Things to Do in Joplin 1953

   It's not unusual to hear people, especially younger people, complain about not having anything to do in their town or region. I've never given much credence to such complaints, because most of the time, when you hear such complaints, there's actually quite a bit to do in the designated region. I think what people are really saying when they say there's nothing to do is that they want something new and different to do.
   People nowadays probably have more activities to choose from than ever before when it comes to being entertained, but in glancing at the entertainment page of the May 12, 1953, edition of the Joplin Globe, I have to conclude that people had plenty to do to amuse themselves even sixty-eight years ago.
   Joplin boasted over a half dozen walk-in theaters at the time. These included the Orpheum Theatre at 528 S. Main Street, where The Naked Spur was playing; the Glen at 1413 S. Main, where The Girls of Pleasure Island was showing; the Fox, at 415 S. Main, where you could watch Bwana Devil; the Electric Theater at 1514 S. Main, featuring The Iron Mistress; the Lux at 308 S. Main, where No Holds Barred was on the screen; the Paramount, at 515 S. Main, which featured Down Among the Sheltered Palms; and the Rex, at 1425 S. Main, which was showing Canyon Passage. In addition, Trouble Along the Way was playing at the Civic in nearby Webb City, and Cattle Town was showing at the Larsen (also in Webb City, where the Route 66 Theater is currently located). The area also had at least four drive-in theaters, including the Crest (near the present-day intersection of Range Line and 32nd) and the Tri-State (just off West 7th Street) in Joplin, the 66 Drive In near Carthage, and the Edgewood just south of Neosho. Admission prices for these movies varied from a dime to 75 cents, depending on the movie house and the time of day.
   If you weren't in the mood for a movie, there were other things to do. For sports fans, there was professional baseball. The Class D Joplin Miners played at Miners Park (renamed Joe Becker in 1954), where general admission was 65 cents, bleacher seats were 35 cents, and kids could get in for a quarter. Also, the Greentop Speedway, located on North Main near Stone's Corner, was getting ready to open for the season the next night, May 13. The speedway was a dirt track that hosted modified stock car races, and admission was 75 cents.
   The Rock City Tavern, located a couple of miles south of Joplin where Richardson's Candy House later did business, was just one of a number of nightclubs where those of age could drink and dance the night away. If you just wanted to go out to eat, you also had a variety of places to choose from. For instance, Wilder's Restaurant, at 1216 S. Main was in its heyday, offering "fine food" and "excellent service." 
   And all this was from just one page of the Globe.