Eureka Springs is a city in Carroll County,

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

, United States, and one of two

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

s for the county. It is located in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas, near the border with Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 2,166. The entire city is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

as the

Eureka Springs Historic District The Eureka Springs Historic District is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. Its boundaries are those of the city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas at the time of its listing, specifically augmente ...

. Eureka Springs has been selected as one of ''America's Distinctive Destinations'' by the

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 ...

. Eureka Springs was originally called "The Magic City", "Little Switzerland of the Ozarks", and later the "Stairstep Town" because of its mountainous terrain and the winding, up-and-down paths of its streets and walkways. It is a tourist destination for its unique character as a Victorian resort, which first attracted visitors to use its then believed healing springs. The city has steep winding streets filled with Victorian-style cottages and manors. The historic commercial downtown of the city has an extensive streetscape of well-preserved Victorian buildings. The buildings are primarily constructed of local stone, built along limestone streets that curve around the hills, and rise and fall with the topography in a five-mile long loop. Some buildings have street-level entrances on more than one floor and other such oddities: the Basin Park Hotel has its front entrances on the floor below first, and a ground-level emergency exit in the back of the building on the fifth floor. The streets wind around the town, with few intersecting at right angles. There are no traffic lights.

History

19th century

Native American legends tell of a Great Healing Spring in the Eureka Springs area. People of various indigenous cultures long visited the springs for this sacred purpose. The hills and valleys of the area are ancestral lands of the historic

Osage Nation The Osage Nation ( ) ( Osage: 𐓁𐒻 𐓂𐒼𐒰𐓇𐒼𐒰͘ ('), "People of the Middle Waters") is a Midwestern Native American tribe of the Great Plains. The tribe developed in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys around 700 BC along ...

, and bands of

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...

and

Shawnee The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...

peoples also lived in the area before the federal government conducted

Indian removal Indian removal was the United States government policy of forced displacement of self-governing tribes of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi Riverspecifically, to a ...

further west. The European Americans also believed that the natural springs had healing powers. After European Americans arrived, they described the waters of the springs as having magical powers. Dr. Alvah Jackson was credited in American history with locating the major spring, and in 1856 claimed that the waters of Basin Spring had cured his eye ailments. Dr. Jackson established a hospital in a local cave during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

and used the waters from Basin Spring to treat his patients. After the war, Jackson marketed the spring waters as "Dr. Jackson's Eye Water". In 1879 Judge J.B. Saunders, a friend of Jackson, claimed that his crippling disease was cured by the spring waters. Saunders started promoting Eureka Springs to friends and family members across the state and created a boomtown. Within a period of little more than one year, the city expanded from a rural spa village to a major city. Within a short time in the late 19th century, Eureka Springs had become a flourishing city, spa and tourist destination. On February 14, 1880, Eureka Springs was incorporated as a city. Thousands of visitors came to the springs based on Saunders's promotion, and covered the area with tents and shanties. In 1881, Eureka Springs enjoyed the status of Arkansas's fourth-largest city, and by 1889 it had become the second largest city, behind

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

. Early

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...

residents were

freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), emancipation (granted freedom ...

who had moved to the city from farms where they were previously enslaved. Some visited for employment or for health benefits and stayed. During decades of segregation, Black-owned hotels were available for Black visitors, who were prohibited from whites-only lodging. A school and

African Methodist Episcopal The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexional polity. The African Methodist Episcopal ...

(AME) Pilgrim's Chapel were established in the 1890s by the Black community. Segregation increased in the area after the United States Supreme Court ruling in '' Plessy v. Ferguson'', allowing "separate but equal" facilities. African Americans were banned from all springs except Hardy Spring. After his term as a

Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology * Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *''Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...

-era governor of Arkansas, Republican Powell Clayton moved to the strongly Unionist Eureka Springs in 1872 and began promoting the city and its commercial interests. Clayton marketed the town as a retirement community for the wealthy. Eureka Springs soon became known for gracious living and a wealthy lifestyle. In 1882, the Eureka Improvement Company was formed to attract a railroad to the city. With the completion of the railroad, Eureka Springs became a more accessible destination and became known as a vacation resort. In two years, thousands of homes and commercial enterprises were constructed. The Crescent Hotel was built in 1886 and the Basin Park Hotel in 1905. In 1892, the New Orleans Hotel and Spa was built along Spring Street. In the 21st century, it operates as an all-suite hotel, furnished with Victorian furniture and art. These many Victorian buildings have been well preserved, forming a coherent streetscape that has been recognized for its quality. Some continue to be operated for their original purposes others have been adapted for other uses.

