Joplin: reborn after the tornado of the century

On the historic Route 66 in southeastern Missouri, Joplin has courageously rebuilt itself after one of the most devastating tornadoes in the entire history of the United States.

The downtown, reborn after the devastating tornado of 2011, requires a car to navigate between distant neighborhoods.

The poignant Joplin Tornado Memorial commemorates victims of the devastating EF5 category tornado that struck the city in 2011, destroying nearly one-third of the entire urban area.

A few minutes away, the historic stretch of the celebrated Route 66 passes through Joplin with colourful signage and period service stations still preserved.

Continuing towards the centre, you visit the Joplin History and Mineral Museum, dedicated to the rich lead and zinc mining past of the entire region.

Towards evening, the historic centre comes alive with various restaurants in commercial buildings entirely rebuilt after the 2011 disaster.

The May 22, 2011 tornado, among the deadliest in modern U.S. history, killed over one hundred sixty people and destroyed thousands of buildings along a path nearly ten kilometers through the city.

Joplin rebuilt remarkably quickly in the ensuing decade, becoming a true national example of community resilience studied by urban planners and civil protection organizations worldwide.