Arrow Rock, Missouri facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Arrow Rock, Missouri
Village
Location of Arrow Rock, Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Saline
Area
• Total	0.13 sq mi (0.35 km²)
• Land	0.13 sq mi (0.35 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Elevation	722 ft (220 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	60
• Density	451.13/sq mi (173.80/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	65320
Area code(s)	660
FIPS code	29-02044
GNIS feature ID	2397439
Website	arrowrock.org

Boardwalk storefront on left, J. Huston Tavern on right. Stone gutters laid by slaves in 1858 line the street.

Arrow Rock is a small village in Saline County, Missouri, located near the Missouri River. The whole village is a special historic place called the Arrow Rock Historic District. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1963.

Arrow Rock is important because of its role in America's Westward Expansion. It was a key stop on the famous Santa Fe Trail. It was also home to the 19th-century artist George Caleb Bingham. Today, the village is well-known for the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, which welcomes over 33,000 visitors each year.

Missouri's first state-designated historic site is here. The restoration of a 19th-century tavern in 1923 started historic preservation in Missouri. Many buildings in the village are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Several spots are also certified sites of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

The village still looks much like it did in the 1800s. It attracts more than 100,000 visitors every year. Because tourism is so important, special rules were made in 2004. These rules help guide how new buildings are built and old ones are restored.

Arrow Rock has many bed and breakfast places to stay. There is also a modern campground nearby run by Missouri State Parks. The village is governed by an elected five-member Board of Trustees. They choose one of their members to be the chairperson, like a mayor.

Geography and Population

Arrow Rock is a small village. It covers about 0.13 square miles (0.35 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the village limits.

How Many People Live Here?

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	304	—
1890	350	15.1%
1900	358	2.3%
1910	336	−6.1%
1920	286	−14.9%
1930	304	6.3%
1940	247	−18.7%
1950	170	−31.2%
1960	245	44.1%
1970	81	−66.9%
1980	82	1.2%
1990	70	−14.6%
2000	79	12.9%
2010	56	−29.1%
2020	60	7.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, 56 people lived in Arrow Rock. There were 36 households. Most residents were White. The average age in the village was 61.7 years old.

Famous People from Arrow Rock

Many interesting people have connections to Arrow Rock:

William Becknell – Known as the "Father of the Santa Fe Trail." He was also a judge in Saline County.
George Caleb Bingham – A famous artist who lived and painted here.
Claiborne Fox Jackson – Arrow Rock's first postmaster. He later became a governor of Missouri.
Meredith Miles Marmaduke – He helped plan the town of Arrow Rock. He also served as Missouri's eighth governor.
John Sappington Marmaduke – Meredith's son, who became Governor of Missouri in 1884.
John Sappington – The first doctor in Saline County.

Arrow Rock's Rich History

Arrow Rock got its name from a tall cliff on the Missouri River. This cliff had a lot of flint, which Native Americans used to make arrowheads. French maps from 1732 called it "Pierre a Fleche," meaning "Rock of Arrows."

Explorers and travelers used the bluff as a landmark for over 150 years. Lewis and Clark passed by in 1804. They noted the "Cliff of rocks called the arrow rock." In 1808, William Clark returned and said the area would "make a handsome spot for a town."

Early Settlers and Salt Production

In the early 1800s, this part of Missouri was called "Boonslick Country." It was named after Boone's salt lick, a place where animals licked salt from the ground. Daniel Boone's sons, Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone, made salt here from 1805 to 1812. This salt was shipped to St. Louis. Salt making continued off and on until the 1860s. Today, this historic site is managed as Boone's Lick State Historic Site.

Euro-American settlers arrived in 1810. During the War of 1812, they built small forts for protection. In 1813, a U.S. government trader moved his operations to Arrow Rock bluff. This helped keep the Osage Indians loyal to the United States during the war.