20th century

The Ozarka Water Company was formed in Eureka Springs in 1905. Carrie Nation moved there toward the end of her life, founding Hatchet Hall on Steele Street. The building was later operated as a museum, but is now closed. The only bank robbery to occur in Eureka Springs was on September 27, 1922, when five outlaws from

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

tried to rob the First National Bank. Three of the men were killed and the other two wounded. Today it is reenacted every year during the antique car parade which is NW Arkansas’ longest running car show and was started by Bobby Ball and Frank Green. In 2018 it celebrated its 48th year. Economic decline,

racial segregation Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into racial or other ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crime against humanity under the Statute of the Intern ...

and discrimination, Klan activities, and collapse of tourism during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

resulted in a slow decline of the African-American community through the 1920s and 1930s. The AME church disbanded in 1925. Mattie, Alice, and Richard Banks, descendants of the African-American Fancher family, which had long been associated with the city, continued to reside there until their deaths in 1966, 1969, and 1975, respectively.

Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point is an annual summer opera festival and opera training program in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Founded in 1950 by Henry Hobart and Gertrude Stockard, the festival serves as a training ground for young opera profe ...

was founded in 1950. The organization continues to present an annual summer opera festival in Eureka Springs. In 1964,

Gerald L.K. Smith Gerald Lyman Kenneth Smith (February 27, 1898 – April 15, 1976) was an American clergyman, politician and organizer known for his populist and far-right demagoguery. A leader of the populist Share Our Wealth movement during the Great Depr ...

began building a religious theme park named Sacred Projects that was proposed to include a life size recreation of

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. The project never fully developed but two of the components are major city-defining projects today—the seven-story

Christ of the Ozarks ''Christ of the Ozarks'' statue is a monumental sculpture of Jesus located near Eureka Springs, Arkansas, atop Magnetic Mountain. It was erected in 1966 as a "Sacred Project" by Gerald L. K. Smith. The statue stands high. Background During ...

statue designed by

Emmet Sullivan Emmet Sullivan, (May 27, 1887 – November 3, 1970) was an American sculptor. He was born in Powder River, Montana, and claimed to have worked on Mount Rushmore. He created the five dinosaurs in Dinosaur Park in Rapid City, South Dakota in ...

and the nearby ''The Great Passion Play'' performed during the summer. It is regularly performed from May through October by a cast of 170 actors and dozens of live animals."The Great Passion Play."
''www.greatpassionplay.com.'' Retrieved March 28, 2016. The script of ''The Great Passion Play'' has been altered from the original, which set Jesus's beating at Herod's court and included a monologue blaming his death on the Jews. It has been seen by an estimated 7.7 million people, which makes it the largest-attended outdoor drama in the United States, according to the Institute of Outdoor Theatre of the

University of East Carolina East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its or ...

at Greenville, North Carolina. Christian-themed attractions have been added in association with the drama production. These include a New Holy Land Tour, featuring a full-scale re-creation of the

Tabernacle According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle ( he, מִשְׁכַּן, mīškān, residence, dwelling place), also known as the Tent of the Congregation ( he, link=no, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ōhel mō‘ēḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), ...

in the Wilderness; a section of the

Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the gover ...

; and a Bible Museum featuring more than 6,000 Bibles. (Items include an original 1611 King James Bible, a leaf from a

Gutenberg Bible The Gutenberg Bible (also known as the 42-line Bible, the Mazarin Bible or the B42) was the earliest major book printed using mass-produced movable metal type in Europe. It marked the start of the " Gutenberg Revolution" and the age of printed ...

, and the only Bible signed by all of the original founders of the

Gideons Gideons International is an Evangelical Christian association for men founded in 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin. The Gideons' primary activity, along with their wives in the Auxiliary, is "encouraging each other to do the work of the Lord, focusin ...

