Carthage

Carthage was the site of one of the first organized battles of the Civil War, fought in July 1861 right through what is now residential streets and farmland on the edge of town, months before the more famous engagements further east. What struck us more, though, was what came after — Carthage grew wealthy on nearby limestone and marble quarries in the following decades, and that money built a town square almost absurdly grand for its size, anchored by a Jasper County Courthouse of gray marble with a soaring clock tower that looks more suited to a state capital.

The courthouse square

We circled the courthouse slowly as the evening light shifted, each face of the building catching color differently, ornate carved details visible only up close. The square around it is lined with well-preserved Victorian storefronts, several housing antique shops, and a Civil War museum a block off the square lays out the battle’s local details with hand-drawn maps that made the fighting feel unnervingly close to where we were standing having coffee.

Route 66 relics

Carthage sits directly on old Route 66, and the Boots Court Motel, a 1939 motor court with rounded Streamline Moderne lines and a restored neon sign, is one of the best-preserved roadside relics left on the entire highway — supposedly a stop for Clark Gable in his day. We drove past it twice after dark just to watch the sign light up against the sky, the kind of small, unglamorous thrill that road-trip towns like this exist to provide. A short drive out of town, the Precious Moments Chapel, an elaborately painted devotional site built by the figurine company’s founder, is a strange, sincere detour if you have the time.

Getting There

Carthage is about fifteen minutes north of Joplin on Route 71, with Joplin Regional Airport (JLN) the closest airport and Kansas City or Tulsa the nearest major hubs, each about two hours away. A car is essential — this is Route 66 country, built for driving.