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Saginaw

Lead and zinc mining in the late 1880s created the community of Saginaw which is now on the border of the Joplin city limits. To accommodate the ore output from the local mines, many roads and a rail line were built into the town. Unfortunately, Saginaw was established in a low-lying area and was subject to flooding.

To rise out of the flood waters, the Kansas City Southern Railroad diverted its tracks to a nearby ridge and built small tunnels through the ridge for auto traffic to pass through. These tunnels quickly became palettes for amateur artists and for young sweethearts who wanted to announce their love to the world. Years later, the major highway was also relocated and traffic through the tunnels fell dramatically. But the tunnels, with a continuous stream of amateur artwork, have almost become the symbols of the town.

Saginaw was also the home of a very unusual fraternity. These men called themselves the "Knights of the Trail." They declared themselves a hunting club which held a big hunt each year. On the night of the annual hunt, the men gathered in a rock building in the town for a barbecue (no women allowed). Over the doorway of this building were the letter ATA. These letters stood for "Anti-Horse Thief Association," which is said to have been a vigilante group who may have taken the law into their own hands to right what they declared to be injustices.

Saginaw, because of its abundance of water and natural springs, became a local resort and still retains its resort-like charm.