Boone's Lick Road - Danville (1834) - Danville, MO - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

The marker states:

BOONE'S LICK ROAD
Danville (1834)
Marked by the
Daughters of the
American Revolution
and the
State of Missouri
1913

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Danville was a stagecoach stop along the Boone's Lick Road. Founded in 1834, the town was the county seat from founding until 1925, when the county seat was moved to Montgomery City. Danville was the third of four county seats that Montgomery County has had. Other markers in the town note the Danville Female Academy and Civil War activities.

Today, Danville's section of the Boone's Lick Road remains virtually the way it has for centuries. The road is graveled and is the town's Main Street. Danville has always been on major transportation arteries of the nation: First on the Boone's Lick Road, then on US-40 (the National Road) which was located one block south of Main, and now on I-70, for which US-40 has become the outer road.

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The road originated as an old Indian trace. In the 1764, the first part of the road was expanded by trappers through St. Louis County, Missouri. This part of the road is known as St. Charles Rock Road. The road was expanded by brothers Daniel Morgan and Nathanal Boone, sons of famous frontiersman Daniel Boone, as part of gaining access to salt springs near present day New Franklin, Missouri. The complete road from St. Louis to Franklin, Missouri takes its name from the Boone brothers. In 1821, William Becknell established a road from Franklin to Santa Fe, Mexico, there by establishing the Santa Fe Trail. The Santa Fe Trail at Kansas City splits off into other major wagon roads such as the California and Oregon Trails. The Boone's Lick road is the land route to the beginning of the Santa Fe Trail and carried many of those who would settle the west.

Road of Trail Name: Boone's Lick or Boonslick Road State: Missouri County: Montgomery Historical Significance: Boone's Lick trail was founded by Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone, sons of famous frontiersman Daniel Boone. Eventually, the trail was expanded to a road for use with wagon traffic. Used as a western expansion trail and road, eventually becoming a direct road to the start of the Santa Fe Trail. Years in use: 1808 to 1880's and developed into State and County roads. How you discovered it: Reading the book anotated below gave a good overview of the locations of the marker. Book on Wagon Road or Trial: "Historic Sites and Markers Along the Mormon and Other Great Western Trails" by Stanley B. Kimball Website Explination: State Park information for the end of the trail can be found at: http://mostateparks.com/booneslick.htm As well as about the spring at: http://www.nps.gov/archive/safe/fnl-sft/photos/mopages/saltspg.htm Why?: Initially, the Boone's Lick road was originally an Indian-hunting trace. The discovery of a saline spring near Franklin, MO, created a business oportunity for the Boone brothers. They marked the road for passage to and from the salt spring. As westward expansion proceeded, the road was used by thousands going westward. The road was used from St. Louis to New Franklin (re-established after "old" Franklin was destroyed by a flood). From New Franklin, people would gain access to the Santa Fe Trail. This access became the starting point for access to all the major westward expansion roads, the California, Oregon, and Santa Fe, to name a few. Directions: Danville is located at Exit 170 on Interstate 70. Go north off the exit ramp and wind around with MO-161, first to the east and then to the north. Take the first street (Main) to the west. The marker is visible on private property.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/09/2016 Arthur & Trillian visited it 10/04/2014 kJfishman visited it 10/04/2014 kJfishman visited it 06/15/2014 YoSam. visited it

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