J. Huston Tavern

J. Huston Tavern. Welcome. You are visiting Arrow Rock's signature building, the J. Huston Tavern, sometimes known as the "old tavern" or "Arrow Rock Tavern.", Joseph Huston of Virginia settled in the area in 1819 and was one of the town commissioners. In November of 1833, he purchased Block 17 in Arrow Rock and the following spring began construction of a Federal style, two and a half story brick house. Log or frame additions probably housed weary travelers passing by on the Missouri River and the Santa Fe Trail. By 1840, Huston added a brick addition that housed a general store on the first floor and a ballroom/meeting room on the second floor. , In 19th Century America, a "tavern" was not just a drinking establishment; it was also a hotel and restaurant. Accommodations were not luxurious, and the J. Huston Tavern was probably no exception. Early in 1857, one traveler wrote, "Reached Arrow Rock and stopped for the night in a miserable establishment called a Hotel." Strangers shared rooms and if the beds were full, one could get a pallet on the floor or in the attic for half price. , In 1912, the National Old Trails Society furnished a museum room in the building "as a means of teaching Missouri history to the passerby." The Missouri legislature, with some prodding by the Daughters of the American Revolution, purchased the Tavern for $5,000 in September 1923, making it in the first building in Missouri set aside for historic preservation using public funds, and the first acquisition of the fledging Missouri State Park system. The ladies of the D.A.R. oversaw the restoration effort and were appointed by the legislature as the permanent custodian of the property, a role they filled until 1985. Changes made by the many owners have obscured some original details of the building. Major restorations occurred in 1926, 1934, 1955 and 1987., The tavern houses the oldest continually operating restaurant west of the Mississippi. This property is owned and maintained by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (Arrow Rock State Historic Site).