Blog: The Joplin Chronicles
Welcome to a place where Joplin’s story is told the way it deserves — with depth, detail, and a deep affection for the people and places that shaped it. From the zinc-rich soil that sparked a boomtown to the Victorian parlors where fortunes were made and lives were lived, these pages explore the rich and layered history of Joplin, Missouri and the four-states region. Here you will find the stories of remarkable families like the Schiferdeckers and Zellekens, the landmarks that still stand as testament to a remarkable era, and the culture of a Victorian age that was anything but ordinary.
Written by Brad Belk, Historian and Executive Director of Joplin Historical Neighborhoods Museum
The German Connection
Two of Joplin’s most recognizable names share an unexpected connection: Charles Schifferdecker and Joe Becker were both born in Baden, Germany. Their legacies continue today in places many of us know well—Schifferdecker Park and Avenue, and Joe Becker Stadium.
A Foot in the Door: Higher Education and Women at the Turn of the Century
At the turn of the century, there was considerable conversation concerning women’s roles in society. By 1900, over four million women were in the labor force. Although paid considerably less than their male counterparts, women were finding niche occupations like seamstresses, secretaries, nurses, teachers, and domestic servants. Additional employment opportunities were becoming available such as telephone operators, store clerks, and factory workers. Of course, there were a multitude of occupations in which women were not allowed.
Death @ 422
As with most older homes a fascinating, connected story involves former inhabitants of a residence. The narrative of how they lived is an important detail, but also of note, is their passing. In many cases, former owners died in their homes. The majestic home at 422 S. Sergeant was, itself, no stranger to death.
The Art of the Calling Card
America at the turn of the century was a very formal society, where precise protocol existed. Springtime was the start of the social calling season. Mrs. Burton Kingsland composed a series of twelve articles on good manners for The Ladies’ Home Journal magazine. In her column entitled “Good Form For All Occasions” from January 1900, she explains the etiquette of calling.
Prohibition in Kansas
In 1880, Kansas became the first state to write into its constitution a prohibition on alcohol, making it one of the very few states with extensive experience with prohibition as a public policy in both the pre-and post-Volstead periods. Since the campaign preceding the 1880 election, through the era of Carry Nation and national prohibition, up to the present day, the issue has been under continuous, and usually heated, public discussion.