Discover the history of land survey July 2 at Nathan Boone Homestead

Discover the history of land surveying in Missouri during a special program Saturday, July 2 at Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site near Ash Grove. The event, titled "Chains and Needles: Surveying Early Missouri," will begin at 2 p.m. and will include a discussion of the work of Nathan Boone and other early surveyors in the state. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

Surveying in the 1800s was a difficult and challenging job. A good surveyor not only had to have an understanding of geometry, math and physics, but also had to be well versed in plants, minerals and astronomy. Surveyors had to be physically fit, and capable of surviving in the wilderness for long periods of time. Nathan Boone's natural talents, frontier experience and training from his father and brother eventually led him to be very much in demand as a surveyor in early Missouri. He not only laid out some of the first roadways and counties in the state, but was also tasked with large-scale surveys for William Clark's Indian Agency and later, the U.S. Army. "Chains and Needles" will discuss not only Boone's career in surveying, but the work of other surveyors in early Missouri.

Nathan Boone Homestead State Historic Site preserves the last home and grave of Missouri frontiersman Nathan Boone. The historic site is located 1.5 miles north of Ash Grove on State Highway V.

For more information about this event, contact the historic site at (417) 751-3266. For additional information about state parks and historic sites, contact the Department of Natural Resources toll free at (800) 334-6946 (voice) or (800) 379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf), or visit mostateparks.com.