.) Isolation and affordable property made Eureka Springs an attractive back-to-the-land destination for

hippies A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...

counterculture A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. H ...

radicals, and lesbian separatists in the late 1960s and 1970s. While first facing resistance from many locals, as businesses were established and increased tourism, so did mutual respect. The accepting environment fostered a network of gay and lesbian business owners, and the town became known as a resort town for LGBT tourism. During the AIDS crisis, community members formed the Ozark AIDS Resources and Service to distribute mutual aid and care. Eureka Springs suffered stronger impacts than other parts of the state, and the community lost many leaders and establishments. Architect

E. Fay Jones Euine Fay Jones (January 31, 1921 – August 30, 2004) was an American architect and designer. An apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright during his professional career, Jones is the only one of Wright's disciples to have received the AIA Gold Medal (19 ...

designed

Thorncrown Chapel Thorncrown Chapel is a chapel located in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, designed by E. Fay Jones, and constructed in 1980. The design recalls the Prairie School of architecture popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright, with whom Jones had apprenticed. The ch ...

in 1980, and it was selected for the "

Twenty-five Year Award The Twenty-five Year Award is an architecture prize awarded each year by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to "a building that has set a precedent for the last 25 to 35 years and continues to set standards of excellence for its architect ...

" by the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to s ...

in 2006. The award recognizes structures that have had significant influence on the profession. The chapel was listed on the

in 2000 because of the special nature and quality of its architecture.

21st century

On May 10, 2014, Eureka Springs became the first city in Arkansas to issue

marriage license A marriage license (or marriage licence in Commonwealth spelling) is a document issued, either by a religious organization or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between jurisdiction ...

s to same-sex couples. On May 12, 2015, Eureka Springs passed a Non-Discrimination Ordinance (Ord. 2223), with voters choosing 579 for to 261 against. It became the first city in Arkansas to have such a law to cover

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...

residents and tourists. But a state law intended to invalidate the anti-discrimination ordinance went into effect July 22, 2015. This

Intrastate Commerce Improvement Act The Intrastate Commerce Improvement Act is a 2015 Arkansas act that prohibits, with exception to employees of a local government, any county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state from adopting or enforcing an ordinance, resoluti ...

, sponsored by state senator

Bart Hester Bart Franklin Hester (born December 9, 1977) is an American politician serving as a member of the Arkansas Senate from the 1st district. Elected in November 2012, he assumed office on January 14, 2013. Early life and education A native of Conwa ...

, “prohibits cities from passing civil rights ordinances that extend protections beyond those already afforded by state law." In response, the town's mayor stated that they would be "prepared to defend their ordinance in court.”

Geography

Eureka Springs is located in western Carroll County. The center of the city is in a narrow valley at the headwaters of Leatherwood Creek, a north-flowing tributary of the White River. Houses and streets climb both sides of the valley to the surrounding ridgecrests.

U.S. Route 62 U.S. Route 62 or U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) runs from the Mexican border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York, near the Canadian border. It is the only east-west United States Numbered Highway that connects Mexico and Can ...

runs along a ridgecrest through the southern part of the city and leads east to Berryville and west to

Rogers Rogers may refer to: Places Canada *Rogers Pass (British Columbia) * Rogers Island (Nunavut) United States * Rogers, Arkansas, a city * Rogers, alternate name of Muroc, California, a former settlement * Rogers, Indiana, an unincorporated communit ...

. Arkansas Highway 23 is Main Street through the center of Eureka Springs and leads north to the

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

state line. The city was founded when the springs at this location were more evident. Over-extraction of water from the springs has greatly diminished their flow rates. All of the more than 140 springs in the town are cold-water springs.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Eureka Springs has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, there were 2,166 people, 970 households, and 501 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 2,278 people, 1,119 households, and 569 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,301 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.94%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.04%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.70% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.09%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.28% from other races, and 2.15% from two or more races. 3.99% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 1,119 households, of which 19.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.1% were classified as non-families by the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

. Of 1,119 households, 250 were unmarried partner households: 50 heterosexual, 110 same-sex male, and 90 same-sex female households. 41.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.64. In the city the population was spread out, with 17.2% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,547, and the median income for a family was $40,341. Males had a median income of $27,188 versus $17,161 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $18,439. About 4.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public education

The community is supported by comprehensive public education from the

Eureka Springs School District Eureka Springs School District is a public school district located in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, United States. Schools The Eureka Springs School District provides education programs at three educational facilities: * Eureka Springs High S ...

and its facilities: *

Eureka Springs High School Eureka Springs High School is a public secondary school for students in grades nine through twelve located in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, United States. It is one of three public high schools located in Carroll County and the sole high school admin ...

(9–12) * Eureka Springs Middle School (5–8) * Eureka Springs Elementary School (PK–4)

Private education

Private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

education is provided at: *

Clear Spring School Clear Spring School is an independent, co-educational school in Eureka Springs, United States. The school teaches approximately sixty students in prekindergarten through grade 12. History Clear Spring School was founded in 1974 by Will and Lau ...

