Joplin’s Irish Heritage comes alive in the Murphysburg Historic District

Patrick Murphy, Joplin’s most famous Irishman, comes alive on (when else?) St. Patrick’s Day in (where else?) Joplin’s Murphysburg Residential Historic District.

The Dream Theatre Company and Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. (HMP) will stage a free 1880s era interactive living history of the life and personality of Patrick Murphy. Through this living history event, guests will learn about Mr. Murphy’s immigration from Ireland to his Joplin mayoral election, and his well deserved title of “the Father of Joplin.”

While history “comes alive” on St. Patrick’s Day, the Missouri Highway Patrol and Missouri Department of Transportation will teach spectators how to “stay alive”. Both state agencies will be on site to discuss valuable life saving practices via their Seat Belt Convincer, Fatal Vision Goggles, and Distract-a-Match Games.

Self-guided walking tour brochures of the district’s historic homes will be available at the event.

Commemorate St. Patrick’s Day, and Joplin’s Third Thursday Art Walk by visiting Murphysburg Residential Historic District on March 17^th from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the intersection of Fourth Street and Moffet Avenue. Events take place in front of the First United Methodist Church (a congregation linking its founding to Joplin’s namesake, Reverend Joplin) at 501 West Fourth Street and The Olivia Hotel (a National Register of Historic Places site) at 320 South Moffet Avenue.

For more information, call 417-483-3116

Photo by Carole Liston

Many times the most impressive structures in a city are its churches. Their outlines grace the city’s skyline and their steeples stretch up to meet the clouds. Joplin is fortunate to be able to count on one such magnificent church among its numbers of architectural treasures, the First United Methodist Church at 501 West Fourth.

The history of First United Methodist Church spans 170 years beginning with Reverend Harris Joplin from which the city took its name. In 1839, Reverend Joplin invited local settlers to his cabin near Turkey Creek and established the first Methodist Episcopal Society in the area. However, it wasn't until 1872 that a group of Methodist organized a permanent church.

Architects Charles Garstang and Alfred Rea designed the majestic entrance, which will be the Dream Theatre Troupe's stage for our Living History of Patrick Murphy.

The entrance features a triple arched portico entry with a large stained glass window above. Romanesque pillars with Corinthian-style capitals support the load of Gothic arches and two bell towers flank the grand entry. The steeple on the southwest rose 100 feet tall in the air before lighting struck in 1963. The cornerstone for the church was laid in 1905 and the first service was held in the congregation's new home on June 3, 1906.