Central Missouri / Missouri River Corridor
Sedalia and the roots of ragtime
Sedalia is closely tied to Scott Joplin and the early ragtime era, a genuinely place-specific piece of American music history that the county still celebrates.
Sedalia has a real place in the story of ragtime music. Composer Scott Joplin moved here in 1894 and later studied music at George R. Smith College. In 1899, a local publisher named John Stark printed Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag.” The piece became a hit and made Joplin famous.
The city celebrates this history every year with the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival. Sedalia even calls itself “The Cradle of Ragtime.”
You may hear bigger claims, like a single “birthplace” of ragtime. Treat those with care, since the music grew in many places. If you want the documented story, the State Historical Society of Missouri is a good place to start. It keeps a full biography of Joplin and his Sedalia years.
Where to see it
- Scott Joplin - Historic Missourians
Use SHSMO for the official Missouri history profile on Scott Joplin.
- SHSMO Music Research Guide
Use the guide for deeper Missouri music-history research.
References
More from Pettis County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 20, 2026.