Return to the days of the Santa Fe Trail. On Sept. 1, 1821, a party of men with packhorses left Franklin and crossed the Missouri River near the Arrow Rock ferry. Led by William Becknell, this expedition successfully opened trade with Santa Fe, N.M. Becknell led another expedition the following year and wrote, "...on the 22nd day of May 1822, I crossed the Arrow Rock ferry, and on the third day our company consisting of 21 men, with three wagons, concentrated." The Big Spring of Arrow Rock, associated with the early Santa Fe trading expeditions, is now certified as part of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

In 1829, the town of Arrow Rock was founded on the bluff above the ferry crossing. Originally named Philadelphia, the town’s name was changed in 1833 to coincide with the landmark. Its situation on the Missouri River and Santa Fe Trail meant that large numbers of travelers heading west passed through the town. In 1834, Joseph Huston, a native of Virginia, began construction of a two-story brick structure known today as the Old Tavern.

By 1860, Arrow Rock had become Saline County’s most important river port, with a population of more than 1,000. Nearly half that number were African-Americans. The stone gutters on Main Street, the Old Tavern and other early structures remain as a monument to the labor these immigrants from the upper South provided in building the town.

Notables lived & lingered here. Many noted Missourians have been associated with Arrow Rock - three 19th century governors; entrepreneur and medical doctor John Sappington, who was a pioneer in the treatment of malaria; and frontier artist George Caleb Bingham, who used Arrow Rock as the backdrop for some of his best known paintings. More historical information can be found at the Friends of Arrow Rock building and the State Historic Site Interpretive Center. Both have fascinating displays that trace the westward expansion to the Boonslick region and its frontier life. Click here to read about the 300-page history book of Arrow Rock. For more information and a Guide Map E-mail:  mekduncan@hotmail.com Direct comments on the web site to the Web Designer Web Presence Provided by Computer Magic, Inc. Web Design by Micro Designs & Publishing

"WOODBOATMAN" by George Caleb Bingham - courtesy of the People of Missouri.