Long before Missouri was a state, a landmark along the Missouri River known as Arrow Rock was a guide for generations of Native Americans and early European explorers. The central Missouri area was a stopping point known as Boone’s Lick country because of a salt spring right across the river from the landmark. Then, as more traders and travelers hit the Santa Fe Trail to head west, a small village was founded near the ferry crossing. The town was initially called Philadelphia when it was established in 1829. The name was changed four years later to the more identifiable Arrow Rock because that is how early travelers referred to the area.
Arrow Rock reached its pinnacle around the time of the Civil War. Traffic on the river and the trail kept a steady stream of people coming to town. Around that time, the population reached one thousand but began shrinking quickly following the war due to economic hardships resulting from dwindling river commerce and the growth of railroads that bypassed the town. By the early 1900s, the population was less than 400 residents. In fact, the town was mostly destroyed in 1901 when a fire tore through the downtown area. More than a dozen structures were destroyed in a matter of hours.
Arrow Rock has a long history of political power in the Show -Me State, with three Missouri governors calling the town home in the 1800s. It was given the recognition it deserved in 1963 when the entire town was designated a National Historic Landmark. Today, the village has 62 residents but boasts a vibrant tourism industry. Thousands of visitors flock to the town annually to get a taste of mid-Missouri history and the arts, such as the Lyceum Theatre. The J. Huston Tavern, dating to 1834, still stands today as well.
William Becknell – the “Father of the Santa Fe Trail”
George Caleb Bingham – Legendary Missouri Artist
Claiborne Fox Jackson – Missouri’s 5th Governor
John Beauchamp Jones – Novelist
Meredith Miles Marmaduke – Missouri’s 8th Governor
John Sappington Marmaduke – Missouri 25th Governor
John Sappington – Early Missouri Physician
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