Eureka Springs, Arkansas

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View of Eureka Springs from atop Magnetic Mountain; the Crescent Hotel is visible on the horizon.

Eureka Springs is a town located in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas, USA. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 2,350.^[1] It is one of the two county seats of Carroll County, Arkansas. The entire town of Eureka Springs is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Arkansas.

1 Description
2 History
3 Lifestyle and people
4 Events
5 Geography
6 Demographics
7 Points of interest
8 References
9 External links

[edit] Description

Thorncrown Chapel is a modern landmark in Eureka Springs

Eureka Springs is a unique Victorian village in Carroll County, Arkansas which has its own curious culture and lifestyle. The city has a distinct European flavor with steep winding streets filled with Victorian-style cottages and manors. It is the only city in North America where none of the streets meet at right angles. It is also home to one of few outdoor staircases not attatched to a street that is considered a street by the United States Postal Service.

The old commercial section of the city has an alpine character. The buildings are primarily constructed of local stone and lie along 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. The local Catholic Church boasts a street level entrance in its bell tower.

Most of the stores and shops in the commercial district are locally owned and managed. They consist primarily of boutique type specialty shops featuring local crafts, antiques, the works of local artists, and standard Ozark tourist fare. The downtown area also features various coffee shops and sidewalk cafes. The town has over 20 art galleries in the downtown area.

The city is dominated by a 7-story, 2 million pound, white concrete statue of Jesus known as the Christ of the Ozarks. The statue sits across the valley from the downtown area and is visible from most parts of the city.

The city boasts two beautiful lakes and two scenic rivers in the immediate area. The city also maintains a trolley service providing transportation around town for the thousands of tourists that arrive each year.

Eureka Springs has been selected as one of America's Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

[edit] History

The Eureka Springs area had a reputation as a tourist destination well before the first pioneers reached Arkansas. Several Native American legends tell of a Great Healing Spring in the Eureka Springs area.

This reputation continued as Europeans arrived on the scene and the waters of the springs gained a reputation of having magical powers. Within a short time Eureka Springs was transformed into a flourishing city, spa, and tourist destination.

Dr. Alvah Jackson first located the spring and claimed that the waters of Basin Spring had cured his eye ailments in 1856. Dr. Jackson established a hospital in a local cave during the American Civil War 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". The Ozarka Water Company was later formed in Eureka Springs.

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 one year the city had transformed itself from a rural spa village to a major city of 10,000 people.

On 14 February 1880 Eureka Springs was incorporated as a city. Thousands of visitors came to the springs based on Saunders promotion and covered the area with tents and shanties. Late in 1881 the town reached a population of 10,000. In 1881 Eureka Springs enjoyed the status of Arkansas's fourth largest city.

After his term as a reconstruction Governor, Powell Clayton moved to heavily unionist Eureka Springs and began promoting the city and its commercial interests. Clayton promoted the town as a retirement community for the wealthy and Eureka Springs soon became known for gracious living and a wealthy lifestyle.

In 1882 the Eureka Springs Improvement Company was formed to attract a railroad to the city. Eureka Springs soon established itself as one of the premier vacation resorts of the Victorian era. The town experienced a construction boom and thousands of homes and commercial enterprises were constructed in only two years. These Victorian buildings still exist and are responsible for the entire town of Eureka Springs being placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1886 the magnificent Crescent Hotel was constructed at the top of the mountain and attracted a wealthy clientele. The hotel is a member of the "Historic Hotels of America" organization. The Hotel has been restored and is one of Arkansas's premier luxury hotels.

At the turn of the 20th century the fortunes of Eureka Springs began to decline. The national focus on science and technology lessened the attractiveness of Eureka Springs and its "magical waters". The Great Depression hit the town hard with many buildings deteriorating or being torn down for materials.

As the century progressed the town gained popularity as a retreat for artists, writers, and intellectuals who were seeking a simple and less expensive nostalgic lifestyle. Eureka Springs maintains its reputation as a safe haven for artists and other creative people.

Christ of the Ozarks

In 1964 controversial Minister Gerald L. K. Smith began construction of a planned religious theme park at Eureka Springs. The park was never fully developed as originally planned.

