Fletcher Taylor Snapp was a member of Joplin High School’s first graduating class of 1887, the first president of the Joplin Automobile Club, Joplin’s mayor from 1922-1926, one of the founders of the Citizens State Bank, a cashier of Cunningham Bank and building chairman during the long process of constructing the Scottish Rite Cathedral at 505 S. Byers Avenue.This house has suffered several devastating fires. The first of which claimed Mr. Snapp’s life when he was 79 years old and that of a handyman. The tragedy occurred when the oil furnace exploded while being repaired. His wife Elizabeth Belle (Betty) Mayes Snapp survived. This brown brick clad house has a porte cochére that provides covered access for visitors arriving by motorized transport—or back in the day for the horse and carriage. The portico, consisting of Ionic columns and a triangular pediment, beckons visitors to enter this stately home. The wrap-around covered porch with its turned balustrades serves as the venue for outdoor gatherings. The main entry door has cut glass sidelights with transoms. Furthermore, the beautiful historic wooden door is enhanced with a decorative oval arched transom. Each story has a curved bay window and all windows have limestone lintels.
The Olivia Hotel and Apartments
Austin Allen, Architect
Dieter Wetzel, Builder
Listed on the National Register in 2008
The Olivia had a well-deserved reputation as the “handsomest apartment house in the West.” Arthur Bendelari, a civil and mining engineer from Canada, moved to Joplin during the mining boom. He commissioned architect Austin Allen and the contracting firm Dieter and Wenzel to construct this 5-story, $150,000 masterpiece. Construction began February of 1906, and it was open in October that same year.
Arthur Bendelari had a reputation for being a well-liked charmer. He owned one of the town’s first automobiles, and he would race anyone anytime, especially if it involved wagering. He named the Olivia after his mother, Mary Olivia Bendelari.
Decorated in “Pompeian fashion,” the public spaces of the Olivia sparkled with solid Italian marble. The lobby decor impressed all who crossed the threshold where mosaic tiles spelled out “Olivia.” Passing through the elaborate rotunda, visitors entered the reception room, finished in old ivory and lit by skylights and a large leaded glass window with the name “Olivia” expertly crafted in multi-colored glass. A highly polished oak staircase spiraled up from the lobby, connecting all five floors. Electric elevators, both passenger and freight, also provided easy access to all parts of the building. A uniformed attendant provided 24-hour elevator service.
The red brick Olivia comprised 34 one and two-bedroom apartments, for a total of 110 rooms. Some of the larger apartments had almost 2,000 square feet of living space. All of them featured built-ins, fireplaces, marble bathrooms with claw-foot tubs, and every labor-saving device known at the time. Tenants enjoyed bright airy rooms with French doors opening onto private balconies. A roof garden overlooked the city, affording spectacular views in all directions. On clear days, one could even see Webb City. Trolley lines ran down 4th Street, right next to the building, taking residents wherever they wanted to go.
The Olivia’s Current Situation:
After many false starts and a tragic fire in December 2020, this Murphysburg landmark is being
restored by Blue Haven Homes and Bykota REI, along with Neal Group Construction &
Restoration.
Preservation Efforts & Updates:
- HMP partnered with stakeholders including the City of Joplin and the current owner to find ways to stabilize the structure.
- Downtown Joplin Alliance uses grant funds to conduct a professional assessment on December 11. Fire damage was limited in scope to the roof structure and the first-floor area below the lower roof. The decorative domed ceiling in the lobby has collapsed onto the floor, which has also partially collapsed. However, the exterior masonry and all floor structure areas are in sound condition and the building can still be rehabilitated.
