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Historic Murphysburg

Helena Apartment House and Dance & Music Studio

4 minute read
Front View April 2026_edited
Historic Homes

505-511 S. Moffet Avenue circa 1937 Tudor Revival Feature: Iron Railing on second floor spells out Helena Apts

At a Glance

Address
505-511 S. Moffet Avenue
Year Built
1937
Architect / Builder
James Nutz
Architectural Style
Tudor Revival
Current Use
Commercial
Public Access
Exterior viewing only
Preservation Status
Places in Peril
District / Designation
Murphysburg Residential District

Story

Front View April 2026_edited

505-511 S. Moffet Avenue

Circa 1937 ~ Tudor Revival

Features: Iron Railings spell out Helena Apts and Helena Annex and Bas-Relief Crest of Saint Helena

One of the most unique structures in the Murphysburg Historic District is the Helena Apartments, built on a 50 x 125-foot lot, tightly tucked in between two historic houses.

In September 1937, a Joplin Globe classified advertisement read, “Unfurnished Apartments – NEW apartment, ready October 1st, $40. Helena Apartments, 509 Moffet.”  In October 1937 another advertisement read, “Unfurnished Apartments – Helena Apartments, four large rooms, bath, garage, $35.00.  507 Moffet.”

HELEN NUTZ and her story – Helen was born on February 14, 1924 in Joplin and died on March 13, 2023 at the age of 99 years old.

Even though Helen was 13 years old when the Helena was built, she ran advertisements in Joplin newspapers that read, “Helen Nutz – Teacher of Dance And Music – will open her fall classes September 20 in her new building.  Helena Studios – 505 Moffet.”  Helen’s half-sister, Adele, said Helen was “talented and precocious.”  Helen continued her love of dance and was active in ballroom dancing into her 80s!

THE HELENA and its story - According to the Joplin Globe on September 12, 1937, “Above is pictured an unusual combination apartment house and dance studio, built by James Nutz at 505 Moffet Avenue.  It was designed primarily for his daughter, Miss Helen Nutz, who will conduct a dance-music school in a specially built air-conditioned and sound-proofed studio on the main floor of the two-story section of the building.  The building is U-shaped, with two gabled one-story wings, each with six apartments, and the two-story section in the rear with two apartments above the studio.  The building is of brick.  It has been named the Helena Apartments.”

Helen’s 1941 graduation picture

Helen graduated from Joplin High School in 1941 and from Joplin Junior College in 1943.  She was accomplished on the piano and violin and performed in numerous concerts in the Joplin area.  During World War II, she was a Junior U.S.O. Hostess.

Helen married her first husband, Marion Phillips in June 1947 and they lived in Joplin.  He was a professional golfer and they had two sons.  After the couple divorced, Helen moved to California to be near her brothers.  She remarried Bert Windle in the 1960s, another professional golfer.  Helen divorced Bert and later married Joseph Campbell, a man who was a New York City Deputy Police Chief.

JAMES NUTZ and his story - James F. Nutz, Sr. (1897-1969) owned and operated Nutz Reality along with his brother Ralph Nutz, and later with his second wife Louise, and daughter Helen.  James was a skilled builder, a veteran of World War I, and an airplane mechanic during World War II.  James’ first wife and mother of Helen was Pauline Griffin Nutz.  Pauline died of tuberculosis in 1928 at the age of 28.

According to Louise Nutz, James and his brother, Ralph, were skilled builders.  Also, according to James's daughter, Adele her father understood how to build with concrete more than building with wood.  This could explain why the Helena Apartments, the Adele Apartments, and the Glen Theater (see sidebars below) have a bunker-style construction design!

James Nutz also built the Adele Apartments at 215 North Sergeant in 1955 and is still in use in 2026.  It was named for his daughter Adele who was born from the union of James and his second wife Louise.  In an April 2026 interview with Adele Nutz Thompson, she said, “I laid some of the brickwork for the Adele.”

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!”

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.

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.

Also built by James Nutz around 1946 ---that can still be seen in 2026---is the movie theater at 1413 South Main Street.  Originally, he named it “The Show.” The Joplin Globe reported on November 13, 1949 that the Dickenson Operating Company purchased the theater and renamed it the “Glen Theater.”  At that time the new owner completely remodeled and redecorated in an ultra-modernistic style.  The lobby was redecorated largely with mirrors, and the theater front was also remodeled.The Glen Theater is not to be confused with the Rex Theater that was a few doors to the south at 1423 S. Main.