In 1966 the centerpiece of Smith's plan, the Christ of the Ozarks Statue, was completed overlooking the town on Magnetic Mountain at an elevation of 1500 feet. The sculptor, Emmet Sullivan was one of the sculptors of Mount Rushmore.

Smith also planned for a life-size recreation of ancient Jerusalem in the hills near Eureka Springs and did create the east gate of the recreated city. The Elna M. Smith Foundation still resides on the site and maintains a Bible Museum and continues to slowly work on the Jerusalem recreation.

The Smith foundation also conducts the famous Great Passion Play each night during the summer months. Hundreds of actors portray the story of Christ's crucifixion in an outdoor amphitheater. The play is conducted on the side of a hill where an impressive permanent set has been constructed complete with Golgotha and magnificent recreations of Jerusalem's streets.

Since 1976 country music and entertainment theaters including Pine Mountain Jamboree and Ozark Mountain Hoe-Down have entertained tourists and locals alike.

In recent years the popularity of Branson, Missouri, has both increased the number of tourists arriving in Eureka Springs but has also impeded on the town's old world charm. The influx of guests has also led to increased commercial activity.

Several franchised hotels provide accommodations. The town also has a large number of Victorian homes converted to Bed and Breakfasts, providing more personalized service and local flavor. Additionally, the Little Portion Hermitage[1], a ministry of the Catholic-based Brothers & Sisters of Charity, provides contemplative as well as inexpensive lodging.

[edit] Lifestyle and people

Eureka Springs has a unique eclectic mix of people and lifestyles. The city is proud of its reputation as a safe haven for artists and intellectuals. It was home to WPA-era muralist Louis Freund (one of his murals may still be viewed at the Bank of Eureka Springs), jeweler Elsa Freund (named one of the foremost jewely designers of the 1950's), novelist Constance Wagner, painter Tommy Thomas, and many others. Later, culinary writer and children's book author Crescent Dragonwagon, dubbed by USA Today "the most interesting person in Eureka Springs", made her home there for 33 years. With her late husband Ned Shank, she co-founded both the first bed-and-breakfast inn in the town, Dairy Hollow House, and later the non-profit Writer's Colony at Dairy Hollow.

Yet the town has also remained a premier destination for religious tourists visiting various Christian-themed attractions, including the Little Portion Hermitage[2], founded by prominent Christian musician John Michael Talbot [3].

Visitors to Eureka Springs can expect to see hippies, artists, bikers, local residents, preachers, a highly visible gay and lesbian population and UFO enthusiasts all pursuing their divergent interests in the same place. They might well run into the town's former mayor, Richard Schoeninger, who caused a stir by posing nude in the Arkansas Times in 1984.

[edit] Events

Eureka Springs is the home to a large number of unique events. The town is a very popular destination for motorcyclists from around the world and plays host to annual motorcycle rallies and meets. Each year the town hosts several auto shows featuring different automobile styles.

The city also boasts an annual UFO conference and a twice yearly Diversity Weekend. Blues (with such names as Taj Mahal, Muddy Waters, the late Ray Charles and Keb' Mo' performing) , jazz, folk, and classical music are each celebrated with a weekend dedicated to the particular genre each year. A well-attended poetry festival is also held each year. There is a great deal of local theater as well, much of it held at the large stone auditorium, built in the city's downtown in 1929 and inaugurated with a concert by John Phillips Sousa. Later, a movie titled "...And Pass the Ammo", featuring Tim Curry and Bill Paxton, was filmed in the city, with the Auditorium featured in several scenes.

[edit] Geography

Eureka Springs is located at 36°24′11″N, 93°44′18″W (36.403068, -93.738450)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.9 km² (6.9 mi²). 17.6 km² (6.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (2.02%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,278 people, 1,119 households, and 569 families residing in the city. The population density was 129.7/km² (336.2/mi²). There were 1,301 housing units at an average density of 74.1/km² (192.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.94% White, 0.04% Black or African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 2.28% from other races, and 2.15% from two or more races. 3.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 1,119 households, of which 19.2% have 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% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. Of 1,119 households, 54 are unmarried partner households: 36 heterosexual, 10 same-sex male, and 8 same-sex female households. (Note: Stigmatization of homosexuality may prevent same-sex couples from reporting themselves as such on the US Census, especially in more conservative areas.) 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 for the city was $18,439. About 4.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.