Arrow Rock, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Arrow Rock is a village in Saline County, Missouri
, United States
. The population was 79 as of the 2000 Census (56 as of the 2010 Census). The musical Tom Sawyer (1973), based on the novel by Mark Twain
, was filmed here. Arrow Rock Historic District
has significant properties and the George Caleb Bingham House
has been designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark
.
, the town has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 79 people, 39 households, and 24 families residing in the town. The population density
was 592.5 people per square mile (234.6/km²). There were 62 housing units at an average density of 465.0 per square mile (184.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White.
There were 39 households out of which 17.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.52.
In the town the population was spread out with 13.9% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 11.4% from 25 to 44, 35.4% from 45 to 64, and 35.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,000, and the median income for a family was $46,875. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $35,417 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $28,344. None of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.
s around the Missouri River. The town was formed by European-American settlers in 1829, when westbound settlers and traders decided they liked the area. They originally called the settlement Philadelphia, but in 1833 changed its name to Arrow Rock. Native Americans used to gather flint
from the area to make arrowheads.
Due to Arrow Rock's location on the Missouri River
and along the Santa Fe Trail
, a large number of travelers passed through. Joseph Huston, originally from Virginia, began construction on a two-story brick building in 1834, which became known as the Old Tavern. The Old Tavern was a general store and tavern, and also served as a hotel. “By 1860, Arrow Rock had become Saline County’s most important river port, with a population of more than 1,000. Nearly half that number were African Americans.” (The Village of Arrow Rock 2007). The town has preserved the Old Tavern, the stone gutters on Main Street, and other early structures.
These historical forces contributed to local legislative oddities that persist to this day. In 1863, a shipment of supplies for Union outposts on the western frontier ran aground on a mud flat exposed by a drought's shifting of the Missouri River
. Proprietors of the Old Tavern claimed the supplies under a uniquely Western interpretation of maritime law, and offloaded the shipment as day turned into night. The most fungible goods - five hundred pounds of coffee beans and sundry associated grinders - were removed first, along with the tactically prudent small arms ammunition. When authorities arrived the following morning to dispute the claims, they found the local citizenry overly alert and well-armed. In the ensuing firefight, a stray round glancing off the native flint struck sparks which ignited several kegs of gunpowder remaining aboard the stranded barge. Both sides quickly terminated the dispute.
It is rumored that the errant shot was fired by the Mayor while under the influence of fresh-brewed coffee laced with quinine
and other anti-malarials, which caused his hands to tremble and his aim to be poor. In the aftermath of this event, the Mayor blamed the entire incident on the unaccustomed richness of the coffee. He arranged for the local grinding of coffee beans to be outlawed, as a rider to legislation designed to smooth over the state and federal implications of the matter while saving face for the community. To this day, the coffee grinding prohibition remains in effect.
has been designated a National Historic Landmark
.
, has conducted excavations within the community, exploring African-American life and culture. His excavations span the periods of slavery
and post-emancipation
. He has worked on homes of enslaved African Americana at two plantations
, as well as on a post-Civil War
African-American community. There he did research on multiple households, a schoolhouse, a church, a Masonic lodge, and a speakeasy. Dr. Baumann is the museum consultant for Friends of Arrow Rock, Inc.
. This park overlooks the Missouri River.
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 79 as of the 2000 Census (56 as of the 2010 Census). The musical Tom Sawyer (1973), based on the novel by Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, was filmed here. Arrow Rock Historic District
Arrow Rock Historic District
Arrow Rock Historic District, or Arrow Rock, is a historic district in Arrow Rock, Missouri that was designated a National Historic Landmark...
has significant properties and the George Caleb Bingham House
George Caleb Bingham House
The George Caleb Bingham House in Arrow Rock, Missouri was the principal residence of portraitist and landscape painter George Caleb Bingham from 1837 to 1845.It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965.-External links:...
has been designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Geography
Arrow Rock is located at 39°4′12"N 92°56′51"W (39.070117, -92.947364). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 79 people, 39 households, and 24 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 592.5 people per square mile (234.6/km²). There were 62 housing units at an average density of 465.0 per square mile (184.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White.
There were 39 households out of which 17.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.52.
In the town the population was spread out with 13.9% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 11.4% from 25 to 44, 35.4% from 45 to 64, and 35.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,000, and the median income for a family was $46,875. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $35,417 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $28,344. None of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.
Notable residents
- George Caleb BinghamGeorge Caleb BinghamGeorge Caleb Bingham was an American artist whose paintings of American life in the frontier lands along the Missouri River exemplify the Luminist style. Left to languish in obscurity, Bingham's work was rediscovered in the 1930s...
- Asa FinleyAsa FinleyAsa Finley , was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, and after marrying his first wife, Esther Gleaves in 1806, they migrated to Christian County, Kentucky and settled on land he had already surveyed for himself in 1803...
