Settlement History of the Spring

Settlement History of the Spring. . , 1797 - James Mackay granted land including the salt spring by Spanish authorities in St. Louis., 1799 - Daniel Boone and his family arrive in Missouri and receive land grants in St. Charles County from the Spanish authorities. , 1803 - The area known as Louisiana was purchased by the government of the United States from France , 1804-1806 - Lewis and Clark Expedition journals refer to many salines or salt springs in the areas that were later organized as Howard, Cooper and Saline counties., 1804-1805 - Jesse and James Morrison leased the salt spring from James Mackay and began producing salt in partnership with Daniel Morgan and Nathan Boone., 1805 - Salt operations were raided; working oxen and livestock were killed by "a party of bad men." , 1810-1812 - Daniel Morgan Boone and Nathan Boone sell their financial interests to James and Jesse Morrison. , 1812-1815 - Indian raids during the War of 18 12 forced the salt works to be shut down. , 1816 - Howard County is organized and includes all the land north of the Osage River to the area that would become the Iowa Territory. , 1815-1827 - James and Jesse Morrison resumed salt operations but Jesse sold his interest to James in 1827. , 1820=1830 - The General Assembly of the state of Missouri passed a number of acts that set aside as many as 12 salt springs in different areas of the state for use of the state to that profits for leasing them produced revenue for the state., 1831 - James Morrison advertised "Boons Salt Works for sale", 1831-1850 - Salt works ownership was taken by John Ainslie and leased to Lindsay P. Marshall, but it is not known if either of them actually operated the salt works. , 1833 - James Morrison's son fell into boiling kettle, scalded horribly and died several days later. U.S. government confirms Mackay's survey to heir, 1869 - The Boone's Lick Salt Manufacturing Co. was organized; bores a 1,001-foot deep well and finds no commercially valuable brine., 1872 - Unable to produce salt profitably, the company cut and sold timber for use as railroad ties. , 1900 - The "Oyster Plan" -production of "salt-water fish and mollusks," was abandoned for lack of fresh water., 1913 - The Missouri Society Daughters of the American Revolution placed pioneer trail red granite markers commemorating the Boone's Lick Trail., 1960 - Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Clinkscales and Horace Mulsday donate 17 acres of land to the State Park Board, including the historic salt lick., 1961 - Archaeological survey identifies the existence of a furnace, an 1869 well, a wooden box and partially buried timbers., 1969 - This site is placed on the National Register of Historic Places. , 1986 - Archaeological investigation uncovers remains of six furnaces, well casings, two log cabins and a brine elevating system., 1990 - Archaeological investigation finds remains of four more furnaces to (unreadable) of these artifacts are on exhibit at Arrow Rock State Historic Site visitor center.