Boone’s Lick Road, Missouri – Legends of America
Alright, picture this: It’s the early 1800s, and you’re itching to head west in Missouri. But how do you get there? Well, back then, there was this thing called the Boone’s Lick Road, or Boonslick Trail. Think of it as Missouri’s OG highway, stretching from the eastern part of the state all the way to the central areas.
This wasn’t just any old dirt path; it was the main route heading west, more or less hugging the north side of the Missouri River. It went on for about 150 miles until you hit Old Franklin. The whole shebang started at St. Charles, a cool little town near St. Louis that had been around since colonial times. From there, it snaked its way through counties like Warren, Montgomery, Callaway, Boone, and Howard.
St. Charles: Where It All Began
Let’s rewind a bit. Back in 1769, a dude named Louis Blanchette decided to settle down by the Missouri River, and that’s how St. Charles was born. Soon enough, other families started showing up, including the legendary Daniel Boone and his clan, who set up shop near Femme Osage Creek. Word spread, and folks started getting the itch to explore the wild lands west of the Mississippi.
Fast forward to 1804. Lewis and Clark, those famous explorers, were on their big adventure – the Corps of Discovery Expedition. And guess what? They stumbled upon some salt springs in the area. Little did they know, these springs would play a big part in shaping the region’s history.
The Boone Boys and the Salt Lick
Okay, here’s where it gets interesting. In 1805, Daniel Boone’s sons, Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone, had a brilliant idea. Nathan had recently discovered a salt lick way out west on Salt Creek in Howard County – over 100 miles away! This wasn’t just any salt lick; it was where three natural salt springs came together, creating a mineral buffet for animals. They’d come from miles around to lick the ground for that salty goodness. Hence, the name "salt lick." Later, it became known as Boone’s Lick.
This spot was pretty much in the middle of nowhere, about halfway between Boonville and Glasgow, just across the Missouri River from Arrow Rock. The Boone brothers saw an opportunity. They set up a business right there at the lick, boiling the water to evaporate it and extract the salt. Why? Because salt was essential for preserving meat and all sorts of other things back in the day.
Now, the route they took to get to the lick? It started as an old Native American trail. But the Boone brothers turned it into a proper overland trail from St. Charles, which they called the Boone’s Lick Trail. At the time, there were only a few Americans living in the area – less than 1,000!
From Salt to Settlement
In 1806, Nathan and Daniel Boone went big. They built a serious salt extraction operation and started shipping the salt down the Missouri River to St. Louis in hollowed-out logs. Because their salt lick was so important, and the trail was named after it, the whole region – what we now know as Howard, Cooper, Saline, Boone, Chariton, and Randolph counties – became known as "the Boone’s Lick."
And get this: the Boones and other folks started describing the area as being just like Lexington, Kentucky. That got people excited! It triggered a wave of migration as settlers packed up their belongings and headed west.
The War of 1812 and the Land Rush
After the War of 1812 ended, things really took off. The tension between the white settlers and the Native Americans eased up, and everyone was clamoring for land west of the Mississippi. And that trail that Nathan and Daniel Boone had blazed? It led right to the heart of the fertile land near the salt lick.
"Boone’s Lick Country" became the core of a bigger area known as Little Dixie. Why Little Dixie? Because it was mainly settled by people from Virginia and Kentucky. They traveled down the Ohio River and then up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. They brought their Southern culture with them, establishing hemp and tobacco plantations that relied on enslaved African Americans. They also built up a network of institutions like Protestant churches, Jeffersonian democracy, local governments, schools, colleges, newspapers, and banks.
Old Franklin: Boomtown on the River
In 1816, a town called Old Franklin popped up on the northern bank of the Missouri River, just south of Boone’s Salt Lick. It was a boomtown, and Boone’s Lick Road was widened to handle all the traffic of people heading west. "Boone’s Lick Country" was rich not just in salt but also in timber, water, and wild game. It was a pioneer’s paradise.
The Santa Fe Trail Connection
Fast forward to August 1821. Missouri officially became the 24th state in the Union. The early counties were split up into lots of new ones.
Then, in September 1821, a guy named William Becknell, who they called "the father of the Santa Fe Trail," set out from Old Franklin. He made the first successful overland trading expedition to Santa Fe, New Mexico, using pack mules. Can you imagine? He’d buy calico in Missouri for pennies and sell it in Santa Fe for gold dollars! When he got back to Old Franklin, it marked the beginning of the Santa Fe Trail.
Suddenly, Boone’s Lick Road became even busier. "Prairie commerce" exploded, boosting Missouri and the entire "Far West." The Santa Fe Trail stretched from Old Franklin all the way to Santa Fe, about 900 miles away.
Taverns, Towns, and Transformation
Over the next few years, traffic on the Boone’s Lick Road kept growing. Thousands of pioneers traveled west with their wagons, families, and livestock. Stagecoach routes were established for mail and passengers. Steamboats became the main way to get around and trade between the Boone’s Lick and the rest of the world.
Many famous figures traveled westward along this route: James Bridger, Kit Carson, John Sutter, William Becknell, and General Stephen Kearny, just to name a few.
Towns like Franklin, Smithton, Columbia, Fulton, Williamsburg, and Warrenton sprang up along the trail. As these towns and county seats were established, the trail developed shortcuts, especially in Boone and Callaway Counties. Major streams like Cedar, Roche Perche, and Moniteau Creeks had to be crossed.
The Boone Brothers’ salt business lasted for about 25 years, ending around 1830. By that time, the area’s population had grown to about 33,000, which was a quarter of the state’s population!
Later Years
In the 1830s and 1840s, Joseph Smith and his followers, who were members of the Church of the Latter-day Saints, followed the Boone’s Lick Road to establish their settlement of Far West, Missouri.
By 1860, the area’s population was around 95,000, about 10% of the state’s total.
After the Civil War, railroads started to be built through the area, changing the transportation landscape.
Travel on the Santa Fe Trail declined in 1880 when the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad finally reached Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Boone’s Lick Road Today
Over time, parts of Boone’s Lick Road were paved and improved, eventually becoming U.S. Highway 40 and Interstate 70. But here’s a cool fact: some sections of the old trail are still used in Boone County today, even if most people don’t realize it! These sections include Broadway, Highway WW, and Rocheport Gravel Road.
And what about the original salt lick? It’s now preserved as Boone’s Lick State Historic Site. This 52-acre wooded area features the three salt springs and Salt Creek. You can even see some remnants of the old salt works, like wooden posts sticking out of Salt Creek and a big cast-iron kettle that was used to boil the saltwater. It’s located off Missouri State Highway 187, between Lisbon and Petersburg, east of Arrow Rock, near Boonesboro. It’s worth checking out if you’re ever in the area!
So, there you have it – the story of Boone’s Lick Road, a vital path that helped shape Missouri and the American West.