(PK–12) * The Academy of Excellence (PK–8)

Events

Eureka Springs hosts a variety of events throughout the year. May Festival of the Arts is an annual month-long celebration of the arts in Eureka Springs. Events include the ArtRageous Parade, White Street Walk, Gallery Strolls, Taste of Art: A Visual Feast at local restaurants, Bank on Art at local banks, artist receptions, special events and exhibits, and much free music in Basin Park. 2013 marked the opening of the Eureka Springs Music Park: an interactive sound sculpture experience, in the North Main Park. The Eureka Springs Food & Wine Festival is an annual fall event featuring fine cuisine and international wines. The 2012 event was November 8 to 11. The Eureka Gras Mardi Gras Extravaganza was introduced in 2006 to kick off the Event Season with a New Orleans-style

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fa ...

celebration, complete with parades, floats, and

masquerade ball A masquerade ball (or ''bal masqué'') is an event in which many participants attend in costume wearing a mask. (Compare the word " masque"—a formal written and sung court pageant.) Less formal " costume parties" may be a descendant of this t ...

s. King's Day, in January, begins the celebration, which ends on the day of Mardi Gras, in February or March. Eureka Springs holds an annual

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observan ...

Festival. The town is already famous for its

haunted house A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the prope ...

s and public buildings, its ghost tours, a Halloween extravaganza in the cemetery, "Voices from the Past" (in which live actors portray the dead of Eureka), and for a variety of ghostly phenomena. There are four annual gay and lesbian events called "Diversity Weekends" which are held on the first weekend of April, August and November, along with a week long PRIDE celebration in June. The city also holds an annual

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are ide ...

conference and several

auto show An auto show, also known as a motor show or car show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is attended by automotive industry representatives, dealers, auto journalists a ...

s, including a

Ford Mustang The Ford Mustang is a series of American automobiles manufactured by Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its sixth generation, it is the fifth-best selli ...

show in April, a

Corvette A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the slo ...

show during the first weekend in October, and a

Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...

show held in August.

Media

Radio and TV

For over-the-air television, Eureka Springs is served by the market based out of

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an esti ...

. For cable, the Springfield affiliates can be received as well as a couple of stations in Fayetteville/ Fort Smith as well as all four

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

stations. The local radio station is KESA.

Newspaper

* ''Carroll County News'' is published twice weekly, along with regional visitors guides. * ''Lovely County Citizen'' is a tabloid that is distributed free. It publishes the Eureka Springs Visitors Guide. * ''ES Independent'' (established in July 2012) is published in tabloid print format and distributed free. * ''

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette The ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette'' is the newspaper of record in the U.S. state of Arkansas, printed in Little Rock with a northwest edition published in Lowell. It is distributed for sale in all 75 of Arkansas' counties. By virtue of one of ...

'' Northwest Arkansas edition is the only daily newspaper distributed in the area.

In the media

The film '' Pass the Ammo'' was filmed in the city, with the Auditorium featured in several scenes. There are burn marks still visible on the Auditorium from the film's special effects. The movie '' Chrystal'' was filmed in Eureka Springs. Parts of the movie '' Elizabethtown'' were filmed in Eureka Springs. The 1982 miniseries '' The Blue and the Gray'' was filmed around the area. The

SciFi Channel Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Lau ...

's reality series '' Ghost Hunters'' investigated the Crescent Hotel during episode 13 of the second season and found that the claims of ghosts in the hotel are true. The 2018 documentary ''

The Gospel of Eureka ''The Gospel of Eureka'' is a 2018 documentary directed by Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher about the lives of LGBT individuals and evangelical Christians in Eureka Springs, Arkansas Eureka Springs is a city in Carroll County, Arkansas, Unit ...

'' depicts the town and its unique culture, including the synergy of its religious and LGBTQ milieus. The town is mentioned in the 2021 TV mini-series '' Dopesick'', two lesbian characters in the series talk about wanting to move there.

Points of interest

Blue Spring Heritage Center Blue Spring Heritage Center (formerly known as Eureka Springs Gardens) is a privately owned tourist attraction in the Arkansas Heritage Trails System containing native plants and hardwood trees in a setting of woodlands, meadows, and hillsides ...

* Crescent Hotel * Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway *

Lake Leatherwood Park Lake Leatherwood Park is a municipal park on the north side of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The park covers , and its centerpiece is Lake Leatherwood, a body of water created by the Lake Leatherwood Dam, which impounds West Leatherwood Creek. The ...

