Burke Key Auto Repair

There was another section of the building on the east side that has since been demolished after being damage in a fire sometime between 2007 and 2012. That space played an important role in the community. At least for a while it housed part of the business that dealt in tools and parts. The concrete slab for that part of the building is still in place. It also held the main entrance to the building.

There isn't an original space for an entrance door on the front of the building, just a couple of windows spaces and the overhead door. There is a service door leading to the garage on the east side of the building. The roof for the missing section was just above the light colored section of the concrete block wall.

There are three fairly large window openings on the west side of the building indicating that there was a little space between it and whatever else was west of it. There is also an overhead door towards the rear of the building. In 2014 the city of Joplin purchased the property for a future Route 66 attraction or visitor center. As of early 2018 it looks like some progress has been made because the windows have been replaced and there is an entry dory cut into the overhead door space. The old garage is located on E Broadway St. east of Michigan Ave. on the north side.

A parapet of sorts is formed by the stone slabs above the roof.

Here you can see the way the temporary gable roof was just sort of set on top of the original.

Photo(s): 2016