(Joplin, MO) – Efforts to preserve and improve one Joplin neighborhood through a national historical designation are underway, and it’s drawing even more attention to this artsy, culture-rich district.
The City of Joplin is working with the North Heights neighborhood to designate it as an official historical district, which will bring that area a nod of prestige as well as new opportunities for grant funding and tax credits that could restore homes and businesses.
Thomas Walters, a planner with the City’s Planning, Zoning and Neighborhood Development department, discussed Joplin’s progress in the effort that would bestow this official designation on the neighborhood, which is located between Main and Jackson Streets, and C and F Streets.
The process of becoming a historically designated neighborhood is thorough, and in many cases, quite fascinating. The City has partnered with Urbana Preservation Planning to first conduct a neighborhood survey that assesses each home and property (even vacant lots) and conducts historical research. More than 40 homes have been deemed potentially “historic” with architectural integrity that will qualify for the honorary designation.
“Their job is to look for those avenues to create a historical district,” Walters said. “Most of the time the neighborhoods love it because they get to learn all about the history of their properties and neighborhood. And it’s amazing how useful that information can be.”
All neighborhoods go through evolutions, Walters said, and North Heights has its own interesting story. What began as a miner’s camp turned into homes built by and for some of Joplin’s industry leaders. Where the upper-class, historical neighborhood of Murphysburg was built for mine owners and financers, the North Heights neighborhood was populated by the middle class — a skilled, educated workforce considered more of the “middle management” level.
“You notice the North Heights neighborhood scale is a little less grandiose, but still has a high level of architectural detail,” Walters said, describing the intensive architectural surveys being conducted. The firm is currently developing its report, with the final survey for Phase 1 to be finished in April 2027. The full process is expected to be complete by 2030.
North Heights homeowner Angela Hudson said a major draw of the neighborhood is its sense of community. The neighborhood hosts multiple festivals throughout the year including the incredible Porchfest celebration (presented by Sparklight), which features musical groups of all different genres performing on front porches throughout the neighborhood. Modeled after the original Porchfest in Ithica, New York, the North Heights celebration was introduced 10 years ago. Today, more than 10,000 people attend. This year’s Porchfest is scheduled for October 10 and will feature more than 60 bands.
“I bought my house because of Porchfest,” said Hudson, an IT consultant who relocated to Joplin from Texas three years ago. “My mom found out about the event and invited me, and I thought it was the coolest thing. This house came up for sale and it’s right in the center of the event. I knew I had to have it.”
As Hudson and her neighbors have participated in the historical designation process, she’s learned fascinating things about her home. Formerly owned by the family that ran a popular, upscale restaurant in town, the home features a hidden moonshine cellar, presumably used during the prohibition era.
In addition to her time spent organizing Porchfest, Hudson is contributing to the neighborhood by restoring the old Richard’s Food Mart at 610 W. E Street. The home goods store will open to the public under its new name, Hudson’s Market, this November.
As North Heights residents organize themselves for historical designation, they understand the need to work together and have already formed the North Heights Neighborhood Group — a nonprofit that has become responsible for maintaining and improving their neighborhood park. Murphysburg set an excellent model for neighbors working together under a common goal — the neighborhood organized the nonprofit Historic Murphysburg Preservation and feature walking tours and historical preservation education and support.
Other neighborhoods in Joplin that have historical designations include Downtown and East Town. Going through the historical designation process can be transformative to a neighborhood in so many ways, Walters said.
“When modernization is done right without impacting the character of a home, you’re not just preserving a building — you are preserving people’s attitudes and interest in their neighborhoods,” he said. “You create an investment in it, which leads to neighborhood appeal and stability. This isn’t just about academics and history. It’s a tool for community development.”
For more information about the historical preservation process, please click here.
Reference:
Cassie Faucett, Public Information Officer
City of Joplin
417.624.0820, ext. 1204
CFaucett@joplinmo.org
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