Joplin, Missouri · Historic Route 66
Route 66 in Joplin
Follow the Mother Road along West 7th Street—and meet the people, places, and everyday businesses that made this stretch unforgettable.
Start the drive
Two highways. One historic Joplin crossroads.
Joplin’s road story brings together the north–south Jefferson Highway and the east–west Mother Road. Route 66 follows West 7th Street along the southern edge of Murphysburg, linking national travel history with neighborhood stories.
Explore Joplin’s historic highways
Stories from the road
The people who made the Mother Road memorable
Route 66 was never only pavement and signs. On Joplin’s stretch, family businesses fed travelers, employed neighbors, and became landmarks in their own right.
Dorothy Peck & Mac’s Bakery
Dorothy Peck helped turn Mac’s Bakery into a Route 66 memory: coffee, donuts, celebration cakes, and kindness at the gateway to the Murphysburg Historic District.
Read Dorothy’s story
Emma Sue Hills & Mr. Swiss
Emma Sue Hills helped run Mr. Swiss—and later Hillbilly Hills—from its unmistakable A-frame on West 7th, serving travelers and neighbors for two decades.
Read Emma Sue’s storyA companion timeline
Meet the women who kept Joplin moving
See Dorothy and Emma Sue’s stories together in the Route 66 centennial collection.