Onyx Cave Onyx Cave may refer to several things in the United States: * Onyx Cave (Arizona), a National Natural Landmark *Onyx Cave (Arkansas), a small show cave *Great Onyx Cave Great Onyx Cave is a cave located in Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, ...

, northeast of town *

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) is a 459-acre (186 ha) wildlife refuge for Cruelty to animals, abused, abandoned, and neglected big cats. The Eureka Springs, Arkansas, refuge houses 100 or more animals. The sanctuary primarily focuses on ...

, south of town
Blue Moon Cave
south of town

Transportation

Arkansas Highway 23

Notable people

Arts and culture

Candace Camp Candace Pauline Hopcus née Camp (May 23, 1949 in Amarillo, Texas) is an American writer of romance novels. She has also published under the pen names Lisa Gregory, Sharon Stephens, Kristin James and under her maiden name Candace Camp. Biog ...

, schoolteacher in Eureka Springs before becoming a romance novelist *

Frances Currey Frances Currey (1925–2012; also known as Grandma Fran and Frances Currey Brown) was an American folk art painter. Early life and education Frances Currey was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1925. She was raised on a farm in Jennings County, ...

, folk art painter, spent her final years in a nursing home in Eureka Springs *

Elsie Bates-Freund Elsie Mari Bates Freund (1912–2001) was an American studio art jeweler, watercolorist, and textile artist. She and her husband, Louis Freund, established an art school in Eureka Springs in 1941. Elsie Bates was born on January 12, 1912, in Tane ...

, offered the Summer Art School of the Ozarks in Eureka Springs from 1940 to 1951, and lived in the city for part of the year for the rest of their lives *

Emme Gerhard Emme Gerhard (1872–1946) and Mayme Gerhard (1876–1955), the Gerhard Sisters, were among the first women photographers to establish a studio in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1903. At the time newspapers and magazines rarely hired women as staff photo ...

, photographer; lived in Eureka Springs for a time *

Charles Christian Hammer Charles Christian "Sir Charles" Hammer (17 May 1952 – 18 February 2004) was an American classical guitarist. Charles Christian Hammer was born in Chicago and grew up in Riverdale, Illinois.Irene Castle, silent film actress and ballroom dancer; spent her last years in Eureka Springs * Crescent Dragonwagon, co-founded the Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow; lived in Eureka Springs for a number of years *

Ben Kynard Ben Kynard (February 28, 1920 – July 5, 2012) was an American jazz saxophonist (alto and baritone). He was known through his collaboration with Lionel Hampton, as a composer and arranger. Early life Ben D. Kynard was born on February 28, 1920, ...

, Ajax saxophonist; was born in Eureka Springs *

Glenn Gant Glenn Gant (1911–1999) was a painter who was best known for his Regionalist and American Scene paintings. Gant was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1911. He began his art career at the Kansas City Art Institute in 1930, and he studied under fa ...

, painter; resided much of his life in Eureka Springs * Louis Freund, offered the Summer Art School of the Ozarks in Eureka Springs from 1940 to 1951; lived in Eureka Springs for many years * Albert Quigley, designed, built, and lived in

Quigley's Castle Quigley's Castle is a historic house museum and garden at 274 Quigley Castle Road, off Arkansas Highway 23 south of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and is one of the most unusual houses in northwestern Arkansas. The house was designed by Elise Quigley ...

, just south of Eureka Springs * Elise Quigley, designed, built and lived in

, just south of Eureka Springs *

Rachel Beasley Ray Rachel Beasley Ray (January 31, 1849 – June 27, 1915) was a poet and author using the name Mattie M'Intosh. Early life Rachel Beasley was born in Anderson County, Kentucky, on January 31, 1849. She is known to the literary world as "Mattie M' ...

, poet and author; lived in Eureka Springs for much of her life *

Ned Shank Ned Shank (February 19, 1956 – November 30, 2000) was an American essayist, historic preservationist, and the author of one children's book, ''The Sanyasin's First Day''. He was married to the writer Crescent Dragonwagon, and with her own ...

, co-founded the Writer's Colony at Dairy Hollow, lived in Eureka Springs for a number of years *

Marla Shelton Marla Shelton (October 12, 1912 – February 14, 2001) was an American actress. She appeared in the films '' The Phantom Rider'', ''Flying Hostess'', ''Under Cover of Night'', '' Dangerous Number'', ''When's Your Birthday?'', ''Personal Property' ...

