Carthage: Visit MO calls Carthage America's Maple Leaf City, at the junction of Historic Route 66 and Jefferson Highway, with three historic districts and over 550 National Register buildings. Below are 8 places to visit, each read on its own official or visitor-bureau page.Facts read October 30, 2026 from the pages linked beside each one. Hours and prices change; confirm before you drive. Region is our own county grouping.
- Springfield & Southwest MissouriRegion
- Jasper CountyCounty
- 8Places to See
- 1Place Pages Here
Why Go to Carthage
- Visit MO calls Carthage America's Maple Leaf City, at the junction of Historic Route 66 and Jefferson Highway, with three historic districts and over 550 National Register buildings. (visitmo.com)
- The Battle of Carthage was fought July 5, 1861, described by Missouri State Parks as the earliest full-scale battle of the Civil War. (mostateparks.com)
- The city's tourism page lists Route 66 stops including Boots Motel (opened 1939) and the 66 Drive-In. (carthagemo.gov)
- The city tourism site lists the Maple Leaf Festival, Precious Moments Chapel and Food Truck Friday as things to do. (visitcarthage.com)
See and Do
| Place | What It Is | Hours or Price as Printed |
|---|---|---|
| Boots Court Motel and Carthage Visitor Center | Official visitor center in a restored 1957 Sinclair station beside the 1939 motel on Route 66. | Daily 10 am to 8 pm; free |
| Battle of Carthage Civil War Museum | Civil War museum with artifacts, a diorama and a 7-by-15-foot mural. | Tue-Sat 8:30am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; free |
| Battle of Carthage State Historic Site | Meadow and spring site where troops camped in 1861; looks much as during the battle. | not stated (admission not stated) |
| 66 Drive-In | Historically intact drive-in on Route 66, opened 1949, closed 1985, reopened April 18, 1998. | Hours not stated; season April through October with weekend double features per the city |
| Route 66 Highway Tour | Bus tour from the Carthage tourism office. | Weekdays 8am-5pm; Free Admission; no reservations needed (groups contact ahead) |
| Boots Motel | Streamline Modern motel opened 1939 by Arthur Boots, still open with a radio in every room. | not stated |
| Downtown Walking Tour and Historic Homes Driving Tour | Self-guided tours listed by the city tourism office. | not stated (page body would not load past navigation) |
| Carthage Farmers Market | Listed by the city tourism site. | not stated |
Place Pages on This Site
A Little History
- The Battle of Carthage took place July 5, 1861, 11 days before Bull Run. (mostateparks.com)
- The Route 66 stretch west of Carthage toward Joplin was laid in 1920, one of the first concrete-paved parts of the state highway system. (carthagemo.gov)
Events in Carthage
- Maple Leaf Festival: Annual in October; the city page is listed but its body text did not load, so no dates read (visitcarthage.com)
- Food Truck Friday: not stated (visitcarthage.com)
Coming Up Near Carthage
- Joplin Little Theatre: I'll Be Home for ChristmasDec 10–13 · Joplin · about 11 mi
- Joplin Little Theatre: Charlotte's WebMar 18–21 · Joplin · about 11 mi
Events within 25 miles, straight-line from the place to the centre of the event town, not driving miles; events in towns we have no checked centre for are left out. Dates come from our checked events list and may change; confirm with the organizer.
Getting There
- The Battle of Carthage State Historic Site is a few minutes off Interstate 44. (mostateparks.com)
- The 66 Drive-In is about three miles outside Carthage on Old 66 Blvd. (nps.gov)
Plan Your Visit
| Visitor Information | visitcarthage.com |
|---|---|
| Visitor Center Address | Experience Carthage office: 326 Grant St., Carthage, MO 64836; visitor center at Boots Court: 125 S Garrison Ave |
| Phone | 417-423-8075 (tourism office); 417-310-2989 (Boots Court visitor center) |
| Drive Times | Missouri drive times |
| Events Nearby | Springfield & Southwest Missouri events |
More
What We Could Not Verify
Not confirmed
- Population (Census blocked)
- Maple Leaf Festival dates/attendance on an official page: visitcarthage.com subpages sit behind a bot challenge (not bypassed) and the carthagemo.gov festival page body did not load
- Precious Moments Chapel hours from an official page (the visitmo and preciousmoments.com pages did not yield them)
- Founding date of Carthage
- Our region grouping is not an official designation.
Questions People Ask
What is Carthage, Missouri known for?
Visit MO calls Carthage America's Maple Leaf City, at the junction of Historic Route 66 and Jefferson Highway, with three historic districts and over 550 National Register buildings.
How do I get to Carthage?
The Battle of Carthage State Historic Site is a few minutes off Interstate 44.
Where can I find visitor information for Carthage?
The visitor site we read is visitcarthage.com. The address it prints is Experience Carthage office: 326 Grant St., Carthage, MO 64836; visitor center at Boots Court: 125 S Garrison Ave.
What are the main things to see in Carthage?
Boots Court Motel and Carthage Visitor Center, Battle of Carthage Civil War Museum, Battle of Carthage State Historic Site, 66 Drive-In are the first four on the list above.
Sources
- visitcarthage.com, read October 30, 2026
- visitcarthage.com, read October 30, 2026
- carthagemo.gov, read October 30, 2026
- visitmo.com, read October 30, 2026
- visitmo.com, read October 30, 2026
- visitmo.com, read October 30, 2026
- mostateparks.com, read October 30, 2026
- nps.gov, read October 30, 2026
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: Carthage, itsmissouri.com (https://itsmissouri.com/destinations/carthage-missouri/), checked 2026-10-30. Free to quote with a link.