Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, Saint Louis

The Scott Joplin House State Historic Site is a historic landmark that preserves the former residence of renowned African-American composer, Scott Joplin. The house was built around 1860 and is a typical tenant rowhouse from the period. It is a two-story T-shaped brick house with a gabled roof and has side parapet walls with engaged chimneys. The front facade is symmetrically arranged and has entrances recessed in arched openings in the center two bays. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1976.

Joplin lived in this house from 1901 to 1903 and is believed to have written his most famous piece, "The Entertainer," while residing there. The composition gained renewed recognition when it was used as theme music in the 1973 film, The Sting. The house is significant as the only known surviving residence associated with Joplin, a prominent figure in the development of ragtime music.

The Scott Joplin House State Historic Site is now maintained by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and is the first state historic site in Missouri dedicated to African-American heritage. The site was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1976 and was saved from destruction by the local African American community. Initially, the site focused solely on Joplin and his contributions to ragtime music. However, a newer heritage project has expanded coverage to include the complex social history of black urban migration and the transformation of a multi-ethnic neighborhood to the contemporary community.

The site now includes coverage of difficult and uncomfortable topics such as racial oppression, poverty, sanitation, prostitution, and sexually transmitted diseases. Despite these challenging subjects, the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site is an important and necessary resource for understanding the contributions of African Americans to American culture and history.