In honor of Women’s History Month and Joplin’s Route 66 Centennial Celebration, Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. is proud to present the story of Dorothy Peck and Emma Sue Hills. Dorothy and Emma Sue were not famous. They were not civic activists or talented athletes, but they were successful business owners, managers, cooks, wives, and mothers who served people on “The Mother Road.”
Emma was born on September 21, 1924 in Purcell, Missouri. Her father passed away when she was only 13 causing her to quit school and go to work at the age of 14 for a pharmacist and his family in Carthage. As an adult she started working at Meeker (Leather) Co. in Joplin. One of her tasks was to glue leather billfolds which required bending over for long periods of time in a very hot environment.
Emma Sue met Hugh Hills at Meeker Co. and they married in 1951. Together they raised two daughters and one son.
The long-time owner of Meeker Co., and former mayor of Joplin, was Freeman R. Johnson. Through the years he came to appreciate how valuable Hugh was to the business and to Mr. Johnson personally. When Mr. Johnson passed away in 1965, he bequeathed his garden tools and a generous dollar amount to Hugh. Today Mr. Johnson’s legacy lives on through the Freeman R. Johnson Trust that he set up for the furtherance and development of charities, education, and municipal projects in the Joplin area. The trust holds well over $1 million in assets.
According to an article on February 8, 1995 in the Joplin Globe, “The building was constructed in 1930 at 1101 East 7th Street on Route 66. At its prime, Meeker Co. had more than 400 employees and distributed its leather goods to stores in 50 states and some foreign countries. That work force dwindled to about 10 employees before the plant shut down in 1987.” The building was razed in 1995.
MR. SWISS COMES to 635 West 7th Street
One day Emma Sue’s nephew came to her and Hugh asking them to co-sign on a loan so he could buy a Mr. Swiss franchise in Joplin. The Hills honored his request, but soon it became evident that the nephew was not a good business operator, therefore, in 1967 Emma Sue and Hugh decided to take over the Mr. Swiss operation. Hugh visited the creditors and promised to pay them back in full, which he did.
The Hills ran the restaurant for 20 years, first as a Mr. Swiss and then as Hillbilly Hills when Mr. Swiss went out of business. The restaurant closed in 1987. Currently the building, with its distinctive A-frame architecture, is extant and waiting for a new life. On August 16, 2007 at the age of 82, Emma Sue passed away at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, now known as Mercy Hospital.
DIVERSITY and KINDNESS on ROUTE 66
The Hills were generous to youngsters who stopped in. Hugh would give kids a paper sack and tell them to help themselves to ice cream treats made at the store that were sold from a freezer case. However, at times Emma Sue would need to remind her husband that they were running a for-profit business. Hugh passed away on April 22, 2025 at the age of 99.
Just like the Peck children, daughter Conni started working at Mr. Swiss at 15 years old, daughter Cathy at 13 years old, and son Tom at 12 years old. When Hugh opened a second Mr. Swiss at 130 N. Range Line Road, Emma Sue took over supervising the 7th Street location. The family worked hard seven days a week but did find time for some fun. Conni Hills Lipe remembers that employees of the 7th Street location would come over to the Range Line location for occasional water balloon fights.
The Hills understood that being community minded was also good advertising. The Hills frequently sponsored pee wee teams, women’s and men’s softball teams, and men’s bowling teams. The team’s name was Joplin Mr. Swiss or Mr. Swiss. Around the 1970s it was common for such teams to be named for their sponsors, usually that of local businesses.
SPAGHETTI RED
Pictured: The famous Fred & Red’s Spaghetti Red
*Spaghetti Red is spaghetti noodles topped with a slow cooked meat sauce. The sauce is a type of chili without beans. The plate is served with optional dill pickles, sliced onions, grated parmesan cheese, and ketchup. The sauce does not have tomatoes but is prepared with William’s Chili Seasoning (invented in Joplin) and crushed up soda crackers that soak up the meat grease. Yummy! Recipes vary and are closely guarded. Spaghetti Red is still served on alignments of Route 66 in Joplin. You can enjoy a plate at Fred & Red’s, 1719 S. Main Street and at Stogey’s Coney Island, 2629 E. 7th Street.
When “No Reservations” television food host Anthony Bourdain (1956-2018) came to Joplin in 2010 he stopped at Fred & Red’s. The episode aired in March 2011. After sampling a plate of Spaghetti Red, he announced it was “heart attack on a plate.” OK—so what’s your point Anthony?
After Emma Sue’s death in 2007, Hugh remained active with his lawn service. Just like Dorothy, Hugh also miraculously survived the Joplin tornado. He sheltered in a bedroom closet! Unfortunately, his house, photographs, and his Mr. Swiss mementos were destroyed. Seven days after the tornado, President Barack Obama toured Joplin and spoke to Hugh in front of his destroyed house. A photograph with the President and Hugh can still be viewed by searching “Joplin tornado” on Wikipedia.
Final Thoughts
Travel writer Sage Scott said it best, “The iconic Mother Road wouldn’t be what it is today without the women who helped shape it. From musicians and motel owners to restaurateurs and preservationists, their contributions continue to inspire every traveler who sets out on America’s most famous highway.”
THE STORY OF DOROTHY PECK AND MAC’S BAKERY