Carthage (Missouri)

Carthage was established in 1842 to serve as the county seat of Jasper County. As Missouri was sandwiched between the secessionist southern states and the abolitionist north, Carthage became a Civil War battlefield on July 5, 1861 and again in October 1863; pro-Confederate guerrillas burned much of the city in September 1864.
The current Jasper County Courthouse, built of Carthage stone in 1894, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The history of the Civil War sites in the Missouri-Kansas border region fills a book, "The Big Divide" , published in 2013.
After the civil war, Carthage thrived as a rail town, a source for "Carthage marble" (a hard, polished limestone) and a highway crossroads when U.S. Highways 66 and 71 came to town in 1926.

Joplin Regional Airport (10 miles from Carthage) offers multiple round-trip flights daily to Kansas City (150 miles); transport is also available to Tulsa (110 miles).
By highway, Carthage is served by Interstate 44 (which bypasses Route 66 in the region) and by US Highway 71.

No public mass transit exists in Carthage, although the municipality operates City Taxi (8AM-6PM weekdays only, +1 417 358-9336). Conventional taxi service is provided by A to B Taxi (+1 417 358-8294) and McCoy Cab (+1 417 358-7552).

• Battle of Carthage Civil War Museum

  phone: +1 417 237-7060
  address: 205 Grant St.
  Information and artifacts from the Civil War Battle of Carthage and the Civil War in southwest Missouri, including a wall-sized mural of the Battle of Carthage.

• Battle of Carthage State Historic Site

  phone: +1 417 682-2279
  address: East Chestnut Road
  The Battle of Carthage was one of the preliminary battles leading up to the much larger one at Wilson's Creek. Southern Missouri was fought over fiercely because of its rich lead and zinc deposits.

• Jasper County Courthouse

  address: Courthouse Square, 302 South Main Street
  Constructed with local Carthage marble in 1894, the building's grandiose architecture includes turrets, towers, and arches. The building remains the county seat today; museum and guided tours are open to the public.

• Kendrick House

  phone: +1 417 358-0636
  address: 131 E Northwoods St
  Oldest surviving house in Jasper County (built 1849), believed to have served as a Civil War field hospital complete with slave quarters. Various events, ghost tours.

• Powers Museum

  address: 1617 West Oak Street
  Local history from the post-Civil War period to the 20th century with educational programs describing Missouri and the Ozarks region. Local archives, reference library and souvenir shop.

• Precious Moments Chapel and Gift Shop

  address: 4105 South Chapel Rd.

• 66 Drive-in Theatre

  phone: +1 417 359-5959
  address: 17231 Old 66 Blvd.
  One of the few remaining drive-in cinemas on Route 66, with neon signage of the era. Listed on the US National Register of Historic Places, its original 1949 design closely matches the "Radiator Springs Drive-In" in 2006 film Cars.

• CMC Gift Shop

  phone: +1 417 358-3740
  address: 1900 S. Grand Ave

• Gringo's

  phone: +1 417 358-4575
  address: 1123 W Central
  Fast food. Mexican.

• Iggy's Diner

  phone: +1 417 237-0212
  address: 2400 S Grand Ave
  Great diner style food

• Ranch House Restaurant

  phone: +1 417 359-5200
  address: 2937 S Grand Ave
  Local steak house, great food, reasonably priced.

• Whisler's Drive-Up

  address: 300 N Garrison Ave
  Classic old-style hamburger stand.

• Jim's Place

  address: 325 E 4th St.

• McMorrow's Triple L Irish Pub & Grill

  address: 418 Grant St.

Hotels

• Best Budget Inn

  phone: +1 417 358-6911
  address: 13011 State Highway 96

• Best Western Precious Moments Hotel

  phone: +1 417 359-5900
  address: 2701 Hazel

• Carthage Inn

  phone: +1 417 358-2499
  address: 2244 Grand Avenue
  Wi-fi, outdoor pool, refrigerator, microwave, A/C, free local calls, HBO.

• Econo Lodge

  phone: +1 417 358-3900
  address: 1441 W. Central
  Two-story hotel with 82 rooms, continental breakfast, wi-fi, free local calls.

Motels

• Boots Court

  phone: +1 417 310-2989
  address: 107 S. Garrison Avenue
  Route 66 historic motel from 1939 streamline moderne era, hosted Clark Gable and other notables in its "radio in every room" heyday. Five of the thirteen rooms were restored to the 1949 era (before TV came to Carthage) and reopened in 2012; the original roof and neon were restored in 2013.

• Guest House Motel

  phone: +1 417 358-4077
  address: 417 E. Central

• Super 8 Motel

  phone: +1 417 359-9000
  address: 416 W. Fir Road
  Internet, continental breakfast, hot tub. Additional charge for pets.

Bed and breakfast

• Far Walkaway Farm

  phone: +1 417 388-1156
  address: 13840 Kipper Lane

• Grand Avenue Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 417 358-7265
  address: 1615 Grand

Camping

• Ballard's Campground

  phone: +1 417 359-0359
  address: 13965 Ballard Loop

• Big Red Barn RV Park

  phone: +1 417 358-2432
  address: 5089 Country Lane 138

• Coachlight RV Park

  phone: +1 417 358-3666
  address: 5305 S. Garrison

• Precious Moments-Cubby Bears RV Park

  phone: +1 417 358-1389
  address: 4321 Chapel Road

• T's Corner RV Park

  phone: +1 417 358-3951
  address: 2807 S. Grand
  Convenience store, fuel, RV park on 12 acres.