The Joplin History and Mineral Museum presents the heritage of Joplin and the Tri-State Mining District. It is open to the public on weekends. Future generations will be inspired to learn more about the economic and social history of Joplin and the Tri-State Mining District by viewing our historical and mineral collections, which we hope will provide them with a lifetime of enjoyment. We have two museums that are very different from one another for you to explore and experience. They have taken very different roads through history, yet they both end up revealing different facets of Joplin’s rich history in the end.
A collection of lead and zinc ores, as well as other minerals discovered in the Tri-State District, is housed in the Everett J. Ritchie Tri-State Mineral Museum, which is considered one of the world’s finest mineral museums. The museum provides an explanation of the geology and geochemistry of the area, as well as demonstrations of mining operations and procedures that were employed from the 1870s through the 1960s.
The Dorothea B. Hoover Historical Museum focuses on the creation and development of Joplin as a result of the mining industry in the Tri-State District, which is located inside the city. The museum’s collection includes a circus room, a child’s playhouse, an exhibition on Bonnie and Clyde, a 1927 American LeFrance fire engine, as well as Victorian furnishings, textiles, and a doll collection from the mining era in Joplin.
The Dorothea B. Hoover Historical Museum provides an opportunity to learn about the lives and styles of early Joplinites. You will have the opportunity to gain an insight into the life of Bonnie and Clyde, as well as the Route 66 journey itself. In addition, there is a section dedicated to the circus and an entire corner dedicated to the history of cookie cutters.
The Everett J. Ritchie Tri-State Mineral Museum is teeming with authentic specimens from local geological discoveries, and the museum is open to the public. A fully functional miniature-sized model of an underground mine, both inside and out, can be found on the second floor.
Parker Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements for Allen Shirley Memorial, which are under the management of Parker Mortuary. Details for the Celebration of Life will be determined and communicated at a later date.
Allen Ray Shirley, age 71, of Joplin, Missouri, died on Friday, August 13, 2021, at Freeman West Hospital.
Allen spent practically his entire professional career (32 years) in the medical field, where he worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals. After retiring in 2011, he decided to devote his time to his passion for history and joined the board of directors (and regular exhibit producer) of the Joplin History & Mineral Museum.