Joseph Huston of Virginia settled in the Arrow Rock area in 1819 and became one of the town commissioners. In November 1833, he purchased Block 17 in Arrow Rock, and the following spring began building a Federal-style, two and a half story brick house that became known as the J. Huston Tavern, also called the old tavern or Arrow Rock Tavern. Log or frame additions probably sheltered travelers passing along the Missouri River and the Santa Fe Trail. By 1840, Huston added a brick section with a general store on the first floor and a ballroom or meeting room on the second floor. In 19th-century America, a tavern served not only as a drinking establishment but also as a hotel and restaurant, and accommodations here were probably modest; in early 1857, one traveler called it a miserable establishment called a hotel. Guests shared rooms, and when beds were full, a pallet on the floor or in the attic could be had for half price. In 1912, the National Old Trails Society furnished a museum room in the building to teach Missouri history to passersby. In September 1923, after encouragement from the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Missouri legislature bought the tavern for $5,000, making it the first building in Missouri set aside for historic preservation with public funds and the first acquisition of the fledgling Missouri State Park system. The D.A.R. supervised the restoration and served as permanent custodian of the property until 1985. Changes by many owners obscured some original details, and major restorations took place in 1926, 1934, 1955, and 1987. The tavern also houses the oldest continually operating restaurant west of the Mississippi.