Boone's Lick Road - Loutre Lick Springs - Van Bibber Tavern (1821) - Mineola, MO
Posted by: 
gparkes
N 38° 53.308 W 091° 34.165
15S E 624073 N 4305372
Loutre Springs marker along the historic Boone's Lick Road.
Waymark Code: WM5TEB
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 02/10/2009
Views: 16
BOONE'S LICK ROAD
Loutre Lick Springs
Van Bibber Tavern (1821)
Marked by the
Daughters of the
American Revolution
and the
State of Missouri
1913
Loutre Springs is where a couple resorts popped up in the 1820. Famous Missourians such as Thomas Hart Benton and Daniel Morgan Boone used the springs to relieve their ailments. Boone's adopted son, Issac Van Bibber, built a tavern and boarding house in 1821. This became a famous stop along the Boone's Lick Road.
An interesting anecdote that I came across when reading about the site, was that Mr. Van Bibber was an interesting character with some very pecular beliefs. One such belief was of the "transmigration of souls," or that every 6,000 years a cycle would be complete and that everything started over again. One evening when guests from Kentucky seemed to be receptive to listen, Van Bibber's set forth to convert the group. The next morning as the party set to leave, a man stepped forward to say “We were much impressed with your argument last night. Believing that there may be some truth to your doctrine, and being short of cash, we have decided to wait until we come around again at the end of 6,000 years and settle our bill.” “No,” said Van Bibber, “You are the same blamed rascals who were her 6,000 years ago and went away without paying your bills, and now you have to pay before you leave.”
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.