| Joplin, West Virginia | |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
| Pushpin Map: | West Virginia#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Joplin |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within West Virginia and the United States |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | West Virginia |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kanawha |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population As Of: | 2000 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation Ft: | 837 |
| Coordinates: | 38.3431°N -81.6803°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP codes |
| Blank Name: | GNIS ID |
| Blank Info: | 1554831 |
Joplin is an unincorporated community in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is likely named after an early white settler in Kanawha County, James Jopling. In the early 19th century, Jopling purchased land alongside the creek later called Joplin Branch, a tributary of the Kanawha River. Many of Jopling's children and grandchildren lived along the creek near the family patriarch, and gave the community its name.[1] James Jopling was described as "a man of powerful frame, and loved adventure. He was a noted trapper, hunter, and Indian fighter, and delighted in relating his narrow escapes and wonderful feats in woods life."[2] Jopling also reportedly killed the last elk in the region, nearby on the Elk River.[3]