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You’re about to cross states again so take your time to enjoy this last stretch of Missouri as there are a lot of things to do here.
Hope you stopped in Springfield, it’s the third-largest city in the state of Missouri. Known as the “Queen City of the Ozarks” and the “Birthplace of Route 66“, it is rich in history including Native Americans, Civil War Battles, and the development of the Mother Road.
Before you leave Missouri to continue your journey, take a quick pit stop at the 66 Drive-in Theatre. This historic theatre is still going strong in Carthage and is playing some of today’s box-office hits.
The last stop in Missouri is Joplin at your 600 mile mark. In 1933, the city became the temporary home of none other than the notorious outlaws, Bonnie and Clyde. Spending several weeks in Joplin, plying their robbery trade at several local businesses. When tipped off by a neighbour, the Joplin Police Department attempted to apprehend the pair at their hideout, located at 34th Street and Oak Ridge Drive.
However, the pair escaped after killing Newton County Constable John Wesley Harryman and Joplin Police Detective Harry McGinnis. Today, this historic apartment, called the Joplin Hideout, has been restored and decorated in 1930’s era decor. It can now be rented by visitors by the night, weekend or by the week.
Once you enter Kansas, be careful not to blink your eyes, or you’ll be saying, as Dorothy did in The Wizard of Oz, “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”.
Kansas’s stretch of Route 66 may be the shortest leg of your journey but it’s packed with sights, memorabilia and plenty of history
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