A project of the Springfield-Greene County Library. The Library has maintained a collection of postcards as an important source of images of a retrospective of Springfield and the surrounding area. A variety of themes and periods are represented in the 113 postcards displayed. The postcards are presented in three sizes: thumbnail size for browsing, and larger images on the narrative pages, which then link to even larger images.
These postcard images show the development of Joplin from a scattering of rough mining camps through the mid-point of 20th Century. They provide an indelible image of a city that grew virtually overnight to become the world's premier supplier of lead and zinc ore. Because of these raw materials, the city also became a transportation hub and still retains the title of The Crossroads of America. In addition to pictures of mines and miners, there are images of Joplin's extravagantly landscaped parks and public recreation areas as well as souvenir postcards of the little motels and motor courts that sprang up along the path of America's most famous highway, Route 66.