, 1930s and 1940s film actress was born in Eureka Springs *

Jonathan Stalling Jonathan Stalling (; born June 24, 1975) is an American poet, scholar, editor, translator, professor, and inventor who works at the intersection of English and Chinese. He is the Harold J & Ruth Newman Chair for US-China Issues and co-director o ...

, poet, Chinese literature expert; was raised in Eureka Springs * Frank Stanford, poet, briefly lived in Eureka Springs

Business and politics

Norman G. Baker Norman G. Baker (November 27, 1882September 10, 1958) was an early American radio broadcaster, entrepreneur and inventor who secured fame as well as state and federal prison terms by promoting a supposed cure for cancer in the 1930s. He opera ...

, charlatan, ran a hospital that led to his conviction for mail fraud * Powell Clayton, former Governor Arkansas, U.S. Senator, and later Ambassador to Mexico, was a prominent citizen and businessman in the 1880s and 1890s"Crescent Cottage Inn"
*

Claude A. Fuller Claude Albert Fuller (January 20, 1876 – January 8, 1968) — was an American, a lawyer, farmer, member of Arkansas State House of Representatives from 1903–05, and of the U.S. House of Representatives for the 3rd District of Arkansas from ...

, Arkansas and member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, lived most of his life in, and was twice Mayor of, Eureka Springs *

Lizzie Dorman Fyler Eliza A. Dorman Fyler (March 11, 1850 – November 11, 1885) was an American political activist and suffragist who formed the first Arkansas Woman Suffrage Association in 1881. Although women were disallowed from becoming lawyers, Fourth Circuit ...

, women's rights activist, founded the Arkansas Woman Suffrage Association in 1881 while living in Eureka Springs * Katherine Green, became the first female Mayor of Eureka Springs in 1966

Military

Marcellus H. Chiles Captain Marcellus Holmes Chiles (February 5, 1895 – November 5, 1918) was a United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I, he suffered wounds that ultimately caused his death during those act ...

, United States Army Captain, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Eureka Springs

Education

Mary Carson Breckinridge Mary Carson Breckinridge (February 17, 1881 – May 16, 1965) was an American nurse midwife and the founder of the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), which provided comprehensive family medical care to the mountain people of rural Kentucky. FNS s ...

, Frontier Nursing Service founder, taught at Crescent College and Conservatory while living in Eureka Springs

Religion

William Evander Penn Major William Evander Penn (1832–1895) was a Texas Baptist evangelist and well known minister who preached widely in America and Europe. His visit of castles in Europe inspired him to build a castle of his own in 1888 where he and his wife Corr ...

, Baptist minister, made his home in Eureka Springs in Penn Castle *

Gerald L. K. Smith Gerald Lyman Kenneth Smith (February 27, 1898 – April 15, 1976) was an American clergyman, politician and organizer known for his populist and far-right demagoguery. A leader of the populist Share Our Wealth movement during the Great Depressi ...

, clergyman and populist political organizer retired to Eureka Springs, where he commissioned the

Sports

* Pat Burrell,

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

player, was born in Eureka Springs

Non-residents who died or were captured in Eureka Springs

* John Chisum, cattle baron, spent his last months in Eureka Springs *

Bill Doolin Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Pla ...

, Outlaw, member of the Wild Bunch gang; was captured in a Eureka Springs bathhouse in 1896 *

James William Trimble James William Trimble (February 3, 1894 – March 10, 1972) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas, having served from 1945 to 1967. He was the first Democrat in Arkansas since Reconstruction to los ...

, United States Representative; died in Eureka Springs in 1972 * Cadwallader C. Washburn, prominent businessman, soldier and politician; died in Eureka Springs in 1882

Gallery

File:Eureka Springs downtown.jpg, alt=Eureka Springs, Downtown Eureka Springs and the Flat Iron Building File:Eurekaandsuch 291.jpg, Spring Street (2008) File:Eurekaandsuch 221.jpg, Spring Street at night (2008) File:Eurekaandsuch 281f.jpg, St. James' Episcopal Church (2008) File:Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas - circa 1886.jpg, Crescent Hotel (1886)

References

External links

*
Eureka Springs City Advertising & Promotion Commission

Greater Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce

History and Photos of Eureka Springs

Eureka Springs Merchants

Eureka Springs
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture
Wind Chime Puts Arkansas Town in Guinness Records
from National Public Radio * {{authority control Cities in Arkansas 1880 establishments in Arkansas Cities in Carroll County, Arkansas County seats in Arkansas Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Arkansas Hot springs of Arkansas Populated places established in 1880 National Register of Historic Places in Carroll County, Arkansas