Eureka Springs is a city in Carroll County, Arkansas, United States, and one of two county seats 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.

In 1970, the entire city, as of its borders at that time, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Eureka Springs Historic District. Eureka Springs has been selected as one of America's Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Eureka Springs was originally called "The Magic City", "Little Switzerland of the Ozarks",

Although Osage hunting parties likely drank from the springs, there is no historical or archaeological evidence that the Osage or other Native American groups attributed specific medicinal properties to the water. Stories describing Indigenous leaders sharing the water with other tribes or with white settlers circulated among visitors beginning in the late nineteenth century but lack historical documentation.

The Osage ceded northern Arkansas to the United States government in 1825, after which the land was opened to white settlement. Despite this, the Eureka Springs area remained sparsely populated until after the Civil War. European American settlers also came to believe that the springs possessed healing qualities, often describing the water in mystical or medicinal terms. Dr. Alvah Jackson is credited with locating one of the major springs in 1856 and claimed that the water from Basin Spring cured his eye ailments. During the Civil War, Jackson operated a hospital in a local cave and used the spring water to treat patients. After the war, he marketed the water commercially as "Dr. Jackson's Eye Water". The script was later revised from its original form, which had included a monologue placing blame for Jesus's death on Jewish people. The production has been viewed by an estimated 7.7 million people, making it the largest-attended outdoor drama in the United States, according to the Institute of Outdoor Theatre of the University of East Carolina.

On July 22, 2015, a state law intended to invalidate local civil rights ordinances went into effect. Known as the Intrastate Commerce Improvement Act, the legislation was sponsored by state senator Bart Hester and prohibited municipalities from enacting civil rights protections beyond those provided under state law. In response, the mayor of Eureka Springs stated that the city was prepared to defend its ordinance in court, and local officials maintained that the ordinance remained in effect despite the state law.

Eureka Springs continues to attract a significant gay and lesbian population. The Metropolitan Community Church of the Living Springs conducts commitment ceremonies for same-sex couples. Municipal tourism materials promote the city as a place of tolerance and mutual respect. At the same time, organizations such as the American Family Association have protested the city's acceptance of LGBT residents and visitors.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Eureka Springs has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

The Advocate described Eureka Springs as "the gayest small town in America." Over 30% of Eureka Springs residents identify as LGBT.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Eureka Springs had a population of 2,166. The median age was 55.7 years. 11.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 32.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.6 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,153 households in Eureka Springs, of which 14.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 28.9% were married-couple households, 24.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 36.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 46.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

!scope="col"| Race

!scope="col"| Number

!scope="col"| Percentage

|-

!scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)

| 1,833

| 84.63%

|-

!scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)

| 10

| 0.46%

|-

!scope="row"| Native American

| 33

| 1.52%

|-

!scope="row"| Asian

| 24

| 1.11%

|-

!scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 140

| 6.46%

|-

!scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 126

| 5.82%

|}

2000 census

As of the census 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, 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 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. 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 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.

Arts and culture

Events

Halloween is one of the busiest holidays of the year in Eureka Springs. The weekend before Halloween, the city hosts the annual Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl, one of the largest zombie parades in the country. It's also the home of the Nightmare in the Ozarks Film Festival, which takes place in late October.

The May Festival of the Arts is an annual month-long celebration of the arts in Eureka Springs.

The Eureka Springs Food and Wine Festival is an annual fall event featuring food and wine.

The Eureka Gras Mardi Gras Extravaganza was introduced in 2006, and features a New Orleans-style Mardi Gras celebration, parades, and masquerade balls. King's Day, in January, begins the celebration, which ends on the day of Mardi Gras, in February or March.

There are four annual gay and lesbian events called "Diversity Weekends", and a week long PRIDE celebration in June. The city also holds an annual UFO conference and several auto shows.

Points of interest

thumb|[[Crescent Hotel (Eureka Springs, Arkansas)|Crescent Hotel, ]]

thumb|[[Thorncrown Chapel]]

  • Blue Spring Heritage Center
  • Christ of the Ozarks
  • Crescent Hotel
  • Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway
  • Lake Leatherwood Park
  • Thorncrown Chapel

Education

Public education

The community is supported by comprehensive public education from the Eureka Springs School District and its facilities:

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

Private education

Private school education is provided at:

  • Clear Spring School (PK–12)
  • The Academy of Excellence (PK–8)

Media

Radio and TV

For over-the-air television, Eureka Springs is served by the market based out of Springfield, Missouri. 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 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 Northwest Arkansas edition is the only daily newspaper distributed in the area.

Filming location

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'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.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Transit

While there is no fixed-route transit service in Eureka Springs, intercity bus service is provided by Jefferson Lines in nearby Berryville.

Roadways

  • 20px U.S. Route 62
  • 20px Arkansas Highway 23

Notable people

Arts and culture

  • Elsie Bates-Freund, 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 her life
  • Candace Camp, schoolteacher in Eureka Springs before becoming a romance novelist
  • Irene Castle, silent film actress and ballroom dancer; spent her last years in Eureka Springs
  • Frances Currey, folk art painter, spent her final years in a nursing home in Eureka Springs
  • Crescent Dragonwagon, co-founded the Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow; lived in Eureka Springs for a number of years
  • Glenn Gant, painter; resided much of his life in Eureka Springs
  • Emme Gerhard, photographer; lived in Eureka Springs for a time
  • Charles Christian Hammer classical guitarist; spent much of his life in Eureka Springs
  • Julius Hegyi served on the faculty of the Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony as conductor and violinist from 1951 to 1956
  • Ben Kynard, jazz saxophonist; born in Eureka Springs
  • Byrd Mock, writer and publisher; retired to Eureka Springs in 1956
  • Rachel Beasley Ray, poet and author; lived in Eureka Springs for much of her life
  • Ned Shank, co-founded the Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow, lived in Eureka Springs for a number of years
  • Marla Shelton, 1930s and 1940s film actress was born in Eureka Springs
  • Jonathan Stalling, poet, Chinese literature expert; was raised in Eureka Springs
  • Frank Stanford, poet, briefly lived in Eureka Springs

Business and politics

  • Norman G. Baker, 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
  • Claude A. Fuller, Arkansas and member of the United States House of Representatives, lived most of his life in, and was twice Mayor of, Eureka Springs
  • Lizzie Dorman Fyler, women's rights activist, founded the Arkansas Woman Suffrage Association in 1881 while living in Eureka Springs
  • Joseph Morrison Hill opened his first law practice in Eureka Springs and was later Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court

Military

  • Marcellus H. Chiles, United States Army Captain, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Eureka Springs

Education

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

Religion

  • William Evander Penn, Baptist minister, made his home in Eureka Springs in Penn Castle
  • Gerald L. K. Smith, clergyman and populist political organizer retired to Eureka Springs, where he commissioned the Christ of the Ozarks

Sports

  • Pat Burrell, Major League Baseball player, was born in Eureka Springs
  • The first episode of The Beverly Hillbillies includes the line "Jed, remember the time that your pa took us to Eureka Springs to see the movie picture?"
  • The 2018 documentary The Gospel of Eureka depicts the town and its unique culture, including the synergy of its religious and LGBTQ milieus.

References

  • Eureka Springs City Advertising & Promotion Commission
  • Greater Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce
  • Eureka Springs, The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture