Sedalia Township in Pettis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
John Stark & Son Music Co.
Knights of Pythias Bldg.
— 114 East 5th Street —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2021
1. John Stark & Son Music Co. Marker
Scott Joplin
signed the contract for John Stark to publish
The Maple Leaf Rag
Joplin almost immediately gained fame as the
King of Ragtime
and the famous royalty contract enabled his
classic composition to ultimately sell over a
million copies and make
Sedalia, Missouri
a place where America’s music began
Erected by City of Sedalia, Missouri.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Communications • Entertainment. A significant historical date for this entry is August 10, 1899.
Location. 38° 42.408′ N, 93° 13.658′ W. Marker is in Sedalia, Missouri, in Pettis County. It is in Sedalia Township. Marker is on East 5th Street just east of South Ohio Avenue (State Highway 750), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 114 East 5th Street, Sedalia MO 65301, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Vietnam War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); War Dogs Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Pettis County Courthouse Memorial
this page online
Also see . . . Scott Joplin. Wikipedia entry:
The "Maple Leaf Rag" was likely to have been known in Sedalia before its publication in 1899; Brun Campbell claimed to have seen the manuscript of the work in around 1898. After several unsuccessful approaches to publishers, Joplin signed a contract on August 10, 1899, with John Stillwell Stark, a retailer of musical instruments who later became his most important publisher. The contract stipulated that Joplin would receive a 1% royalty on all sales of the rag, with a minimum sales price of 25 cents. With the inscription "To the Maple Leaf Club" prominently visible along the top of at least some editions, it is likely that the rag was named after the Maple Leaf Club.(Submitted on February 23, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2021
2. John Stark & Son Music Co. Marker
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2021
3. John Stark & Son Music Co. Marker
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2021
4. Scott Joplin Mural
Photographed By American Tobacco Co., John Stark & Son (courtesy of Indiana University, Bloomington), 1899
5. Original cover sheet for the Maple Leaf Rag
Credits. This page was last revised on December 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 22, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 170 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 23, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 5. submitted on February 23, 2023.