The Santa Fe Trail Connection

By 1815, a ferry was set up at Arrow Rock. Settlers heading west used this ferry to cross the Missouri River. Santa Fe Trail trading groups also began crossing here in 1821. The ferry was very busy, especially in 1827. In 1849 and 1850, covered wagons heading to California were "hardly ever out of sight" at Arrow Rock. Some Arrow Rock residents continued to be involved in the Santa Fe trade until the American Civil War began in 1861.

The town was officially founded in June 1829. It was first called "Philadelphia." But in 1833, the state changed the name to "Arrow Rock." This was because everyone already knew the area by that name.

The J. Huston Tavern

In 1834, Joseph Huston built a two-story brick building. Travelers often needed a place to stay, so he started offering rooms. By 1840, it was known as a hotel. The J. Huston Tavern also had a store and a ballroom. It is now the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River. The Missouri Division of State Parks runs it today.

Slavery and the Civil War Era

Many early settlers in Arrow Rock came from southern states like Virginia and Kentucky. They brought enslaved people with them. The town became a busy river port, shipping tobacco and hemp grown on nearby farms. These farms relied on the labor of enslaved people.

Much of the town's early infrastructure, like the stone gutters on Main Street, was built by enslaved African Americans. This strong connection to southern farming and slavery meant that many people in Arrow Rock supported the South during the Civil War. This area of Missouri was sometimes called "Little Dixie."

Arrow Rock's population reached 1,000 by 1860. Even in 1872, it was one of the busiest river ports between St. Louis and Kansas City. During the Civil War, there were no major battles here. However, raids and violence disrupted farming and trade. Union soldiers enforced military rule in the town. The town government did little business during the war.

After the war, the population began to shrink. Railroads started to replace steamboats for trade. Arrow Rock did not get a railroad line or a bridge across the Missouri River. Larger cities like Kansas City and St. Louis grew quickly, drawing people away with promises of better jobs. The town also suffered from big fires in 1864, 1872, and 1901. By 1900, the population was around 300.

African American Community

Before the Civil War, black residents in Arrow Rock were enslaved. They worked in homes, on the docks, or in warehouses. Many were skilled workers. After slavery ended in 1865, more African Americans moved into town. They were able to buy their own homes, mostly on the north side of town. By 1880, 51% of the town's population was African American.

Because of segregation, they built their own churches, schools, and social groups. The last black resident of Arrow Rock passed away in 2009.

Preserving History

In 1912, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recognized Arrow Rock's connection to the Santa Fe Trail. Their interest led the Missouri government to buy and preserve the "Old Tavern" (J. Huston Tavern) in 1923. Land around the Tavern became a state park. This was the start of publicly funded historic preservation in Missouri.

The park grew to 169 acres, covering about a third of the village. In 1976, it became a historic site to better show its cultural importance. The Friends of Arrow Rock, Inc., formed in 1959. They help preserve historic buildings outside the state historic site. They offer guided tours and work with the state historic site to teach people about the village.

Archaeological Discoveries

Since 1995, archaeologists have been studying Arrow Rock. Dr. Timothy E. Baumann has led digs to learn about African-American life from the time of slavery into the early 1900s. His teams have excavated homes, a schoolhouse, a church, and a Masonic Lodge.

They found that the Masonic Lodge was built over an old pottery factory. This factory was the third largest in Missouri in the 1850s and 1860s. They uncovered parts of a kiln and thousands of pottery pieces. Archaeologists have also explored the site of a trading post used by the Osage people.

Other digs have happened at the state historic site. They found remains of a 19th-century store, the town's first public school, and a stable. Evidence also shows that the area was a major site for making flint tools at least 10,000 years ago.

Arts and Entertainment

Arrow Rock has a strong tradition in the arts. Artist George Caleb Bingham started painting portraits of local people in 1833. His early paintings of Dr. John Sappington and Jane B. Sappington are on display at the Arrow Rock State Historic Site Visitors’ Center Museum.

