Last updated: February 3, 2024
Place
Arrow Rock Ferry Landing
Photo/Larry Short
Quick Facts
Location:
Northern extension of 2nd Street, Arrow Rock., Arrow Rock, MO, 65347
Significance:
An important river crossing for early trail travelers
Designation:
Certified Site, National Register of Historic Places
MANAGED BY:
Private
Beginning around 1816, migrants travelling west crossed the Missouri River at this spot. The site marks the western end of the Arrow Rock ferry, with another landing on the other side of the river. The ferry played a significant role in shepherding traffic westward, including traffic on the Santa Fe Trail. They continued using this ferry until 1828 (when it was no longer used for significant, long-distance Santa Fe Trail travel) and for many years thereafter. A cabin housing the ferry master formerly existed here, and the former trail ascended the hill (along a present-day road trace), after which it continued west across the prairie.
Arrow Rock Bluff
For generations, Arrow Rock Bluff was a significant landmark on the Missouri River for American Indians, explorers, and early westward travelers. The limestone bluff first appeared on a 1732 French map as pierre a fleche, which means the “rock of arrows.” As a landmark on the river, it guided westward travel by water and wagon for trade and settlement.
“Our company crossed the Missouri near the Arrow Rock Ferry on the first day of September 1821…”
-William Becknell
The Arrow Rock is part of the Santa Fe Trail story. When William Becknell’s party crossed the river here in 1821 heading west to trade, a new era in American history began. For some, the trail brought wealth and opportunity. For others, the trail caused loss of life, land, culture, and resources.
Today, the river no longer flows in front of the bluff.
Site Information
Location (Northern extension of 2nd Street, Arrow Rock., Arrow Rock, MO, 65347)
The Arrow Rock Ferry Landing was put on the list of the National Register of Historic Places on May 1, 2013, and Rich Lawson, who owns the property with his wife, Debbie, is looking to add more richness to Arrow Rock's history.
Safety Considerations