- October 29, 2020: The Olivia is named one of Missouri’s “Places in Peril”
- December 7, 2020: The Olivia Apartments suffer fire damage (view drone footage of fire damage)
- December 17, 2020: Bywater Development’s application for tax credits to help pay for the renovation is denied by the Missouri Housing Development Commission
- Bywater Development withdraws from the offer to purchase The Olivia from Scott Tillman with Tillman Redevelopment of Springfield
- Fall 2021: New developers are making … progress to bring The Olivia back to her grandeur
- Good News Update February 12, 2021: City officials propose investment in Olivia building: Council to consider $250,000 agreement
Women of Murphysburg: The Bendelari Women of The Olivia Apartments
In honor of Women’s History Month—and in celebration of the ongoing restoration of the Olivia Apartments at 320 S. Moffet Avenue—Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. will present “Women of the Olivia,” long forgotten accounts of four unique, smart women. Paula Callihan, one of the group’s members, said, “We knew a little bit about two women connected to Murphysburg’s history, but when we decided to expand on it, we were excited to find evidence of two other women’s biographies.”
Mary Anne Phillips, another member, said, “Now that historical data is available on the internet, it’s amazing what can be found about Joplin’s or your family’s history by a simple word or name search. Expect to read politically incorrect language and content based on today’s standards.” When browsing old newspapers for women’s history, be sure to look at the so-called woman’s page, personals, club notes, social forecasts, and general society columns. There are also gaps in years/months/days of many archived newspapers.
All of the Bendelari women in the series were considered socialites, were well traveled, cultivated special talents, earned national recognition, and made their homes in Joplin before, after, and during their careers. The Bendelari sisters were educated at home and abroad. All four women lived to their 80s and 90s and all died in California.
The Legacy of Jo Kilbane: A Life of Service in Joplin
Women’s History Month featuring Mary Joanne Kilbane ...
Baby in the Bushes
FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, WE PRESENT A MYSTERY IN MURPHYSBURG. Abandoned baby! ...
Woman’s History Month…Two Untold Stories
The investigation of the hidden history about Dora Kneeland and her connection to the beginning of Williams Chili Seasoning led to uncovering the fascinating true story of Mary Kirk Kelly ...
Mary Kirk Kelly: Joplin Junior College Teacher
Our investigations led us to uncover the story of Mary Kirk Kelly. She was a teacher at Joplin Junior College and was instrumental in starting United Nations Day in Joplin around 1961. After retirement, Mary Kirk gained a reputation as a legendary American ceramic artist! ...
Olivia Josephine Bendelari / Mrs. Alex Stein
Miss Olivia Bendelari Olivia was born on December 11, 1910 in Ohio, but soon came to live with her parents, Annie and Fred Bendelari at the Olivia Apartments. It must have been a constant source of pride and need for explanation for the young Olivia to live at the Olivia that was named for her grandmother, “Minnie” Mary Olivia. Her uncle, Arthur Bendelari also lived at the Olivia and had it built in 1906. Her ...
Helen Bendelari Boughton-Leigh McAlpin
Helen Bendelari Helen was born on January 15, 1906, in Ohio, but soon came to live with her parents, Annie and Fred Bendelari, and siblings at The Olivia Apartments. Her uncle, Arthur Bendelari built the Olivia and lived there with his wife Frances. Her father and uncle were associated with the Consolidated Mining Company and Eagle Picher Lead Company, respectively. Both families made a very comfortable living in Joplin which enabled Helen and sisters Olivia ...
Mary Bendelari
Inventor, Designer, Entrepreneur, Mentor, Lobbyist, Socialite, Manufacturer Mary also patented an elastic-edge tablecloth and a rigid bed sheet. Mary was born in Ohio in 1902, but soon came to live with her parents, Annie and Fred Bendelari, and siblings at the Olivia Apartments, 320 S. Moffet in Joplin. Her uncle, Arthur Bendelari built the Olivia and also lived there with his wife Frances. Her father and uncle were associated with the Consolidated Mining Company and Eagle Picher Lead Company, respectively. ...
Frances Geddes Bendelari / Mrs. Arthur Bendelari
Joplin Society Leader, Prominent Vocalist in Joplin and Beyond Born in September 1884 in Ohio, Frances and her siblings grew up with their parents James and Dollie Geddes in Joplin, and at one point, lived at 301 S Sergeant in what is now the Murphysburg Historic District. A Quashed Elopement Several biographical books (and Joplin folklore) claim that Howard Robards Hughes (the father of the infamous Howard Hughes, Jr.) lived in Joplin while working in ...