The Lyceum Theatre

The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre was founded in 1960 in an old Baptist Church. It is Missouri's oldest professional theater. The Lyceum puts on Broadway-style musicals and plays from June through September. They also have special holiday shows in December. Actors come from all over the country. A large auditorium was added in 1995.

Movies Filmed Here

In 1973, a musical movie version of Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer" was filmed in Arrow Rock. It starred Johnny Whitaker as Tom and Jodie Foster as Becky Thatcher. Many of the town's buildings and landscapes can be seen in the movie.

The next year, Jeff East played Huckleberry Finn again in "Huckleberry Finn," which was also partly filmed here. In 2007, the town celebrated the 35th anniversary of the "Tom Sawyer" film. Johnny Whitaker, Jeff East, and Celeste Holm were special guests.

Arrow Rock continues to support the arts. It hosts art and crafts shows, workshops, and concerts throughout the year. Every October, the town holds the Fall Heritage Festival. This event features craftspeople, artists, historical reenactors, and live music.

Parks and Natural Areas

The Arrow Rock State Historic Site was created in 1923. It is one of Missouri's first state parks. The 169-acre site overlooks the Missouri River valley. It includes a large visitor center and museum, a fishing lake, a picnic area, hiking trails, and a campground.

Next to the historic site is the Jameson Island Unit. This is part of the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. It was created in 1994 after a big flood. This refuge protects wetlands and waterways. It provides important homes for many wildlife species. Animals like deer, turkey, beaver, and otters have returned. Even bald eagles and bobcats have been seen there. The refuge offers opportunities for hiking, bird watching, hunting, and fishing.

Historic Buildings and Sites

Arrow Rock has many historic properties, some managed by the state and others by the Friends of Arrow Rock or private owners.

State Historic Site Properties

J. Huston Tavern (1834): This brick building shows the southern style of early settlers. It has dining areas and restored rooms.
George Caleb Bingham House (1837): The famous artist George C. Bingham built this house. It is a separate National Historic Landmark.
Dr. Mathew W. Hall House (1846): A Greek Revival style house built by a well-known doctor and community leader.
Old Jail aka Calaboose (1873): A stone jail built after the old log jail burned down.
Courthouse (1834): A log building restored to look like the county courthouse from 1839-1840.
Big Spring (1829): This spring provided water for the town. Santa Fe caravans traditionally watered their animals here.
WPA Shelter House (1936) and WPA Gazebo (1936): Stone structures built during the Great Depression by the Works Progress Administration for park visitors.

Friends of Arrow Rock Properties

Log Cabin (1830): This cabin was moved here to save it from being destroyed.
Masonic Lodge Hall and Craft Shop (1868): The Masonic Lodge met on the second floor until 2009. A craft shop sells handmade items on the first floor.
Miller-Bradford House (1839): This was the first private historic restoration in the village, done in 1959.
Christian Church (1872): Now a restored museum. It was used for Tom Sawyer's funeral scene in the 1972 movie.
Brown's Chapel Free Will Baptist Church (1869): Built by African Americans. It was also the first school for African Americans in the area.
Black History Museum/Brown Lodge (1881): This Masonic Lodge was important to the black community after slavery ended.
John P. Sites Gun Shop (1866): The only known working restoration of a 19th-century gunsmith's shop in its original location in the United States.
Dr. John Sappington Museum (1974): This museum shows the life and medical work of Dr. Sappington.

Private Properties

Boardwalk Storefronts (1902): These single-story stores were rebuilt after fires. They now house antique and gift shops.
Arrow Rock Cemetery (1849): An active cemetery where many people from Arrow Rock's history are buried.
Prairie Park (1849): A beautiful two-and-a-half-story mansion.
Old Schoolhouse (1923): The current building was built after two previous schools burned down. It now holds village offices.
Federated Church (1852): Originally a Methodist church, it still has an active congregation.
Zion Church (1870): This building now serves as the Masonic Lodge Hall No. 55.
African Public School (1948): This school for black students was rebuilt several times after fires. It became a private home after schools were integrated in 1956.