Eureka Springs

History

Archaeological evidence indicates that Paleoindian peoples lived in the region thousands of years ago. During the Archaic and Woodland periods, inhabitants produced stone tools, including projectile points, from locally available chert. 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…

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 runs along a ridgecrest through the southern part of the city and leads east to Berryville and west to Rogers. Arkansas Highway 23 is Main Street through the center of Eureka Springs and leads north to the Missouri 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. 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.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,762
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  2,588
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,543
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,339
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,198
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  2,052
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,961
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  1,950

Largest nearby schools

• BERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
  High · BERRYVILLE · 545 students · 8.5:1 ratio
• BERRYVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · BERRYVILLE · 478 students · 14.9:1 ratio
• BERRYVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · BERRYVILLE · 428 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• BERRYVILLE INTERMEDIATE SCH
  Elementary · BERRYVILLE · 412 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• EUREKA SPRINGS ELEM. SCHOOL
  Elementary · EUREKA SPRINGS · 227 students · 13.4:1 ratio
• EUREKA SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
  High · EUREKA SPRINGS · 222 students · 11.1:1 ratio
• EUREKA SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · EUREKA SPRINGS · 212 students · 11.8:1 ratio