Galena, Kansas was settled in 1877 after the discovery of lead ore that gave the town its name. It…read morequickly grew into part of the Tri-State Mining District, where lead and zinc fueled decades of prosperity before the industry collapsed in the mid-20th century. Today, Galena has reinvented itself as a Route 66 destination. With a population of about 3,000, the city highlights its mining heritage through the Galena Mining and Historical Museum while welcoming travelers with attractions like Cars on the Route, Pappy Litch Park, and the Giant Drive-Thru Shield. It's a small town that blends history with roadside Americana, offering both nostalgia and renewed energy along the Mother Road. I enjoyed my visit and look forward to a return during a warmer weather season to more properly explore. [Review 1511 of 2025 - 48 in Kansas - 25062 overall]

My friend and I were visiting the Neosho area this past weekend and took the time to drive out to…read morethe George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, MO. We are SO glad that we did! It is an amazing place, and we had a magical experience. I thought I knew about George Washington Carver, but there was so much that I learned during our time at the National Monument. Special thanks to the park rangers who were on duty during our visit: Matthew, who greeted us as we entered and answered our many questions about what to see and do (and gave excellent directions and recommendations!); Emily, a devoted entomologist who gave us a deep appreciation for jumping spiders (including one we encountered later in our visit!); and Katie, who led us in the activity in the laboratory (thank you for your infinite patience with all of us as we worked with the materials!). We took the walking trail out to the pond on the property and were enchanted by the stone markers with quotes from Carver placed strategically along the path. He was quite the sage, with so many wise observations of his time and fellow humans. The walking path winds through beautiful woods, and there are bridges crossing the two branches of the stream that flows through the area. There are also interpretive plaques placed along the path with vignettes from Carver's boyhood (these are echoed in the Visitor Center). The path is largely accessible, but there are areas around the pond that are dirt trails through the brush, so those with limited mobility may wish to talk with the National Park Rangers on-site for their recommendations. The Visitor Center is open and welcoming, with the main exhibits on the first floor; laboratory, young people's exploration areas, and the schoolroom replica on the second floor; and further exhibits on the lower level. We participated in an activity in the laboratory making peanut milk, and (even though we were probably the oldest people in the room) it was really fun! There is a picnic area adjacent to the parking lot, shaded by trees and surrounded by open grass. We saw several families enjoying a picnic lunch as the kids romped through the open areas. By the time we'd hiked the walking trail, browsed the exhibits in the Visitor Center, participated in the laboratory activity, and shared a picnic lunch, we were surprised to discover that we'd spent almost three hours at the monument. It was such an enchanting place that we honestly didn't notice the time passing! If a visitor is pressed for time, the area could be toured in about an hour and a half, but we recommend setting aside the time to experience everything the National Monument has to offer. It is exceptionally well-designed, and we left with a deep appreciation of George Washington Carver as a scientist, educator, and humanitarian. Many, many thanks to the National Park Service for providing such a lovely place to visit, at no cost, and for the wonderful park rangers who made it such a great experience!

Very interesting national park site! I didn't know that much about George Washington Carver going…read morein and feel like I learned a lot, well done. Great layout and easy to hit all the exhibits. There's a lovely 3/4 trail as well but due to the weather we weren't able to complete that. The ranger was super nice!! Lots of interactive activities for kids, too. It's free to get in, with a small gift shop, Well worth a stop if you're in the area.

The city of Joplin is a nice sized town for a small town community!…read moreIt is near the borders of Kansas and Oklahoma! I remember Joplin being a pit stop for my family driving from Kansas City to Coffeyville!!! Joplin's history is the famous Route 66 and the outlaws Bonnie and Clyde!! There were zinc and lead mining back in the day as well! Fast forward to May 22, 2011, Joplin had a devastating EF-5 Tornado that went thru their town. They made headlines on their coming together and rebuilding their community. For a small town, it has many restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, shopping, hardware stores, churches, and much more. It's a short drive to Springfield for another option! I've enjoyed my visit! The people are very friendly. The town is beautiful.

