SuperTam on 66

Despite the thick glass barrier between us, I felt the powerful gaze from her ice blue eyes targeting me, challenging me to acknowledge her. Stepping in closer, I suddenly recognized the long golden hair and the sky blue superhero outfit.

And I felt a pang of guilt.

How could I have forgotten about Supergirl, the teenage cousin of Superman, who possesses incredible powers of her own? Her story symbolizes girl power, and it made a big impact on me when was I first introduced to it through the 1984 movie Supergirl.

While the movie wasn’t the greatest piece of cinematography, its main character, played by Helen Slater, became an icon to teenage girls at the time (like me), proving that we didn’t have rely on someone to rescue us from perilous situations (I’m talking to you, Lois Lane) because we could take care of those situations ourselves, thank you very much.

I wasn’t expecting to take a trip down memory lane on this day, but that’s a common occurrence for people when they step inside this tiny superhero museum called SuperTam on 66. This place is packed with hundreds of pieces of Superman – and superhero – memorabilia which owner Larry Tamminen has been collecting for over 30 years.

So, why is it called SuperTAM rather than SuperMAN on 66? Well, it used to be SuperMAN on 66 until Time-Warner, owner of DC Comics, decided that it didn’t like Larry using its character’s copyrighted name. To appease the legal powers that be, Larry changed the name to SuperTAM, which incorporates part of his last name, Tamminen.

However, Larry is still allowed to continue displaying the museum’s original sign out front that says SuperMAN. That is, until the sign falls down or needs to be replaced. Any new signage that goes up must use the name SuperTAM.

Frivolous signage issues don’t stop Larry from sharing his impressive collection with visitors from all over the world, many of whom stop in as they journey across the U.S. on historic Route 66. That’s because SuperTam is located on a portion of the Mother Road on what is now Main Street in Carterville, Missouri, an old mining town just north of Joplin.

As if to prove this point, two young men for Wales stopped in while we were there; they were traveling from Chicago to Santa Monica on the Route.

As you can see, they are standing in front of an ice cream counter. After all, what goes better with a trip down memory lane than a sweet treat?

Visitors can enjoy flavors like Superman (which is a huge hit), Zanzibar chocolate and cotton candy (which my daughters ordered), plus many others. Larry serves Chocolate Shoppe brand ice cream made in Madison, Wisconsin, and my girls seemed to enjoy it.

While they were occupied with their ice cream, I had the chance to get a closer look at the memorabilia.

Considering my youngest daughter doesn’t even know what a CD is, I didn’t even bother explaining to her what this was.

Metal lunchboxes! Seeing these takes me back to the lunchroom in elementary school.

The tall figurine on the right was one of Larry’s first pieces in his collection.

As I walked around the museum reliving my childhood memories, I thought my kids would be bored. After all, they’re not big superhero fans, so why would any of these things mean anything to them?

But I was wrong. The variety of vibrantly colored (and sometimes downright quirky) items is universally entertaining.

I recently learned that a new Supergirl series is coming to network TV this year. Now, my girls will have the chance to learn about this teenage superhero themselves – in a contemporary format.

Life certainly comes full circle, doesn’t it?

SuperTam on 66 is located at 221 West Main Street in Carterville, and is open from March through December.

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This article was commissioned by the Joplin CVB, however the opinions expressed are purely my own. The purpose of Joplin MO Life is to highlight all the best that our area has to offer, and when an article is written about a restaurant, business, attraction, or event, it is because I have had an enjoyable experience and want to share it with others.

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I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.