Arrow Rock and the River

Arrow Rock and the River. . You are standing on the Arrow Rock bluff, where the Missouri River formerly made a bend. For generations, the Missouri River served as the great water highway of the West. , The Arrow Rock bluff was a significant landmark for American Indians, explorers and early westward travelers. William Clark noted the locale as, "a handsome spot for a town" in 1808. Fort Osage in Jackson County, Missouri, was abandoned during the War of 18 12, and George Sibley moved its trading post to the bluff just north of here. , In 1810, settlers began arriving in the "Boonslick Country", as the area was known. To facilitate travel, a ferry was established at Arrow Rock in 1811, and it operated for 115 years. William Becknell, the "Father of the Santa Fe Trail", crossed the river on what became the first successful trade expedition to Santa Fe., Franklin, the first Santa Fe outfitting center, was located 10 miles downstream. In 1829, Franklin was largely washed away by the river, and Arrow Rock, founded high above the thriving river port. Hemp, tobacco and farm produce were shipped to St. Louis, and manufactured goods were brought upstream. , In April 1864, sparks from the steamboat Isabella set fire to the riverfront warehouses. After the Civil War (1861-1865), river transportation gave way to railroads, and the town declined. In the 1920's, the river migrated to its current position, one mile away. The old landing and warehouse sites are now marshland.