The sixth annual Joplin Fiesta was promoted as “An Avalanche of Joy” with “Never A Dull Moment.” The 1940 mega-event featured high-dive daredevil Bee Kyle. Kyle’s act involved leaping from a 100-foot ladder into a small tank of flaming water. The photograph shows thousands of area residents witnessing Kyle’s dive at Third and Main streets.

Members of the 1914 Joplin High School Girl’s Gym Club begin stretching exercises under the supervision of Hez A. Henley. Hampered by not having a gymnasium, members of the club relied on getting physical exercise at the armory. During warm weather, they also used city playgrounds. Activities consisted of relay races, fencing, indoor baseball, volleyball and tennis.

Schifferdecker Electric Park opened on June 10, 1909. Three local businessmen leased 10 acres from Charles Schifferdecker and constructed an amusement park. Electric Park was short-lived with its last full year being 1912. On Nov. 1, 1913, Charles Schifferdecker deeded 40 acres of his land, which included Electric Park, to the residents of Joplin.

Zinc miner Lucius P. Buchanan built this 11-room Spanish-Revival mansion in the 1920s. His wife, Ethel, later sold the home and the 230-acre compound to Frank and Juanita Wallower. The Wallowers named the estate Mission Hills and began raising Jersey dairy cattle and prize Herefords. Joplin Junior College, established in 1937, was looking for a new home to expand its campus, and in 1964, after only 90 days of fund raising, $305,000 was obtained to purchase the Mission Hills estate. As the junior college’s name changed to Missouri Southern State College, the mansion became faculty offices as well as classrooms. Today, the mansion is being restored and will be the Alumni Center for Missouri Southern State University.

On Aug. 8, 1912, the Connor Hotel rooftop garden opened. T.B. Baker, manager of the Connor Hotel, greeted some 1,500 guests to the grand opening gala on the newly finished ninth floor. An eight-piece orchestra with two soloists entertained the guests. Hotel head chef J. Jaquin exhibited his culinary talents with watermelons carved like battle ships. Before the Connor’s demise in 1978, thousands upon thousands of area residents would participate at events occurring in the rooftop garden room.