Loutre River - History

History

The Loutre River is threaded through the area's history. It was the means of transportation and the trade route for Native Americans, early European and American settlers in early Montgomery Country.

Historical evidence of human activities in and around the Loutre River date over 10,000 years. Loutre River travels through Graham Cave State Park in Montgomery County. Graham Cave is located in the hills directly above the river. When discovered, the cave helped rewrite history books. During archaeological excavation by the University of Missouri from 1949 to 1955, the cave yielded evidence of ancient Dalton and Archaic Period Native Americans. Within the cave was an ancient ceremonial location dating to 8000 B.C.E.

Loutre Township comprises the southern portion of Montgomery County. The first Europeans to settle in the county were on Loutre Island perhaps as early as 1798, while the country was under control of Spain. The island was first discovered by French trappers and voyageurs.

Loutre Lick was one of the earliest settlements in Montgomery County, settled between 1808 and 1810, and named because of its location near a salt lick at the river. It was also called Van Bibbers Lick, for Major Isaac Van Bibber, who migrated in 1800 from Kentucky to Missouri. Here he erected a hotel, some cabins, and stables. He tried unsuccessfully to operate a salt mill. Loutre Lick was succeeded by present-day Mineola, Missouri.

Loutre Lick was probably the first mineral spring in Missouri to be developed as a kind of health resort. Here Daniel Boone and Thomas Hart Benton sought relief for their ailments. Benton bragged of the Loutre Lick spring in the halls of Congress, where Henry Clay referred to him as the "Senator from Missouri's Bethesda."

Skirmishes took place between Indians and encroaching settlers. The Army established Fort Clemson on Loutre Island as a base of operations to protect American settlers. In March 1815, Captain Callaway and three soldiers (James McMillin, Parks Hutchings, Frank McDermid) were killed after pursuing Sauk and Fox Indians who had stolen horses from settlers. Captain Callaway, with Lieutenant Riggs and fourteen men left Fort Clemson, on Loutre Island, in pursuit of the Indians. While they first recaptured the horses about 12 miles away guarded mostly by squaws, the Army group was later fired upon by the Indian warriors. Captain Callaway's body was not found until several days after his death, when it was discovered by Benjamin Howell. His gun had been recovered several days before. Callaway and his three soldiers were buried where they had been killed. Headstones can be found at the burial site today on private property. They are in the middle of a sheep grazing field about 100 yards from the banks of the river and 300 yards from the Loutre River crossing of Mill Pond Road in rural Montgomery County.

Around September 1, 1832 famed author Washington Irving visited Montgomery County on his way to the far west. He stayed about one day at Loutre Lick, where he wandered among the picturesque hills in the vicinity. To Major Van Bibber he said, "When I get rich I'm coming to this place and build a nice residence here."

While most of the springs used commercially in the 1800s and early 1900s have since stopped flowing, several springs can still be found, especially along the banks of the river at Mineola. Isaac Van Bibber's house in Mineola has a continuous spring that flows year round through its original rock basement. It is believed many of the springs arose after the 1812 New Madrid Earthquake.

The Loutre Island area is commonly associated with the German-founded towns of Rhineland and Starkenburg, which has several historically significant Catholic churches and sites, including the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows, a church devoted to the Virgin Mary. These were originally German-language congregations, part of German settlement in the mid-19th century. The settlers came from Hermann, on the south side of the Missouri. They founded vineyards in this area as well.