Arrow Rock, Missouri
Population 56
The beginning of the Santa Fe Trail
The J. Huston Tavern built in 1833 and has been serving food continuously since then. The food was delicious and reasonably priced!
A Tavern was not just a drinking establishment, but was also a hotel and restaurant.
A general store and meeting room were added and the rooms are on display.
Trundle beds were popular and the quilting method of the day is displayed.
A beautiful hooked rug on disiplay.
A Gunsmith Shop ( one of two in the US)
We were glad to spend an hour with Tyler to hear how he does gunsmithing (as opposed to gun building) and how he had to spend the last 10 years as an apprentice in the only other gunsmith shop ( Williamsburg VA).
He fashions the lock by hand from scratch
makes and polishes the brass hardware
engraves and carves a beautiful stock
and (after 500 hours of labor) he has a beautiful gun that was used for survival (food and defense) in the frontier.
It gives meaning to the phrase "lock, stock, and barrel".
Lou would love to have a beauty like this
(but the price of a totally handcrafted gun would be $20,000.)
Tyler wants his guns to be used (not just sit on a shelf for display) because they have been so thoroughly tested for safety.
This was such a fun, out of the way place and one of the reasons we love traveling with this tour company.
OTHER STUFF
The quaint "Old Town" St. Charles, MO
Great lunch spot
And This??
Probably not the grave of Lewis and Clark
(This is where they started - not ended!)
😉
An interesting campground offering
Good prices on the refreshments--
bug spray??
Necessary in this part of the country.
Our stop near Denver
Evan is now in Scouts, and we get to work on the Rocket Building
Luke loves meeting the kitty
Evan is a pro Lego builder.
Todd loves photographing all the activities of both kids
( and this is only a portion of the pics)
A great couple of days ( and not easy keeping up with a 2 and 6 year old!)
