(Joplin, MO) – Join Visit Joplin as they celebrate the installation of a new Route 66 mural on Friday, April 4 with two events!
Route 66 Mural Unveiling
Friday, April 4 | 1:30 pm | 619 S. Main Street | Free and open to the public
Join Carthage artist Andy Thomas has he unveils a new mural entitled Route 66 Tri-State Corridor in Joplin’s Route 66 Mural Park.
Though several important historical events connect the communities of southwest Missouri, southeast Kansas, and northeast Oklahoma, Route 66 has been a primary conduit for nearly a century. The area’s original association as the Tri-State Mining District has shaped the area and its future as the Route 66 Tri-State Corridor.
Acclaimed Carthage artist Andy Thomas created the new mural highlighting a collection of corridor landmarks that are popular with Route 66 travelers. His work will be an honorable addition to the two murals in the park. The landmarks depicted include buildings like the Carthage Courthouse and Miami’s Coleman Theatre, iconic stores such as the Old Riverstone Store and Carterville’s Supertam on 66, and the whimsical look through the lens with Cars on the Route in Galena and the 66 Drive-in West of Carthage.
Twenty-five landmarks dot the mural, with twenty-one directly on the Route. Additional notable items that travelers relate to are the Bonnie and Clyde legend, Grand Falls, the region’s Native American culture, and the Grapes of Wrath.
The Route 66 Tri-state Corridor is unique for tourism because it offers one- or two-day experiences of the culture, history, and united lives of three states, three counties, eleven communities, and four native nations.
Joplin Mayor Keenan T. Cortez, Sr., will unveil the mural with the assistance of mayors and tribal leaders from communities through which the corridor passes.
Invitations were extended to the Missouri communities of Carthage, Carterville, and Webb City; Galena, Riverton, and Baxter Springs in Kansas; Quapaw, Commerce, Miami, and Afton in Oklahoma; and the Native Nations of Quapaw, Ottawa, Peoria, and Miami.
If the weather requires the event to move inside, a modified unveiling will be held on the first floor of Joplin City Hall.
Route 66 History Lecture by Michael Wallis
Friday, April 4 | 7:00 pm | Corley Auditorium at Missouri Southern State University | Free and open to the public
Western and Route 66 historian and author Michael Wallis will present a lecture on Route 66: past, present, and exciting future on Friday evening, April 4, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
Michael was instrumental in the renaissance of Route 66 with the release of his 1990 book, Route 66: The Mother Road. Written “on the brink” of the 75th anniversary of Route 66, the book single-handedly encouraged new generations of Roadies to seek their own Route 66 Experience. Now, 25 years later, facing the centennial, his book is still relevant today.
Another notable Route 66 accomplishment is his work with John Lasseter, the creator of the Disney/Pixar CARS franchise. Michael and his wife, Suzanne, traveled the route with John and his team as creative consultants to learn, in John’s words, “The Spirit of Route 66.”
Michael is also the voice of Sheriff in the Disney/Pixar CARS franchise and looks closely at the movie’s rendition of the 1949 Mercury Club Coupe Police Cruiser; the front grille was designed to resemble his mustache.
Michael has truly earned the moniker “The Godfather of Route 66.”
The 45-minute lecture is free to the public and will conclude with a Q&A session.
Reference:
Patrick Tuttle, Director
Visit Joplin MO
417.625.4790
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