A favorite from 2021
After a return visit to Graham State Park, we were off to visit Arrow Rock SHS. There is a lot of history in the area. The oldest continually operating tavern/restaurant in Missouri is there. The Santa Fe Trail historic signs are everywhere. The trail was a 19th-century route that connected the Missouri River area in mid-state (what became Columbia, Missouri) with Santa Fe, New Mexico. It served as a vital commercial highway until 1880, when the railroad arrived. You will also find plenty of Lewis and Clark markers.
We were camping in site 28 at the Arrow Rock campground which is lovely. The awning side faces the woods and it is very private. But it was nearly impossible to level so we gave up and accepted that one of us would feel like we were falling out of bed each night. The park is exceptionally well maintained. We could see the stars at night with very little ambient light but there were traffic noises in the distance.
The best part of this park are the shows at the Lyceum Theatre. We saw “Singing in the Rain”. What a great performance and the tap dancing was impressive. I had been a little concerned about being indoors for several hours with so many people as Covid was still in full swing. But we wore our masks and our seats were surrounded by others who wore masks. The Lyceum Theatre puts on shows that are comparable to the St. Louis Muny or the Fox Theatre, with casting right off Broadway.
After the show, we had dinner at the J Huston tavern. We both had the signature fried chicken which was done really well. The sides were green beans and grits with Philadelphia cream cheese.
The next day, we visited the museum at the Visitor’s Center. There was a display about New Madrid certificates. I found that interesting since I have an ancestor that received one. These certificates were providing public lands to settlers (granted by the federal government) following the devastating New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812. Certificate holders were given surveyed lands in various parts of the Missouri Territory. My ancestor was the Sherriff of New Madrid county at the time and his family all left after the earthquake and he soon followed. It is important to remember the earthquake was not just the big singular event but major tremors continued for a year.
We also learned about Boone’s Lick and later visited the SHS. The Santa Fe Trail was not only for trade but also full of settlers traveling west. The War of 1812 actually did impact this area which surprised me. Salt was one of Missouri’s first and most important industries. Daniel Boone’s sons commercialized the business.
A walk around town was a good chance to photograph many of the historic buildings. The George Caleb Bingham house is a National Historic site. We went into the Miller Bradford House and found a non-profit which sells the art of local artists. The founder was there and was passionate about also teaching art to area students. She retired from Mizzou. They have also expanded to sell antiques. One of the members of the Friends of Arrow Rock is a professional appraiser who does work for the Antiques Roadshow so she was excited about the quality he was able to verify for the sales.
Arrow Rock is one of the most unique and historic parks in the state and should not be missed.