The lost photos of Joplin

May 22 marked the third anniversary of the powerful tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, and changed that Route 66 city forever. I recommend you read this story from Al-Jazeera America about the Lost Photos of Joplin project, which collected more than 40,000 photographs scattered by the storm. There are lithographs of ancestors from the 1800s, … Continue reading The lost photos of Joplin

Joplin’s new baseball team is called the Blasters

The name for the new American Association professional baseball team in Joplin, Mo., will be the Blasters, with a logo that includes a reference to Route 66. The club announced the nickname and logo Monday afternoon in Joplin. The logo contains a nod to the region's lead-mining history and the town's old Joplin Miners ballclub, with … Continue reading Joplin’s new baseball team is called the Blasters

Joplin dedicates Route 66 Mural Park

Most of it has been up for months, but Joplin, Mo., dedicated its Route 66 Mural Park on Thursday night with a ribbon-cutting and other downtown events. The park near at Seventh and Main — where two alignments of Route 66 intersect — features one-half of a 1964 Corvette embedded in a wall as a … Continue reading Joplin dedicates Route 66 Mural Park

Joplin will dedicate Route 66 Mural Park on Thursday

The Joplin, Mo., Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon-cutting to dedicate the Route 66 Mural Park at 6:05 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release from the chamber. The park near at Seventh and Main -- where two alignments of Route 66 intersect -- features one-half of a 1964 Corvette embedded in a wall … Continue reading Joplin will dedicate Route 66 Mural Park on Thursday

Professional baseball will return to Joplin

As expected, the City of Joplin, Mo., approved a lease this week with an independent professional baseball team from El Paso, Texas, to move into and renovate century-old Joe Becker Stadium, reported the Joplin Globe. The newspaper reported details of the arrangement: The lease requires the city to spend $4 million enlarging and updating the … Continue reading Professional baseball will return to Joplin

Corvette installed at Route 66 Mural Park

One-half of a 1964 Corvette was installed Friday at the Route 66 Mural Park in Joplin, Mo., near Seventh and Main streets, where two alignments of Route 66 intersect. According to a news release from the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau: The newly placed corvette will provide a photo opportunity for visitors to stand by … Continue reading Corvette installed at Route 66 Mural Park

Corvette arrives for Joplin mural park

A red 1964 Chevrolet Corvette -- or half of one, anyway -- recently arrived in Joplin, Mo., to be installed as part of a photo-op at the Route 66 Mural Park in downtown. According to a news release from the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau: Final dedication of the finished park will be held in … Continue reading Corvette arrives for Joplin mural park

Joplin likely will acquire minor-league baseball team

The City of Joplin, Mo., is moving swiftly to accept a proposal to renovate historic Joe Becker Stadium and land a minor-league team from El Paso, Texas, as its new tenant, reported the Joplin Globe. The council voted to have the city staff write a formal agreement defining the terms of a deal toward relocating … Continue reading Joplin likely will acquire minor-league baseball team

Joplin ends Mother Road Marathon

The city council of Joplin, Mo., voted 5-3 on Monday night to end the city's annual Mother Road Marathon because of financial losses and declining participation, reported the Joplin Globe. According to the newspaper, the 26.2-mile event that ran from Commerce, Okla., through Kansas and ended in Joplin dropped from 1,657 participants its inaugural year … Continue reading Joplin ends Mother Road Marathon

Team wants Joplin to improve historic baseball stadium

The El Paso Diablos baseball team wants to move to Joplin, Mo., but wants the city to improve Joe Becker Stadium in return. The Diablos, affiliated with the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball and owned by WLD Suarez Baseball, were so successful in El Paso, Texas, that a professional team moved a Class AAA affiliate … Continue reading Team wants Joplin to improve historic baseball stadium