and guests to the attractively furnished public lounge and electric elevator.

FIRE! FIRE! While the original news release touted the building to be fireproof—through the years—structure fires occurred on July 12, 1958 and December 29, 1958, but the most significant fire was on April 24, 2006. The fire chief said a cigarette was believed to have ignited the couch in the basement laundry room. Around 60 people were evacuated from 40 occupied units. Heat damage to the electrical wiring on all six floors forced the building to close until it could be “rewired.” The First United Methodist Church at 501 West 4th Street set up a temporary shelter for those in need. As of January 2025, a small portion of the Mayflower is re-occupied.

Automobiles and the carport also succumbed to fires in 2013 and 2022.

Bennett and Cole also owned and managed the Koronado Kourts in Joplin, San Antonio, and
Corpus Christi. The Joplin location was famous for being an iconic Route 66 travel court, circa 1936. The present-day Joplin site is now occupied by the Walmart Super Center at 1717 West 7th Street.

BIOGRAPHIES
Harry M. Bennett was born in 1891 and died on April 5, 1979. He is buried at Mount Hope
Cemetery in Webb City. His first wife was Martha, second wife was Jane, and he married his
third wife, Catherine when he was 63 years old. He and Catherine eventually moved from their
prestigious address in Joplin’s Roanoke Addition (616 Islington Place) to San Antonio, Texas.
Mr. Bennett continued to own the Mayflower after Mr. Cole’s premature death in 1944.
According to the 1920 US Census, Mr. Bennett’s occupation was listed as a druggist at a drug
store. Later his occupations were in insurance, real estate, and investments.


Richard Windom “Dick” Cole was born on February 23, 1889 and died of Leukemia on
August 15, 1944 in San Antonio, Texas at the young age of 53. His wife, Mamie Evelyn Windle
Cole was born on February 1, 1896 in Pittsburg, Kansas. She graduated from Joplin High
School in 1914. She died on March 17, 1980 in Corpus Christi, Texas at the age of 84. She was
well traveled. Dick and Mamie eventually moved from their prestigious address in Joplin’s
Roanoke Addition (629 Jaccard Place) to the Mayflower around 1940, and later to San Antonio,
Texas. According to the 1920 US Census, Mr. Cole’s occupation was also that of a druggist—
just like his business partner Harry Bennett.

In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day….the life of Jere Charlow

In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we present an overview of the life of Jere Charlow, the original owner of a house in the Murphysburg Historic District at 101 South Sergeant Avenue.  The house is an American Foursquare with bay windows & gabled dormers built around 1908.

While living in Joplin with wife Maude Ellen Gregg Charlow (1876-?), Jere J. Charlow (1880-
1947) was a bookkeeper for Picher Lead Company and a member of the Joplin Elks Club.
When he left Joplin, he become a clerk with the United States Indian Service-Cheyenne
Agency in Dewey, South Dakota. Upon his death, he was a special disbursement agent for
the United States Government Interior Department in Lansing, Michigan. Jere is buried at
Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan. Jere maintained his membership in
the B.P.O. Elks Lodge No. 501 of Joplin and was honored at the Elks annual memorial
service after his death.

The Indian Leader newspaper printed an article about Jere on March 10, 1905 stating, “He
has made himself indispensable to his employers, receives a handsome salary and is
trusted and greatly respected by all who know him.”

The 1910 U.S. Census listed Mr. Charlow as “Indian” (Native American) born in Wyandotte, Oklahoma in 1880, however the birthplace of his parents was unknown.  One news article reported that Jere was a member of the Sioux Tribe.  According to the 1910-1911 Wyandot2 census, Jere’s Indian blood was denoted as ¼ degree and his allotment number was 218.  He was an 1898 graduate of the Haskell Institute, located in Lawrence, Kansas.  The school’s current name is Haskell Indian Nations University.  The school was founded in 1884 as a residential boarding school for American Indian children.

Then again on April 27, 1942—at 61 years old—Jere was obligated to register in the “Fourth Registration” of the World War II draft.  Also known as the “Old Man’s Draft,” it was intended to provide the government with a register of manpower between 45-64 years of age who might be eligible for national service on the home front.  Interestingly, his “Registration Card” listed his race as White.

On September 12, 1918—at 38 years old—Mr. Charlow was registered for U. S. military service and was listed as an “Indian.”  His occupation was denoted as a clerk for the United States Indian Service-Cheyenne Agency in Dewey County, South Dakota.

Mr. and Mrs. Charlow had one son, named Joseph Jere Charlow.

While this short biography gives readers an introduction to Jere Charlow, in no way does the story paint the entire picture of his life and the situation in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri regarding Indigenous Americans, The Dawes Act regarding land allotments, boarding schools, tribal affiliations, etc. 

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY According to the Smithsonian-National Museum, American Indians represent less than one percent of the U.S. population, yet names and images of Indians are everywhere: military weapons such as the Tomahawk missile, baking powder cans, town names, advertising, professional sports (Go Chiefs!) and that holiday in November.  Furthermore, the Smithsonian said, “Americans have always been fascinated, conflicted, and profoundly shaped by their relationship to American Indians.”

