Missouri's Arcadia Valley Review

"There is a charming portion of our country, dainty and lovely as a dimple in the cheek of nature and yet comparatively unknown to residents in the East. It is the valley of Arcadia." These words were penned by William Wadsworth Longfellow at the turn of the nineteenth century. They are still true today.

The Arcadia Valley of Missouri is a trip back in time to a simpler and kinder America. The valley lies nestled among the St. Francois mountains. Its cool breezes and slow movements of streams, its balmy evenings, attracted those from St' Louis during the summer doldrums. Its wealth of minerals attracted industry and provided transportation early  in our country's history. It even sparked the largest battle in Missouri during the Civil war.

The first commercial mining supported death, saving of life, and celebration. It was saltpeter, a component of black powder, of fireworks, and of rubs to preserve meat before refrigeration. The largest lead deposit in the world runs through the region. Other metals, including silver, were and are mined here. Much granite comes from the nearby mountains.

Up until the First World War it was a summer haven for those in cities. It burst with summer homes, summer hotels and hostels. It is more a sleepy reminder of the past today. There are three main cities, all founded in the 1800s, Arcadia, Ironton, and Pilot Knob. There are a plethora of public and private campgrounds for those who like to sleep close to nature. There are bed-and-breakfasts and a few motels for those who like that manner of sleep better.

There are state parks and historic sites nearby. There is lots of antique shopping and some really good down-home cooking. Spring and fall events attract many. In Arcadia there is the Academy, once a high school, then a Jesuit school, and now a privately owned museum, restaurant, bed-and-breakfast, and antique shop. Just down the street is the oldest home in Arcadia where my sister lives and the main attraction to this valley for us. If you should happen on to a copy of the weekly Mountain Echo, the local newspaper, take a peek at the Poet's Corner. Velma Parker is usually the featured award winning poet and my sister. In Ironton stands the famous brick Iron County Couthouse with its chips in the walls a reminder of the Civil war battles fought there.

Go there, refresh, and you will want to return.

Some Things to See and Do

Elephant Rocks State park

Johnson Shut-ins State Park

Taum Sauk Mountain State Park

Fort Davidson Historic Site

Shepherd Mountain Inn