The original Park, 8 acres, was given to the City of Joplin by Mayor Thomas W. Cunningham in 1897 but the deed was not dated until July 5, 1898 and the Park was dedicated in the early 1900’s. This area was formerly known as Cunningham Grove, which was not far from the mining area – Cox’s Diggings. Cunningham, a banker, was twice Mayor of Joplin, Co-Founder of the Joplin Daily Tribune, and an early-day philanthropist.
On Sunday, May 22, 2011, an EF-5 tornado suddenly raged through the densely-populated south Joplin. It destroyed almost everything in its path for 13.8 miles in distance and up to a mile in width. The Joplin tornado, the deadliest since modern record keeping began in 1950, ranks eighth among the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history. Cunningham Park was completely destroyed but with the perseverance and community spirit Cunningham Park was rebuilt and is now one park that people can come and remember those they lost in this devastating tornado.
