Lewis and Clark Historical Marker #45

Lewis and Clark Historical Marker #45 will be installed at the Arrow Rock State Historic Site. On June 9, 1804, the Expedition noted passing the "Prairie of Arrows," where the Santa Fe Trail town of Arrow Rock would be founded a few years later.

"a fair morning, the River rise a little we got fast on a Snag Soon after we Set out which detained us a Short time passed the upper Point of the Island Several Small Chanels running out of the River below a Bluff & Prarie (Called the Prarie of Arrows) where the river is confined within the width of 300 yds"
Captain William Clark, June 9, 1804



History of Arrow Rock

No Enlarged Photo AvailableThe small population noted for Arrow Rock is deceiving. For a town with only 79 residents, a lot happens here. It is one of the most historic small towns in Missouri. In fact, the entire village is a National Historic Landmark.

In 1819, explorer Stephen Long explained the origin of the bluff's name: Arrow Rock is so-called from its having been formerly resorted to by neighboring Indians, for the stone used to point their arrows." William Clark came through here again in 1808 on the way to overseeing the building of Fort Osage. He noted that the Arrow Rock site "was a handsome spot for a town."

George Sibley built a fort here in 1813, re-establishing his Fort Osage trading post. It was the first structure built by people of European descent. The fort was occupied for only a year as Indian raids worsened. Sibley returned to Fort Osage in 1815 and remained there for several years. He and his wife eventually settled in St. Charles, where they founded Lindenwood College.

The Arrow Rock bluff was located on a spot favored by Indians, hungers and explorers for crossing the Missouri River. A ferry was established here by 1815 and was a strategic link to the Santa Fe Trail in the 1820s. Early Santa Fe caravans filled their water barrels at the Big Spring behind the Old Tavern. It still flows there today.

In 1829 the town of Philadelphia was laid out high on the bluff overlooking the ferry crossing. A few years later the town was renamed Arrow Rock in recognition of its familiar landmark and it soon became a busy river port.

At its peak in the mid-19th century, there were more than 1,000 residents in Arrow Rock. Many prominent settlers became a force in the Democratic party and three Missouri governors came from the area. However, the Civil War and the corresponding decline of river traffic led to the gradual decline of the town.

People who come here today enjoy visiting this small community that seems lost in time. They come for theatre at the Lyceum, for special events, and for the town's architectural treasures. One of the most unique is the limestone gutters. The blocks were hand-carved and laid by slaves in 1850. The sidewalks in the business district are wooden and covered by canopies, reminding us of a bygone era.


Arrow Rock State Historic Site

Click for Enlarged Photo At the Visitors Center in downtown Arrow Rock, exhibits tell about Arrow Rock and the history of the Boone's Lick Country. A 20-minute video on the history of the area is available.

The historic site also includes hiking trails, a campground, and scenic overlooks with views of the Missouri River. An interesting new aspect to the view is the return of cottonwood trees to the Missouri River bottoms since the flood of 1993. This is now part of the Big Muddy Wildlife Refuge, and it is the next stop on the tour.


Prairie Park (1849)

The 1849 Greek Revival mansion of William B. Sappington is open for tours by advance appointment. The home is located 3.5 miles from Arrow Rock.


Sappington Cemetery State Historic Site (optional detour)

Located five miles southwest of Arrow Rock on Route TT, this historic cemetery is the final resting place for two of Missouri's governors, Meredith Miles Marmaduke and Claiborne F. Jackson. Marmaduke had been a Santa Fe trader from 1824-1830. A Confederate sympathizer, Jackson set up a Missouri government in exile in Texas during the Civil War. During his lifetime he was married to three daughters of Dr. John Sappington, a pioneer in the use of quinine to treat malaria.


Friends of Arrow Rock Walking Tours

No Enlarged Photo Available With a welcome center on the Main Street boardwalk, the Friends of Arrow Rock greet visitors and offer walking tours of the community. At the center, visitors may view The Christopher Collection of Early Missouri Firearms, and purchase books about the area and its history. The two one-hour tours of the town include stops at the John Sites House and Gun Shop, the George Caleb Bingham House, Huston Tavern (pictured), and more.

One of the tours sponsored by the Friends of Arrow Rock interprets the African-American history of the village. In 1860 the population of Saline County was 15,000, with one-third of the people black. Most, of course, were slaves. By 1900 many of the blacks still remaining in Arrow Rock owned their own homes. Other sites include Brown's Chapel Freewill Baptist Church and Early School and the Black Masonic Lodge. The buildings were erected on land deeded by the Sappington family, the church around 1871 and the lodge in 1881. Both buildings were key in the cultural and social life of the African-American community of Arrow Rock.


Jameson Island Unit of the Big Muddy NFWR

Adjoining the Arrow Rock State Historic Site is the Jameson Island Unit of the Big Muddy National Wildlife Refuge (NFWR) - the next stop on the Boonslick Loop.

For information, contact:


Lyceum Theatre

No Enlarged Photo Available The only professional theatre company in mid-Missouri, the Lyceum is housed in an old church. Productions run from June through October and feature musicals, dramas, comedies and new plays.



Special Events

A number of special events are held in Arrow Rock throughout the year.


Lodging


Local Information

Further inquiries about facilities and activities in Arrow Rock should be directed to the Friends of Arrow Rock.

Missouri River Communities Network
200 Old Highway 63 South, Columbia, MO 65201
Email: moriver@coin.org
All information checked for accuracy: July 2003