Last updated: January 17, 2023
Place
Old Franklin Site
Photo/NPS
Quick Facts
Location:
The site of Old Franklin is just north of the Missouri River and about 0.5 miles west of the Boonville Bridge on Missouri Highway 87
Significance:
Old Franklin was the original eastern terminus of the Santa Fe Trail
Designation:
Certified Site
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
In 1821, William Becknell and his party left Franklin, MO westbound toward Santa Fe. Though they did not know it at the time, their journey would be the first successful, legal trade on the Trail between the US and Mexico. They returned to Franklin with substantial profits, signaling the opening of the Santa Fe Trail as a profitable commercial route.
Franklin was located on the north bank of the Missouri River. Between 1826-1827, devastating floods forced residents to relocate further inland. New Franklin was established in 1828 northeast of the original site. Today, you can learn about Old Franklin through interpretive wayside exhibits on site or view the townsite from the Harley Park Overlook in Boonville, MO.
Site Information
Location (The site of Old Franklin is just north of the Missouri River and about 0.5 miles west of the Boonville Bridge on Missouri Highway 87)