- Claiborne Fox JacksonClaiborne Fox JacksonClaiborne Fox Jackson was a lawyer, soldier, and Democratic politician from Missouri. He was the 15th Governor of Missouri in 1861, then governor-in-exile for the Confederacy during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
- Meredith Miles MarmadukeMeredith Miles MarmadukeMeredith Miles Marmaduke was Missouri's eighth Governor, serving in 1844. He was a Democrat. He was also Lieutenant Governor of Missouri 1840–1844.-Life and career:...
- John S. MarmadukeJohn S. MarmadukeJohn Sappington Marmaduke was a career military man and a West Point graduate. He is known for his service as a Confederate Major general during the American Civil War...
, (1833–1887), born in Arrow Rock, was a general in the Confederate Army and later the Governor of Missouri. - Dr. John Sappington, popularized the use of quinineQuinineQuinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic...
pills to treat malariaMalariaMalaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
History
In 1804 Lewis and Clark passed through Arrow Rock and noted the salt lickSalt lick
A mineral lick is a natural mineral deposit where animals in nutrient-poor ecosystems can obtain essential mineral nutrients...
s around the Missouri River. The town was formed by European-American settlers in 1829, when westbound settlers and traders decided they liked the area. They originally called the settlement Philadelphia, but in 1833 changed its name to Arrow Rock. Native Americans used to gather flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
from the area to make arrowheads.
Due to Arrow Rock's location on the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
and along the Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
, a large number of travelers passed through. Joseph Huston, originally from Virginia, began construction on a two-story brick building in 1834, which became known as the Old Tavern. The Old Tavern was a general store and tavern, and also served as a hotel. “By 1860, Arrow Rock had become Saline County’s most important river port, with a population of more than 1,000. Nearly half that number were African Americans.” (The Village of Arrow Rock 2007). The town has preserved the Old Tavern, the stone gutters on Main Street, and other early structures.
These historical forces contributed to local legislative oddities that persist to this day. In 1863, a shipment of supplies for Union outposts on the western frontier ran aground on a mud flat exposed by a drought's shifting of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
. Proprietors of the Old Tavern claimed the supplies under a uniquely Western interpretation of maritime law, and offloaded the shipment as day turned into night. The most fungible goods - five hundred pounds of coffee beans and sundry associated grinders - were removed first, along with the tactically prudent small arms ammunition. When authorities arrived the following morning to dispute the claims, they found the local citizenry overly alert and well-armed. In the ensuing firefight, a stray round glancing off the native flint struck sparks which ignited several kegs of gunpowder remaining aboard the stranded barge. Both sides quickly terminated the dispute.
It is rumored that the errant shot was fired by the Mayor while under the influence of fresh-brewed coffee laced with quinine
Quinine
Quinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic...
and other anti-malarials, which caused his hands to tremble and his aim to be poor. In the aftermath of this event, the Mayor blamed the entire incident on the unaccustomed richness of the coffee. He arranged for the local grinding of coffee beans to be outlawed, as a rider to legislation designed to smooth over the state and federal implications of the matter while saving face for the community. To this day, the coffee grinding prohibition remains in effect.
Historic properties
Along with the Old Tavern, Arrow Rock has several other significant historic properties. The J.P. Sites Gun Shop, dated back to 1830, began as a cottage. It was remodeled in the mid 1870s, adding two bedrooms upstairs. The J.P. Sites Gun Shop was home to Arrow Rock's gunsmith. Other historic properties include the Log Cabin, the Miler House, the Brown Lodge, the Christian Church, the Lawless House, the Brown Chapel, and the Post Office. The George Caleb Bingham HouseGeorge Caleb Bingham House
The George Caleb Bingham House in Arrow Rock, Missouri was the principal residence of portraitist and landscape painter George Caleb Bingham from 1837 to 1845.It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965.-External links:...
has been designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Excavations
Dr. Timothy E. Baumann, of Missouri Valley CollegeMissouri Valley College
Missouri Valley College is a private, four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . The campus is in Marshall, Missouri.The college was founded in 1889 and supports 27 academic majors and an enrollment close to 1,800 students...
, has conducted excavations within the community, exploring African-American life and culture. His excavations span the periods of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
and post-emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
. He has worked on homes of enslaved African Americana at two plantations
Plantations in the American South
Plantations were an important aspect of the history of the American South, particularly the antebellum .-Planter :The owner of a plantation was called a planter...
, as well as on a post-Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
African-American community. There he did research on multiple households, a schoolhouse, a church, a Masonic lodge, and a speakeasy. Dr. Baumann is the museum consultant for Friends of Arrow Rock, Inc.
Parks
Arrow Rock is home to one of Missouri's State Historic Sites, Arrow Rock State Historic SiteArrow Rock State Historic Site
Arrow Rock State Historic Site is an open air museum in Arrow Rock, Missouri. The visitor center museum features local history exhibits about Arrow Rock and the Boone's Lick country. The Bingham Home, built by artist George Caleb Bingham, is a historic house museum that furnished for the 1880s....
. This park overlooks the Missouri River.