Arrow Rock (Mo.)

Arrow Rock is a village in Saline County, Missouri, United States, located near the Missouri River. The entire village is part of the National Historic Landmark Arrow Rock Historic District, designated by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service in 1963. It is significant in the history of Westward Expansion, the Santa Fe Trail, and 19th-century artist George Caleb Bingham. The town is well known for the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, hosting over 33,000 patrons every year. The first state-designated historic site is located here. Restoration of a 19th-century tavern in 1923 marked the beginning of historic preservation in Missouri. Many structures within the village are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Several locations are also certified sites of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Santa Fe National Historic Trail. The village retains much of its 19th-century Boonslick character, and it attracts more than 100,000 visitors per year. Given the importance of heritage tourism to the village's economy, architectural ordinances implemented in 2004 provide guidance for both new construction and restorations of existing structures. The town has numerous bed and breakfast establishments, and a modern campground nearby is maintained by the Missouri Division of State Parks. Local government consists of an elected five-member Board of Trustees. The Trustees elect their chair person (mayor).