Celebrating National Historic Districts & Places That Matter

Second Annual Murphysburg Treasure Hunt

Help us celebrate Historic Preservation Month in May at the second annual Murphysburg Treasure Hunt, a race to solve riddles, uncover clues, and explore Joplin’s rich history.  The event starts at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2026—rain or shine—in the west parking lot of Joplin City Hall, 602 S. Main Street.

Your host, Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc., has raised the bar this year by adding cash prizes for second and third place!

The event promises to take treasure seekers on an interactive adventure to find iconic historic sites, links to significant events and people, and hidden history stories in the Joplin metro area.  

At the start of the event contestants will receive their first riddle to solve that will lead them to a landmark. Once they arrive at the correct location, they will find a QR code. Scanning the code will unlock their next clue that will take them further along the treasure trail. The race continues until someone solves all the clues in the correct order and reaches the final destination—destination—thus claiming the $1,000 prize money! The second-place contestant
will receive $750 and third-place contestant will receive $250.

The treasure hunt is open to participants of all ages. The entry fee is $35 per person.

First place 2025 winners pictured to the right. Far right, Michelle Ferguson from Southwest Missouri Bank met the winners at the final clue to deliver the $1,000 prize!

Winners of the first Scavenger hunt with Michelle Ferguson from Southwest Missouri Bank to hand them the $1,000 1ts place prize

Register here to start the adventure . People can also pay in person on May 16 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the parking lot on the southeast corner of 6th and Joplin Avenue.  For questions contact Paula at paula@murphysburg.org

 “Whisky & Whispers: A Reflection on Prohibition”

Step back in time and party like it is 1933!  Yay! The18th Amendment has been repealed!  Joplinites can enjoy the free flow of liquor again! Celebrate with us at a Whisky Tasting & Food Pairing event on Saturday, September 27 at 6:30 p.m. hosted by Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. Whisky & Whispers: A Reflection on Prohibition will be held at The Main Event, 611 South Main Street in downtown Joplin on Historic Missouri Route 66. 1930’s dress attire is welcomed.

Grant Testerman, our whisky sommelier will facilitate the event by teaching guests how to enjoy various types of whisky and food that is best paired with them. Included in the tasting, 5 top shelf Whiskies, Wilders signature whisky tasting glasses, food pairings, tasting note cards, and history interpreters will be provided. Guests can also purchase raffle tickets before and during the event for a chance to take home premium bottles of specialty whiskies and more.

Your $125 ticket will include 5 whisky tastings & food pairings.  Our top shelf libations are from Japan, Kentucky, Ireland (the Quiet Man 8 Year), and Tom’s Town Distillery out of Kansas City, Missouri. Our feature is the “unicorn” Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon.  The food pairings will bring out the flavor of these choice liquors. Our commemorative tasting glasses are sponsored by Wilder’s Steakhouse.  Every taster will receive a commemorative glass with the historic Wilders Steakhouse logo. Our guests will learn how Vern Wilder played a colorful roll in in Joplin during Prohibition!

If you don’t want to be in on the tasting but want to come and have fun and learn about prohibition, purchase a $50 companion ticket.  It will include 2 bootlegger drinks sponsored Tall Pines Distillery (peach moonshine). 

All  guests will be treated to a harvest of beautiful charcutiers style food & great music. The Main Event will have their bar open to purchase beverages to keep the fun going through the evening.  

Thank you Wilder’s Steakhouse & Tall Pines Distillery out of Pineville, Missouri!

Whisky tasting & pairing ticket
Companion ticket
$20 for 1 Whisk(e)y raffle
$50 for 3 Whisk(e)y raffle

TICKETING – Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door for $125 per person for the whisky tasting, special seating. $50 per person for a companion bar & couch seating. Guests must be 21 years old to attend. Be prepared to show ID. For tickets or additional info contact paula@murphysburg.org or by calling Paula Callihan at (417) 208-9376. Check out website for updates at murphysburg.org

The Volstead Act and the 18th Amendment caused the sale and consumption of liquor to become illegal and was commonly referred to as “Prohibition.”  All liquor sales had to end by January 16, 1920.  However, local newspapers reported that after Prohibition was ratified, Joplin remained a “wet oasis” in the Four-State thanks to bootlegging. 

But many residents saw the benefit of having the country and Joplin go “dry.”  Men and women were active in the Anti-Saloon League of America and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.  One of the slogans attributed to the WCTU is “Lips that touch whiskey are lips that will never touch mine.” Prohibition ended with the 21st Amendment in 1933. 

How do you like your whisky?  Drinking whiskey is a personal experience – there’s no right or wrong way to drink whiskey as long as you savor the flavor.

Neat: Room temperature with nothing added allows you to experience its full complex flavor profile.

On The Rocks: Adding ice chills the whisky, providing a refreshing drink that slowly dilutes the spirit as the ice melts, want a slower melts try a big cube.

With a Slash of Water: A small splash of water can mellow the whisky’s harshness and help release its subtle aromas and flavors

Whisky Stones: Freezer safe cubes made of soapstone, metal or marble provide chill without diluting your spirit.

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.

Austin Allen, The Architect Remembered

Enjoy Austin Allen featured homes in this flip book

Samuel Austin Allen arrived in Joplin in 1890 at the age of 10. His father was J.W. Allen an early pioneer and successful mine operator in the area.   Austin graduated from Joplin High School in 1898. He received a degree in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania in 1902 and later went to Paris where he pursued his interest in architecture. Returning to the United States Allen became associated with Bruce Price of New York, one of the foremost architects in the United States. After two years in New York he returned to Joplin to begin practicing his craft in 1905. Allen was an extremely successful architect with offices in Kansas City and in the Frisco Building in Joplin. His professional Joplin resume included such handsome structures as the Newman Building, Saint Peter’s Catholic Church, Olivia Apartments, Joplin High School, United Hebrew Temple, Elks Lodge, and many impressive homes. Mr. Allen was a member of the American Institute of Architects. His obituary in their journal noted, “that his work was marked by a “chaste dignity and scholarly restraint.” Mr. Allen married Belle Taylor and had three children.