The mural on the brick wall of a downtown building portrays Joplin in his prime, fingers on keys, with stylised musical notes drifting around him. It was painted to mark the centenary of the Maple Leaf Rag and has been touched up periodically since.
There is no museum to Joplin in town, which feels like a missed opportunity, so this mural is the main commemorative site. Stand across the street and you can read the painted history panel that runs along the bottom. It takes about five minutes and works best as a stop on a downtown walking loop.