St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building
- Historic building
- In Joplin, Missouri
- On Route 66
- National Register of Historic Places
Better known as the Frisco Building, this railroad tower rises nine stories over downtown Joplin, MO. The Frisco railroad put it up in 1913 to serve as both a passenger station and an office block. It stands close to the Route 66 corridor through town and belongs to the Joplin Downtown Historic District, so it makes an easy first stop on a walk past Joplin's older business blocks.
What it is
The tower is L-shaped and built of brick with stone trim, finished at the top by a decorative cornice. Its design belongs to the Chicago School, and it follows the two-part vertical block layout: a distinct lower base with the office floors stacked above it as a single tall shaft. The footprint measures roughly 101 by 127 feet, which gives it real presence from the street.
A bit of history
The Frisco railroad built this combined depot and office building in 1913 for its Joplin operations. It earned its own National Register listing in 2002 and is also counted as part of the larger Joplin Downtown Historic District.
Visiting tips
Plan to enjoy it from the sidewalk. Ten minutes is enough for photos of the facade and cornice. The Newman Brothers Building stands right beside it, and Route 66 Park is only about 0.1 mile away, so all three fit into one short stroll.
Practical info
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
On the map
Full mapSt. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building with the 6 closest stops. Tap a marker for details.
Tap a dot to see that stop here.
Nearby stops
All of Missouri
0.0 mi from St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building
0.1 mi from St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building
0.1 mi from St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building
0.2 mi from St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building
0.2 mi from St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building
0.2 mi from St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building
Own or run St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Building? Send us a photo or a correction.