The town of 
Arrow Rock is a quaint place that seems to have been frozen in time. As we left the visitor's center into the town walking on the wavy brick sidewalks and exploring historic homes and shops, we began to feel like we were being transported to another time. I'm sure my blood pressure dropped a few points. I know any tension I was feeling began to melt away. We quickly decided to have lunch at the historic J. Huston Tavern and Restaurant while we looked through the information about the town and decided which activities we would be able to participate in. The Tavern has served customers for over 180 years and is the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River. To me, the car parked in front of the restaurant looked out of place. I thought it would be more appropriate for a horse and buggy to be out front.
Arrow Rock is a quaint place that seems to have been frozen in time. As we left the visitor's center into the town walking on the wavy brick sidewalks and exploring historic homes and shops, we began to feel like we were being transported to another time. I'm sure my blood pressure dropped a few points. I know any tension I was feeling began to melt away. We quickly decided to have lunch at the historic J. Huston Tavern and Restaurant while we looked through the information about the town and decided which activities we would be able to participate in. The Tavern has served customers for over 180 years and is the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River. To me, the car parked in front of the restaurant looked out of place. I thought it would be more appropriate for a horse and buggy to be out front.
Arrow Rock's name dates back to a French 1732 map, which identified the spot as "pierre a fleche," or "rock of arrows." The high riverside bluff was composed primarily of limestone and also contained much flint. For thousands of years, the site was a source for the raw materials needed to create flint tools and weapons.
The path of the river has changed since Lewis and Clark encountered it and the time when Arrow Rock was a bustling town thriving through commerce spurred by it's location by the river. The shifting of the river's course as well as the advance of the use of railroad transportion put a halt to the town's growth. Today, the town is is a national historic landmark as it played a key role in the westward expansion.
Lewis and Clark passed by the area that later became the town of Arrow Rock on June 9, 1804. The journals of the expedition contain the following description of Arrow Rock:
"On the 9th, we set out early, and reached a cliff of rocks, called the Arrow Rock, near to which is a prairie called the Prairies of Arrows, and Arrow creek, a small stream about eight yards wide, whose source is in the adjoining prairies on the south. At this cliff the Missouri is confined within a bed of two hundred yards; and about four miles to the south-east is a large lick and salt spring of great strength. About three miles further is Blackbird creek on the north side, opposite to which, is an island and a prairie inclosing a small lake. Five miles beyond this we encamped on the south side, after making, in the course of the day, thirteen miles."
Hiking opportunities within the park are available with two trails. The River Landing trail is a short, easy trail leading to the Lewis and Clark Trail of Discovery. The Pierre a’ Fleche (Rock of Arrows) Trail is a longer, moderate trail encompassing the southern portion of the park. Either trail will provide opportunities to see a diversity of flora and fauna. We hiked the River Landing trail and a portion of the Lewis and Clark Trail of Discovery. A driving tour is also an option for individuals with disabilities.We would definitely return. I would love to be able to attend a production at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
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