Before the start of the Civil War, lead veins had been found around Joplin. However, it was after the Civil War that Joplin began to develop. Around 1873, a camp was built around Joplin to mine lead, and the residents of John C. Cox (John C. Cox) issued a city plan.

The Cox named the village Joplin City after a nearby stream. The name of this little brook, Joplin, was the Rev. Harris G. Joplin, who founded the Methodist Church in the middle of the 19th century, Harris G. Joplin). It was not long before Joplin City merged with Murphysburg, the opposite bank, but the merger was not valid, so it soon disappeared. But soon afterwards they were merged again into Joplin City.

By the end of the 19th century, Joplin developed to become a central city in the whole region. A rush of construction occurred along Main Street, with bars and hotels opening one after another, and houses were built in the area. Joplin also became a base for trolley and railway traffic in the southwestern part of the state. Soon, Joplin developed into a mining city called the capital of lead and zinc in the world.

However, after World War II, mines that supported the prosperity of Joplin were closed one after another. The population was slow down, and the streets were deserted. From the 1960s to the 1970s, a wide area of 160 and 000m² in historic downtown areas was in the name of "urban redevelopment" and was in danger of being destroyed. Many of the historic buildings that still remain in Jopurine are designated as National Register of Historic Places. The historic building of Joplin includes:

• House of Roses
• Connor Hotel
• Keystone Hotel
• Newman Mercantile Store
• Frisco Depot
• Union Depot
• Scottish Light Cathedral
• Liberty Building
• Fox Theater
• Crystal Cave

In the 1990s, Joplin and its surroundings began to grow again. Joplin is now developing as the center of the four-state Four State Area.

Joplin is located at latitude 37 degrees 4 minutes 40 seconds north and longitude 94 degrees 30 minutes 40 seconds west (37.077760, -94.511024). The city is the central city of the Four State Area, which straddles the four states of Missouri Kansas Oklahoma Arkansas. It is located about 11km (7 miles) from the border of Kansas, about 16km (10 miles) from the border of Oklahoma, and about 88km (55 miles) from the border of Arkansas.

According to the United States Statistical Bureau, Joplin City has a total area of 81.6km² (31.5mi²). 81.4km² (31.4 mi²) is land and 0.2km² (0.1 mi²) is water area. The water area accounts for 0.25% of the total area.

For State Area

The Four-State Area is the central city of the economy and culture in the region. As its name suggests, the region spans four states, southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas.

The Joplin metropolitan area is officially limited to Missouri, Jasper and Newton. However, in both government and business media, the four-state area is more important.

Since Joprin is close to the center of geography of the country, distribution companies, including CFI, the city's headquarters, are developing. Also, Eagle Pitcher Industries Ltd. and F.A.G. Barings Inc. (F.A.G.) Bearings), and Leggett & Platt, a Fortune 500 company, also has its headquarters in the region, particularly Joplin.

The airport that serves as the gateway to Joplin is Joplin Regional Airport, located about 7 km north of the city.

In Joplin City, there are Kansas City Southern Railway (also called Kansas City Southern Railroad or KCS), a branch line of BNSF Railway, and Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railway (also called Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad or MNA). It was a base for railway transportation, but many of it were abolished with the decline of mining and industry in the city. Since the 1960s, the Passenger Railway has not been running through Joplin. Union Depot in the city is still on the main line of the KCS and is dedicated to the restoration.

To the south of the city is the interstate I-44. The I-44, a toll road that was once constructed as a bypass of National Route 66, was converted to a state-to-state expressway, connecting St. Louis and Oklahoma City. Also, it is proposed that National Route 71, which runs east of the city, be upgraded to the state-to-state I-49 highway in the future. Already four lanes have been built between Fort Smith, Kansas City Arkansas, and it's a highway. I-49 is now a highway in Louisiana.

distance to a major city

• Springfield, Missouri: 112 km (70 miles)
• Fort Smith: 166 km (103 miles)
• Tulsa: 175 km (109 miles)
• Kansas City: 241 km (150 miles)
• Oklahoma City: 344 km (214 miles)
• Wichita: 344 km (214 miles)
• St. Louis: 451 km (280 miles)
• Little Rock: 571 km (355 miles)

The following is demographic data from the 2000 census.

fundamental data

• Population: 45,504
• Number of households: 19,101 households
• Number of Families: 11,517 families
• Population density: 559.2 people/km² (1,448.4 people/mi²)
• Number of Homes: 21,328 houses
• Residential density: 262.1 doors/km² (678.9 doors/mi²)

population structure

• White: 91.44%
• African American: 2.67%
• Native American: 1.53%
• Asians: 0.74%
• Pacific Islands: 0.04%
• Other races: 0.98%
• Mixed: 2.59%
• Hispanic Latino: 2.51%

demographic structure

• Under 18: 23.2%
• 18-24 years old: 13.5%
• 25-44 years old: 27.3%
• 45-64 years old: 20.3%
• Over 65 years of age: 15.6%
• Median Age: 35 years old
• Sex ratio (male population per 100 women)
  • Total population: 90.4
  • Over 18 years of age: 86.0

Households and family (number of households)

• We have children under 18: 27.5%
• Married and living together: 44.4%
• Single, divorced, and deceased women are householders: 12.3%
• Non-family: 39.7%
• Single Family: 32.4%
• Elderly people aged 65 and older live alone: 12.5%
• average number of constituent members
  • Households: 2.28 people
  • Family: 2.89 people

income and family

• median income
  • Households: 30,555 US dollars
  • Family: 38,888 US dollars
  • gender
    • Male: 28,569 US dollars
    • Female: 20,665 US dollars
• Income per population: 17,738 US dollars
• below poverty line
  • Population: 14.8%
  • Number of Relatives: 10.5%
  • Under 18: 18.8%
  • Over 65 years of age: 9.4%

• Langston Hughes - poet and writer
• Hale Irwin-Progolfer
• Darrell Porter - Major League players
• Jamie McMurray-racing driver
• Dennis Weaver - Actor
• Robert Cummings-Actor
• Never Shout Never - Musician

• Joplin MO - Official City Site
• Joplin.com (English)
• Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau (English)
• Joplin, MO (Yahoo!Map Map)