On Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. several historic organizations and volunteers will help celebrate Marthasville by recognizing the arrival of Daniel Boone and Gottfried Duden in downtown Marthasville.

Residents of the Marthasville area are familiar with Boone’s role in their history, but may not be familiar with Duden, who urged German immigrants to settle in the Dutzow area 200 years ago.

Cathie Schoppenhorst, of the Boone-Duden and Warren County historical societies, said there will be a variety of demonstrations, kid’s activities, music and food items available during the event.

Locations include the City Park Pavilion, the Lichtenberg Park Gazebo, the Katy Depot, the Grabs House and store, and Preserve Marthasville, formerly known as the Driemeyer Building. The locations are within walking distance of each other.

Schoppenhorst said in 1798 Daniel Morgan Boone met with Spanish authorities to tell them that his father, Daniel Boone, may want to come to this area to settle.

“The Spanish authorities liked that idea,” said Schoppenhorst. “They wanted more Anglo-American settlers to come here. They felt that helped reinforce their authority here. They were fearing that France was going to take over. They wanted Boone to come here because they knew other people would come and they did.”

Daniel and Rebecca and many of their family members arrived in the Marthasville area in the fall of 1799. According to Schoppenhorst, Boone family members detail the arduous journey by pirogues (canoes) and overland. They initially settled in the Matson area until they obtained a land grant in the Marthasville area. Boone was buried on the Bryan Farm, which can be found on Boone Monument Road.

Over the next 20 years Schoppenhorst said people were still coming to the Marthasville area from Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia and other eastern states because Daniel Boone had led the way.

“That was the first wave,” she said. “It was a major wave of Anglo settlement in this area. And then in the 1820s Gottfried Duden came here and he initiated the German settlement.”

Duden traveled 10 weeks from Rotterdam to Baltimore, then another eight weeks to the Dutzow area. He lived near what is now Bethel Hills Community on Highway TT. He wrote several letters and reports of what he observed, including the flora and fauna and information about the settlers. They were compiled and published as “Report on a Journey to the Western States of North America.”

The event will open at 10 a.m. with a flag ceremony presented by area Scouts and the Daniel Boone Post 180 American Legion volunteers. Daniel and Rebecca Boone will be portrayed by Robert and Shirley Pecoraro at the City Park Pavilion beginning at approximately 10:30 a.m. They will have a conversation about what it was like to arrive in Missouri.

Dr. Walter Kamphoefner will speak on German immigration at 2:30 p.m. Arthur Mehrhoff will be available to speak about the German Heritage Corridor.

Dance Discovery, which highlights historic social dances, will perform at various times during the celebration. Also performing will be German Dancers, D’Froehliche Schuhplattler. Both groups will encourage audience participation.

Music will be performed at the Park Gazebo. Zithers, a common German instrument, will be demonstrated.

At noon, a memorial tree will be dedicated to Loretta Davis near the Gazebo. Davis spent a lifetime as a very active supporter of Marthasville, volunteering countless hours to improve the town she called home.

A blacksmith will demonstrate near the Katy Trailhead. Other volunteers will provide traditional craft presentations near or inside Preserve Marthasville, a wedding venue slated to open soon. War of 1812 reenactors will be on the grounds. The Grabs House and store will be open during the event.

St. Paul’s United Church of Christ will sell beef sandwiches and area Scouts will also offer a variety of food items. A dessert food truck, Dutchie Cakes Coffee, will be onsite. Schoppenhorst said there are numerous organizations and donors making the event possible. The Warren County Historical Society is key in providing needed funds. Several community members have also donated funds.

The event is sponsored by the Warren County Historical Society, the Marthasville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Rusche Park Board. Donors include the American Legion, St. Paul’s United Church Men’s Fellowship, the Four Rivers Genealogical Society and others. The Gasconade County Historical Society and Friends of Historic Augusta will participate.

Kathy Miller of Boone Country Connection has recently published articles on the history of the area at boonecountryconnection.com. The Boone-Duden Historical Society will meet in April, June, August and October. For more information visit boone-duden.com or email info@boone-duden.com. For more information about the event, email MarthasvilleHistory@yahoo.com.