Joplin, Missouri

Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, with an estimated population of 50,150. Joplin was first settled in the early 1870s for the mining of zinc and lead, which was the mineral resource on which the town built its economy. Joplin was eventually dubbed the lead and zinc mining capital of the world. Railroads connected Joplin to major markets in other cities, making it the hub of southwest Missouri.

By the turn of the 19th century, Joplin was becoming a regional metropolis. After World War II, most of the mines were closed. As a result of extensive surface and deep mining, Joplin is dotted with open pit mines and mine shafts, of which, pose hazards such as sink holes. The mining history and geology are well documented in the mineral museum in town. In the 1960s and 1970s, nearly 40 acres of the city's downtown were razed in an attempt at urban renewal. Numerous buildings in Joplin have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for their historic and architectural significance. Recently, the city has undertaken a project to revitalize its Main Street downtown district. Also, numerous trucking lines such as CFI are headquartered in town, as the city is situated near the geographic and population centers of the United States. Eagle-Picher Industries and TAMKO Building Products are noted among employers in Joplin, and Leggett & Platt is located in nearby Carthage. The city has two major hospitals, St. John's Regional Medical Center and Freeman Health System, which serve the region.

A number of jobsites in Joplin, Missouri, particularly within the mining industry, have been identified as harboring asbestos containing materials. Accordingly, asbestos exposure has been a concern for workers and others for years. If you were exposed to asbestos in Joplin and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should also consider contacting a mesothelioma law firm.

Jobsites in Joplin where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

A number of jobsites in Joplin, MO have been identified as harboring asbestos containing materials. These sites, at one point in their history, were known to have exposed a variety of tradesmen to asbestos. We will be documenting in more detail how asbestos exposure occurred at these sites in the future on this web site.