Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. will think outside their block by
hosting a tour and workshop at Mount Hope Cemetery. Have you ever wondered what
a mausoleum looks like behind those ornate solid bronze doors? Do you want to
hear directly from the “ghosts” of Joplin “influencers” of the early 1900s?
Saturday, June 18, 2022 is your chance. The cemetery tour starts at 3:00 PM
and goes to 8:00 PM. Tour includes docents, historic reenactors, musical
entertainment, and theatrical performances by Dream Theatre Troupe. Tour at
your own pace to selected mausoleums and monuments to hear directly from the
“ghosts” of Joplin “influencers” of the early 1900s.
Refreshments will be available so that attendees can “sip and stroll”
through this historic site atop Jasper County’s highest natural elevation.
Regarding the mausoleums at Mount Hope Cemetery, Paula Callihan, tour
coordinator stated, “Murphysburg founders built their houses with extraordinary
architectural features, so it’s no wonder they wanted their eternal home to
have the same classic design, built by the finest architects in the area".
This event is in partnership with the Webb City Historic Preservation Commission. They will highlight significant people interred at Mt. Hope that rapidly advanced the city’s population and prominence in mining, retail, wholesale, and manufacturing. Erin Turner, the director of economic and community development, announced, “We will have the Webb City trolley at the event so that guests can ride to each tour spot if they wish to have the full historic experience. Docents will also explain the significance of Alfred H. Rogers’s electric inter-urban railway system that linked the cemetery and Webb City to Galena, Joplin, and surrounding cities."
Purchase tickets in advance at www.murphysburg.org.
Tour tickets are $20 per adult; well-behaved children under 12 for free. Friendly
dogs on leashes are welcome. Pet owners must clean up after their pet. Combination tickets for tour and workshop are $35. Day of tour tickets
are $25 each.
Mount Hope Cemetery represents an extremely valuable cultural and historical
asset of the four-state area through their genealogical information, gravestone
architecture, and iconography. Joplin co-founding father Patrick Murphy and
Webb City founding-father John Cornwell Webb are both interred here. The
cemetery was designed in 1905 by Hare and Hare, who later went on to assist in
the design of the Kansas City Country Club Plaza, Nelson Art Gallery, and much
more.
Mount Hope Cemetery is located in Webb City at 3700 North Range Line Road (east
of Range Line---also known as South Madison Avenue and US 71 Highway---and East
Mt. Hope Road). Due to the design of this historic property, handicap
accessibility is limited.
Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. is a non-profit organization that
implements charitable and educational activities, which promotes and stimulates
historic awareness throughout Joplin. The Historic Murphysburg District is
generally on Sergeant, Moffet, and Byers Avenues between First to Seventh
Streets.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Paula Callihan, Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc.; 417-208-9376; Murphysburg@gmail.com; www.Murphysburg.org.
Mount Hope Cemetery at 417-673-1590; www.mthopecemeteryofjoplin.com.