People in the Joplin Tri-State Area are also familiar with the casinos operated by various Indian Nations.  

In 2021, Indigenous Peoples’ Day became a U.S. Federal holiday to be observed on the second Monday in October, which is the same day as Columbus Day.  Each state has its own observation criteria (or lack thereof) for both holidays.  Missouri does not recognize IPD as a public holiday, but Columbus Day will be recognized as a state holiday on October 14, 2024.

DAVID C. HOOVER HOUSE

David Carmany Hoover (1862-1935) was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.  He was a prominent Joplin life insurance representative.  Originally, he was a mine operator.  Starting in 1911 he was an insurance salesman and agent.  At the time of his death Mr. Hoover was a district manager for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.

Mr. Hoover was in the Auto Club which had a focus on anti-theft and helping motoring tourists.  He was a charter member of the Joplin Rotary Club and one of the early presidents.

Tragically Mr. Hoover died on November 25, 1935 when the new sedan motor car he was driving collided with a Missouri Pacific passenger train at Seventh Street just east of Turk Avenue, on east side of Leonard Park.  He was thrown from the car as it was dragged approximately 100 feet and flipped over.  Witnesses testified that it appeared Mr. Hoover did not see the train until he was almost upon it.  Another witness said Mr. Hoover was traveling at a high rate of speed!  By today’s lingo, he was probably trying to “outrun” the train.

A son, David Jr., (1893-1976) married Dorothea Agnes Bliedung (1896-1972).  She was very active in local community affairs including Joplin Little Theatre, Joplin Historical Society, American Association of University Women, Business and Professional Women’s Club, the YMCA and the Spiva Art Center.  She chaired many World War II fundraising activities.  Joplin’s historical museum was named for her work and memory.  Most Joplinites will recognize her name as Dorothea B. Hoover.  The couple are buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Webb City, Missouri.

Shortly after Mr. Hoover’s death, the Joplin Globe printed an editorial on November 27, 1935 about his life and character.  It stated that Joplin and the district lost one of its very finest citizens.  He was thoroughly capable in business, invariably courteous, thoughtful and kind, one of the best-read men of the district, and a true cultured gentleman.

David was married to Maria Clark Black Hoover (1864-1949).  She was a member of Ridpath Club, Women’s Club, Women of Rotary, Y.W.C.A. and First Presbyterian Church.  She traveled extensively including to Europe and enjoyed a Mediterranean cruise.  In Maria’s obituary, she is quoted as saying they, “…moved to Joplin in 1890…”  and “…resided in the present family home which was then a one-story house.”  Mrs. Hoover frequently recalled that city sidewalks in those days consisted of two planks west of Wall street.  The couple are buried at Mount Hope Cemetery.

A daughter, Amy (1902-1939) married August C. Junge, president of Junge Baking Co.  That company and family name is also well known in Joplin history.

ARCHITECTURE – The two-and-one-half-story house has a limestone foundation and a shingle hip roof with lower cross-gables.  The house is an example of the Free Classic subtype of the Queen Anne style.  A bay window with a gable roof projects from the west elevation.  A gabled wing, with an interior brick chimney, projects from the south elevation.  Hipped dormers rise from the west and south slopes of the roof.  Simple modillions and brackets ornament the roofline on the primary (west) elevation.  A full-width hip roof porch with Ionic columns spans this elevation.  A two-story flat roof screened porch projects from the southwest corner of the house.  The primary elevation has two bays. Bay 1 has a historic wood panel door with glazing and leaded glass sidelights on the first story and a single window on the second story.  Each story of the bay window in Bay 2 has a fixed cottage window flanked on each side by a single window.  The cottage window on the first story has leaded glass in the upper sash.  Single fixed multi-light wood windows pierce the gable above a pent roof and the dormer.  

Abraham Onstott House

  Abraham Worth Onstott and Marth (Corwin) Onstott were considered Joplin pioneer residents. Mr. Onstott was in the mining business for 25 years. According to the History of Jasper County, Mr. Onstott “erected a nice residence” in Joplin. Before moving to Joplin, he grew up in Carthage. His father, Judge John Onstott was working in their wheat field when the Civil War broke out and the Battle of Carthage began on July 5, 1861. His father was taken prisoner and transported to Fort Scott, Kansas, then to Bentonville, Arkansas where he was later paroled.
The couple lived in this house until Mrs. Onstott died of complications due to an automobile accident in 1929. 

Morgan’s Grocery Store

This building has been re-purposed from a two-story neighborhood grocery store, to many different purposes.  Originally owned by George Morgan. George’s grocery business started on East 7th Street, he moved his store in 1935 to 505 West 2nd and lived next door at 503 West 2nd.  From 1946 to 1974, His son Roy and wife Virginia took over the store. they lived east of the store in a house at 124 South Byers.  The market was also home to Darral Dishman’s second story art studio, a residential rental in the 80’s and from 2007 to 2014 Madison Lane Interiors.  The partners did an extensive restoration to building to house their array of quintessential home décor.

In 2016, new owners of Morgan’s Grocery Store have settled in Murphysburg.    Dr. Blake Webster and Dr. Amykay Cole.  They have re-purposed the Depression era concrete block commercial building into a clinical psychology office.