On the boardwalk that links the brick buildings of Arrow Rock, the clatter of shoppers' heels echoes across Main Street. Obviously, this wide roadway was meant for more traffic than the visitors who've arrived in this central Missouri community (45 miles west of Columbia) on a sunny autumn afternoon.

In the mid-1800s, riverboats, as well as wagons heading west on the Santa Fe Trail, traveled through Arrow Rock. Today, during events such as the Fall Crafts Festival, visitors far outnumber the town's 70 residents.

Thanks to residents' efforts, the town's 40 buildings are a National Historic Landmark. Along Main Street, the brick Arrow Rock Tavern, one of the oldest west of the Mississippi, still serves hearty favorites such as fried chicken and catfish. Bed and breakfasts occupy several 19th-century houses.

The state's oldest repertory performs at the historic Lyceum Theatre. You can walk from town to the neighboring state park, with a museum and hiking trails along the river bluff. Shops in old storefronts and in converted homes stock crafters' works, collectibles and antiques.

Side Trip:

Go south on State-41, east on I-70 to State-5 and north to the river town of Boonville. Then, travel east on US-40 along the river to Rocheport, and back to I-70.

Reviewed April 2004.

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