Visit to Arrow Rock,MO

 21 August 2020

Today we drove to Arrow Rock about 55 miles up IH70 to exit 89. A very charming town off Hwy 41. Village has been designated a National Historic Landmark because of its association with the Westward Expansion, the Santa Fe Trail. Several locations are certified sites of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The village maintains its 19th century character.

Shops line Main St, as well as B and B's, historic homes are open for touring and there is a modern campground operated by the Missouri SP. The SP visitor center is a must. Many interesting exhibits on display with artifacts, history of the area and Boone Salt Lick. 

Academy Boarding House

Shelby Log Cabin

Lyceum Theatre

Main Street Shops

Old Courthouse

J Huston Tavern

Native American tribes encountered by the French traders were the Missouria and the Osage. It is believed the town got its name from a flintstone bluff on the Missouri River as a stone used to point their arrows. Lewis and Clark passed by the bluff in 1804 and Clark passed by again in 1808 on his way to construct Fort Osage.In the late 1800's it was one of the busiest river ports between St Louis and Kansas City. Following the Civil War the Black population in Arrow Rock grew and slowly they were able to  purchase their homes and by 1880 51% of the town's population was African-American. Due  to segregation, they built schools,churches and social institutions. The last Black resident died in 2009.

After viewing some of the homes,we had lunch at Catalpa on High St.,the only cafe open. Enjoyed dining outside and the sandwiches and potato salad very delicious. Wish we had had more time.

Catalpa Cafe

We then drove to Warm Springs Ranch in Boonville hoping to get some pictures of the Clydesdale horses, but not to be. I had wanted to do the tour, but due to Covid, there were no tours being offered this summer.

Our next stop was to locate a marker for Fort Orleans in DeWitt. The fort is somewhere under the Missouri River. The fort was a French trading post established in 1723 by de Bourgmond to make peace with several tribes. The post was abandoned in 1728 as unprofitable and too many French soldiers were being killed by hostile Native Americans.

The park in DeWitt has several Plaques.