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 Boone's Lick Road - Pond's Fort - St. Charles County, MO Posted by:  gparkes
N 38° 45.601 W 090° 48.818
15S E 689969 N 4292415
Pond's Fort waypoint along the historic Boone's Lick Road.
Waymark Code: WM5RCQ
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 02/06/2009
Views: 12
The marker states:
BOONE'S LICK ROAD
Pond's Fort (1800)
Marked by the
Daughters of the
American Revolution
and the
State of Missouri
1913
This fort was one in a series of private forts that formed a line of defense against the Indians, in the Indian Wars of 1812. Pond Fort was started by Robert Baldridge, a native of Ireland, who moved to Kentucky and then Missouri. The fort was built in the form of a hollow square on land from a Spanish land grant. A single family lived in the fort and the fort was named for the pond, two hundred yards away. This fort, as well as several others, were constructed on the lower Missouri in 1800. It was also a stopover for William Clark on his expedition along the Missouri River. Malachi Baldridge, Robert’s son, was one of the leading Indian fighters on the Dardenne Prairie. Malachi was later scalped and killed by the Indians.
Perhaps the best website I have seen giving an understanding of the trail, is from the LDS church. Their focus is Mormon usage of the trail, but you start to get a feel for the layout of the trail.
Road of Trail Name: Boonslick Trail
State: Missouri
County: St. Charles
Historical Significance:
Boone's Lick trail was founded by Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone, sons of famous frontiersman Daniel Boone.
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 1840's and developed into corridor roads through the state.
How you discovered it:
Research in routing of the Boone's Lick Trail/Road.
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 trail was originally an Indian/hunting trace/trail. The discovery of a saline spring near Franklin, MO, created a business oportunity for the Boone brothers. They marked the trail for passage to and from the spring.
As westward expansion proceeded, the trail was used by thousands going westward. The trail 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 trails, the California, Oregon, and Santa Fe, to name a few.
Directions:
West of US-40 on Highway N, 3 miles.
Book on Wagon Road or Trial: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
To post a log for this Waymark the poster must have a picture of either themselves, GPSr, or mascot. People in the picture with information about the waymark are preferred. If the waymarker can not be in the picture a picture of their GPSr or mascot will qualify. There are no exceptions to this rule.
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