Austin Allen, The Architect....Remembered

Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. will host a lecture and tour on Sunday, December 3 rd from 1:00 to 6:00 pm featuring eighteen historic structures built between 1890 and 1917 designed or associated with Austin Allen.

Brad Belk, Community Historian at Missouri Southern State University, will deliver the lecture on the life and work of Mr. Allen at tour headquarters, the Joplin Schools Administrative Building, 310 West Eighth Street, Joplin. Doors open at 12:15. The lecture starts at 1:00 pm. Tour sites open at 1:30 and run until 6:00 pm. Sites include Joplin City Hall, the Olivia Apartments, and many more historic buildings.

According to Mr. Belk, “Mr. Allen’s elegantly designed buildings remain a testimony to his talent and continue to be some of Joplin’s most admired and honored building blocks.”

Young Austin moved to Joplin from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his family when he was ten years old. The family home still stands in the Murphysburg Historic District near downtown Joplin. The current administrative building was originally designed by Mr. Allen to be Joplin High School. Tragically, Mr. Allen died of typhoid fever before the building’s construction was finished.

A commemorative booklet will be given to each guest describing each tour site and its history. The tour includes fifteen sites in Joplin, two in Webb City, and one in Oronogo. The tour will have approximately ten sites where the interior and exterior will be open to guests. The remaining eight sites will only be visible from the outside or street view. Guests can visit the sites in any order.

Purchase tickets in advance at www.murphysburg.org for $25 per person. Tickets can also be purchased on December 3rd at tour headquarters for $30 per person. Children ages 12 years and under are admitted for free.

Due to the design of these historic properties, handicap accessibility is limited. There are two accessible entrances on the west side of the Joplin Schools Administrative Building at 825 South Pearl Avenue.

Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. is a non-profit organization that implements charitable and educational activities, that promotes and stimulates historic awareness throughout the Joplin area. The Historic Murphysburg District is generally on Sergeant, Moffet, and Byers Avenues between First to Seventh Streets near downtown Joplin.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Paula Callihan, Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc.; 417-208-9376;

Murphysburg@gmail.com; www.Murphysburg.org.