Fun Things to Do In Joplin MO on a budget
Joplin is located on the edge of the Ozark Mountains. The discovery of lead sparked the establishment of the city. Residents and visitors both will enjoy the variety of low-cost things to do in Joplin MO. So, if you are a resident explore the parts of your city that you don’t know, but if you aren’t a resident, then come visit Joplin MO and see what you’re missing.
George Washington Carver National Monument
George Washington Carver was born into slavery but became an important African American scientist. Slavery was abolished about the time he was school age but getting an education was not an easy task. He had to move around a lot to attend school. His interest in farming led to his agricultural research. His goal was to help farmers select crops as an alternative to cotton to prevent soil depletion. He promoted peanuts and sweet potatoes and sought multiple ways to use them.
The George Washington Carver National Monument covers 240 acres 15 miles southeast of Joplin in Diamond, Missouri. His father’s farm is part of the park, and it includes the Carver house and cemetery. You’ll find trails, a discovery center, a museum, a theater, and a gift shop. The park is open daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm, and there is no admission fee.
Route 66
Neosho National Fish Hatchery
The Neosho National Fish Hatchery, established in 1888, is a federal hatchery operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is responsible for preserving and protecting various species of fish. They have raised over 130 species. Most recently, they are raising rainbow trout, Topeka shiners, and pallid sturgeon. The rainbow trout are raised to stock recreational fishing spots and to boost local economies. The pallid sturgeons are raised to assist this endangered species. The hatchery grounds are open until 10 pm.
Ampersand Sculpture
Located at the north side of the Kum & Go store, the sculpture is an 8-foot tall x 7-foot wide ampersand. Emphasizing the ampersand in the store’s slogan “Where & Means More,” the front and back have different messages. One side celebrates the company’s values and culture. The other side celebrates Joplin’s history.
The Ozark Spooklight
Eleven miles southwest of Joplin on a back road near Hornet is the location of the Ozark Spooklight. It is seen as a moving light with no explanation of what is creating it. It has been mentioned since 1881, which dispels the theory that the source is a car’s headlights.
Precious Moments Chapel and Gardens
The Precious Moments Chapel and Gardens, located in Carthage nine miles from Joplin, is open daily from 9:30 to 5 pm. It features Precious Moments statues and paintings. The chapel with its beautiful and endearing interior is compared to the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
World’s Largest Small Electric Appliance Museum
The World’s Largest Small Electric Appliance Museum is located in Diamond, nine miles from Joplin. The museum, with 7,000 items, has every imaginable small appliances including over 700 toasters. It is one of those “I had one of those” places.
Boots Court Motel
At the corner of Route 66 and U.S. 71 in Carthage, Missouri is the Boots Court Motel. Built in 1939, it offers “a radio in every room” and covered carports. It was almost demolished but was saved. It is now restored with a look similar to what it was like when Clark Gable stayed there. A neon sign on Route 66 advertising the motel also has been restored along with the neon lights around the motel.
Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center
The Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center at the confluence of Shoal and Silver Creeks is a biodiverse ecosystem. The main area is a chert glade surrounded by hickory and oak woodlands, a prairie-savanna, a riparian corridor, and caves. The plants and animals in the chert glade don’t live together anywhere else. A chert glade has a rocky terrain with chert bedrock and shallow soil creating shallow root systems with few or no trees. With few trees, plants endure full exposure to the sun in the summer and frost and snow in the winter. The plants have thick leaves with a waxy coating. The coating provides a seal that helps them store water for blooming and developing seeds. These plants include widow’s cross sedum, fame flower, and Nuttall’s sedum. The succulent stem material created by the disk-like pads of the prickly pear cactus also store water. Some plants, such as the Venus’ looking glass plant, sprout, grow, mature, and flower in the spring. The chert bedrock is also covered by a symbiotic combination of fungi and algae called lichen. This attracts the lichen grasshopper. The Wildcat Glades is home to the Neosho mucket, an endangered mussel. For bird watchers, this Audubon park offers bluebirds, American robins, black-capped chickadees, mourning doves, eastern phoebes, prothonotary warblers, indigo buntings, cliff swallows, red-headed woodpeckers, Canadian geese, yellow-crowned night herons, Cooper’s hawks, and red-shouldered hawks. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm.
Located on Route 66 at the edge of the Ozark Mountains, Joplin offers a lot to explore. However, as this list shows, there are a lot more low cost things to do in Joplin MO. So, whether you are a resident or not, treat yourself and visit Joplin MO. While your visiting Joplin MO turn on the local radio stations of choice NewsTalk KZRG, Country KIX 102.5, Top40 Kissin 92.5, Classic Hits 93.9, and 1230 The Talker.