Benton's mural "Joplin at the Turn of the Century 1896-1906" was unveiled in 1973. In 2005 it was moved to the new Joplin City Hall.
This turned out not to be Benton's last mural. He began a mural for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 1974 and died in January 1975 without signing his final work.
In 2010 KOBE-TV cameraman Darin McCann discovered the original tape of this program and worked to get the program restored. It was rebroadcast on KOBE-TV on July 10, 2010 as a tribute to both Benton and reporter Phillips.