27 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
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Miracle survivals and far-flung debris
On May 22, 2011, an EF5 tornado tore through Joplin, Missouri, with winds over 200 mph. It killed 158 people and injured more than 1,150. But here is what storm country never forgets: the day after, seventeen people…
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Newman Brothers Building
· 0.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
From 1910 to 1972, this building housed Newman's Department Store, a Joplin institution that dressed generations of families. It was more than just a store; it was a downtown hub. Before you stands the Newman Brothers…
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Connor Hotel (Joplin, Missouri)
· 0.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Ever wonder what secrets are buried beneath a parking lot? Here in Joplin, it's the story of the Connor Hotel. Built between 1906 and 1908, the Connor Hotel was a grand, Beaux-Arts style building right on Main Street.…
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Joplin Union Depot
· 0.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Look to your left, and imagine a grand gateway to Joplin, bustling with life and the rumble of mighty trains! This very spot was once the beating heart of transportation for decades. This magnificent Joplin Union Depot,…
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Bonnie & Clyde Garage Apartment
· 2.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This unassuming apartment building marks a pivotal moment in the story of Bonnie and Clyde. In 1933, the Barrow Gang, including Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, holed up here. They were trying to keep a low profile, but…
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Elijah Thomas Webb Residence
· 5.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Look at that house! It's not just pretty; it's a survivor, a real testament to a bygone era in Webb City. This magnificent three-story residence, built around 1891, was the home of Elijah Thomas Webb. It's a stunning…
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Kan-O-Tex Service Station
· 6.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over! You're looking at a piece of Route 66 history right here at the Kan-O-Tex Service Station. It's more than just a snack stop; it's a time capsule. This station originally opened in 1934, serving travelers…
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66 Drive-In
· 10.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a blast from the past at the 66 Drive-In, a relic from the golden age of roadside Americana. This drive-in opened its gates on September 22, 1949, offering a then-novel entertainment experience. Before…
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Williams' Store
· 10.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here for a taste of old Route 66 at Williams' Store, a real survivor from the early days of cross-country travel. Leo Williams built this place in 1925, just a year before Route 66 was officially designated.…
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George Washington Carver National Monument
· 11.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This unassuming spot marks the beginning of an extraordinary life. Here, George Washington Carver, born into slavery during the 1860s, spent his formative years, developing a deep connection to the land. After…
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Diamond, Missouri's Real Jewel
· 11.9 mi
A town called Diamond out on the Missouri prairie sounds like a gem story, somebody finding sparkle in the dirt. But the diamond here was never a stone. Early settlers looked out across the flat grassland and saw a…
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Rainbow Bridge (Kansas)
· 12.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Get ready to cross a piece of Route 66 history: the Rainbow Bridge! This beautifully preserved Marsh arch bridge is a classic example of early 1900s engineering. Back in 1923, this bridge was built to carry Route 66,…
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Boots Court Motel
· 12.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a night at the Boots Court Motel, a beautifully restored icon of Route 66 Americana. Arthur and Ilda Boots opened the Boots Court here in Carthage in 1939. Located at the crossroads of U.S. Routes 66 and…
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Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station
· 12.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Get your kicks on Route 66 at this beautifully preserved gas station! It's a tangible reminder of the golden age of American road trips. Built in 1930 by the Independent Oil and Gas Company, it quickly became a Phillips…
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Carthage Courthouse Square - Route 66
· 12.9 mi · Historical Marker
A historic Ozarks town where the first full-scale land battle of the Civil War was fought and Route 66 later brought a new era of American travel through its Victorian courthouse square.
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Peoria (town)
· 14.5 mi · Eohc
You're driving through Ottawa County, passing by the site of Peoria. This place owes its existence to the Tri-State Lead and Zinc District, which boomed from 1891 to 1896. At its peak, Peoria was a bustling mining camp…
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Quapaw (tribe)
· 17.7 mi · Eohc
You're driving through northeastern Oklahoma, and right here is the ancestral homeland of the Quapaw people. Their name means 'those going downstream,' a nod to their migration from near the mouth of the Ohio River,…
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Ballard, Louis Wayne
· 17.7 mi · Eohc
You're driving past Quapaw, Oklahoma, the birthplace of Louis W. Ballard, a composer of Cherokee-Quapaw descent. His Quapaw name means 'Stands with Eagles.' Ballard became a nationally recognized composer, known for…
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Beeler, Joe Neil
· 17.7 mi · Eohc
Right here in northeastern Oklahoma, near Quapaw, is where Joe Beeler honed his craft. Born in Missouri in 1931, Beeler grew up dreaming of being a cowboy and an artist. After serving in the Korean War and studying art,…
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Quapaw (town)
· 17.7 mi · Eohc
You're driving through Quapaw, Oklahoma, right on the Kansas border. This town was once known as "the Hay Capital" of Oklahoma! Back in 1896, a railroad stop here made it easy for farmers to ship over a thousand…
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Picher Childhood Lead Crisis
· 18.7 mi · Things to Do
A 1994 study found 34% of children had dangerous lead levels. Kids played on toxic chat piles daily.
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Quapaw Nation Remediation
· 18.7 mi · Things to Do
The Quapaw tribe took over cleanup from the EPA and removed 7 million tons of toxic waste since 2013.
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1913 Ore Strike Site
· 18.7 mi · Things to Do
Lead and zinc discovered on Quapaw allotment land in 1913 launched the Tri-State Mining District boom.
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Gary Linderman Last Resident
· 18.8 mi · Things to Do
The last man in Picher refused to leave his pharmacy. He died June 9 2015 at age 60.
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Chat Piles of Picher
· 18.8 mi · Things to Do
178 million tons of toxic mining waste piled into mountains visible from space.
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2008 EF4 Tornado
· 18.8 mi · Things to Do
An EF4 tornado hit on May 10 2008 killing 7 -- destroying a town already scheduled for demolition.
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Picher Government Buyout
· 18.8 mi · Things to Do
The federal government paid residents to leave. An entire American town was erased from the map.