Tag Archives: Joplin

Wednesday 19th June

What a night. No sleep for us. The campsite was lovely but no shelter, we’ve been lucky enough to be able to camp under pavilions if the weather looks iffy but not tonight. We were just relaxing in our tent about 10pm. When it suddenly went really windy. The tent was bending and contorting this way and that. We had to hold the sides as it was concaving in on us. We could hear crashing and banging all around us as furniture was thrown haphazardly in every direction. Worried that the tent would break, or that something heavy would land on us we packed up our things and waited for a opportunity to get the tent down. It wouldn’t be safe to stay. The rain came and it rained and rained. The site flash flooded it was so hard. We had about 5 minutes to grab the tent down and run for cover.

We sat in the office all night the storm passed at 6am. We left at 6:30am to get some miles in between storms. The blue dot in the photo is where we were.

Goodbye to Missouri today. The last part of Route 66 took us for breakfast in small town Web city that made its money from zinc. Nice old town and breakfast in the diner was delicious.

Next we headed to Joplin the last town on Route 66 in Missouri. On the way a gentleman called Sid beckoned us into his house. He had just made a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies and wanted to show us his origami. He made origami bits and pieces to sell them at markets and on line. He was keen to show us his Route 66 creations and gave me a flower and Mike a lucky camel. Thank you.

On the state line there is a salon Hogs and hot rods. In Kansas prohibition didn’t end until 1948. Because of that, the state line bar was the first and last place to wet your whistle.

Into Kansas over a viaduct which lead us into Galena. The first thing that grabbed our attention was a rather creepy house which gave us both the chills. Galenas murder bordello. Constructed in 1890 as a brothel for the mining company workers. Nancy stefflebeck and her sons killed clients of the bordello, taking all their money and dumped their bodies in nearby mine shafts. It’s believed that they killed over 30 victims. Although they were only convicted of 1 murder a miner called Frank Galbraith.

You can now take tours of the house and it is reported to be haunted and by the look of the outside I can believe it.

On a brighter note we called into Nelsons old Riverton store, 1925 still looks the same and still operating as it did back then with lots of original features.

We also crossed rainbow curve bridge the last remaining marsh arch bridge on Route 66.

Last stop we’re staying in Baxter Springs, motel tonight we need sleep.

A lovely pharmacy and ice cream shop near the motel. Monarch pharmacy and soda fountain shop. If you’re in the area give their milkshakes a try.