"Daniel Boone" Sculpture
Saint Charles, United States
The overland route linking St Charles with the future site of Fort Osage in present-day Jackson County was likely the earliest trail used by American settlers heading west. On its eastern end the trail passed in the vicinity of later towns of Cottleville, Warrenton, Jonesburg, Mineola, Williamsburg, Franklin and Arrow Rock while following the ridges that divide the Missouri River and Mississippi River watershed. In 1808, Louisiana's territorial governor Meriwether Lewis assigned General William Clark to oversee construction of a combined military fort and government trading post for trade with the local American Indian nations. Originally called Fort Clarke, it would be renamed Fort Osage on August 25th 1808, General Clark and a mounted company of 80 St Charles dragoons consisting of 36 militia and 44 volunteers, set out for the site of the proposed for with their guide, Nathan Boone, son of Daniel Boone they traveled 247 miles before reaching their intended destination 11 days later.