At the beginning of the race I was Joplin for position. But now I'm just glad to still be in the…read morerace. A very long time ago I had a very good friend in Joplin. He arranged for me to play my first concert in the city and it seems like the whole town showed up. Afterwards I spent part of the night canoodling with a beautiful spectacular girl who I still think about to this day. It was one of those magical nights and I have never forgotten it. Not long after my visit my friend passed away. It's very confusing and complicated but it was ruled a suicide. It was pretty grisly and horrible. I still have good friends that live here but there is a shadow over the town and my heart ever since. Then a couple of months later a devastating tornado wiped out a huge portion of the town and caused many casualties. There will always be a special place in my heart for Joplin and someday I look forward to my return.

My wife knew that Bonnie and Clyde spent time here in Joplin. What she didn't know was that the…read moreactual place is still standing. So we stopped by to check it out! They were here for nearly two weeks in 1933, resting and planning. It ended in a violent shootout where two police officers were killed. In the quick escape, the crime due left behind personal belongings, including a camera with undeveloped film that later provided iconic images of Bonnie and Clyde. The apartment was built around 1927 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Yes, it's a real place and real people live here so be respectful of the private property. Still, you can walk around the front of the exterior. [Review 370 of 2025 - 429 in Missouri - 23932 overall]

We found the apartment was a little hard to find but a great place to find a part of our history…read moreand was nice to have the house on the National Register, we didn't go in but the building looks to be in good shape .

Judge Lanardo could not be any more professional and easy to talk to. Very fair and a wonderful…read moreasset to the city.

The Officer Jake Reed Memorial Bridge carries 20th Street over the rail lines in the center of…read moreJoplin. It's was closed for repair and updates, funded by a DOT grant of $5,500,000. It reopened in 2016 and has been carrying hundreds of vehicles ever since. Simple enough with two lanes in each direction with a raised sidewalk for pedestrians on each side. There is also a tall railing to prevent people from falling (or jumping) onto the train tracks below. Quite the hero: https://www.newstalkkzrg.com/2023/09/12/joplin-dedicates-20th-street-bridge-to-honor-fallen-officer-jake-reed/ [Review 296 of 2025 - 419 in Missouri - 23858 overall]

We LOVE little museums like this! Lots of great mineral displays. Really nice. Upstairs are some…read moremodels of mining history - what my daughter and I were completely enthralled with were vintage panoramic group photos of the miners. Literally could have spent hours here, though for the record we are super nerds. Then, there's another wing of the museum that is all about Joplin history. But as a bonus this also includes the National Cookie Cutter Museum! Who knew? Loved it here. Staff was super friendly and helpful. I think admission was $5, a great bargain!

What a fun little pit stop we made here! This museum isn't just about Minerals and Rocks. We did…read moreenjoy that part and even learned several new things. However it also has a cookie cutter museum inside which is adorable! Bonus you get to take a cookie cutter home for free! So many fun things to look at and it's only $5. You could stay for hours! Highly recommend!

Stopped here on our way out of town. It's a fun place to stop and realize you're in different…read morestates at one time (the girls thought that was super cool). Definitely worth a stop! Only reason I gave it 4 stars is because you almost don't realize it's there and not much signage.

I've been in two states at the same time before. That's easy. I've been in the east and the west at…read morethe Royal Observatory in London https://www.yelp.de/biz/royal-observatory-greenwich?hrid=1QtILqtPjHye7oSXzIIR_w. I've not been in four states at the same time I didn't make it to the four corners https://www.yelp.com/biz/four-corners-monument-teec-nos-pos?uid=hWDybu_KvYLSdEFzGrniTw but now I can say that I've been in THREE states at the same time! Located where the Oklahoma Turnpike crosses over into Missouri and that's conveniently next to Kansas as well. It's ten minutes to get off the highway, drive around the roundabout and then go about a half mile down a dirt road. Circle around at the end and park near the big stone tower. Oklahoma and Missouri and Kansas. Pretty neat and worth the detour. Note that the road and the marker are not illuminated at night. [Review 16287 overall - 109 in Missouri - 1793 of 2021.]