History of Eureka Springs

The rugged terrain of what would one day become Northwest Arkansas was once frequently traversed by members of the Creek, Choctaw, and Shawnee nations. Hearing of the magical, "healing waters" there, tribesmen from as far away as the buffalo plains began to forge across the mountainous territory to live and prosper in the tranquil surroundings of the uncharted land.

Discover the rich history of the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa.

One of the most unique events celebrating 100 years of the Basin Park Hotel was the Centennial Celebration held July 1, 2006.

Sacred Waters

Legends passed down through native generations tell the stories of the clear, cool springs emerging from wooded ridges, which were believed to possess healing powers and life-sustaining energies. It is said that these waters were believed sacred, and that all weapons were left behind upon entering the new land, in search of a more peaceful life. Arrowheads and stone axes are still found buried in the sloping hills and valleys of the Ozarks, where many of the first Americans drank and bathed from a smoothly carved stone basin that faithfully collected this liquid youth poured by the Great Spirit.

Dr. Alvah Jackson

That basin was reportedly described in 1847 by Osage chief White Hair, who told of the "Medicine Spring" flowing in the foothills between the White and Kings Rivers, and the smooth basin his people had carved into the stone so many years before. J.M. Richardson, to whom White Hair had spoken of the basin, visited the site in 1880 and found the spring exactly as White Hair had so vividly described.

It wasn't until the mid-1850s that white settlers learned of the spring's healing qualities. Dr. Alvah Jackson, a pioneer doctor, and John Gaskins, a hunter living on Leatherwood Creek, both depicted a carved stone basin a foot or more in diameter, and the cold stream water filling it from a deep underground source. Jackson was the first to record its healing properties, telling of how his son's "sore eyes" were healed after washing them in the basin's pure water.

Treating "sore eyes" at one
of the healing springs

Later, those same waters would be used to treat both Union and Confederate soldiers wounded in nearby battle. In April of 1879 Judge J. B. Saunders visited the spring at the urging of his friend and hunting companion, Dr. Jackson. Suffering from a chronic skin disease, the judge erected a temporary structure near the basin for shelter, and obediently began to use the spring waters daily. After a month's stay, the judge's condition was completely healed, and word of the miraculous recovery spread quickly throughout the region.

The Birth of a Town

Others soon began to arrive at the spring, living in tents and covered wagons and other assortments of home to hundreds of people seeking fellowship and healing. A grocery store was built near the Basin Spring, followed by a bath house, a boarding house, and, eventually, a road. Known today as Main Street, it was then called Mud Street due to its perpetually wet location. Innovative and steadfast, this gentle new community set about building the town that would become their home.

Looking down "Mud Street" which
is current day Main Street

It is known that meetings were held near the basin on a daily basis, where ideas and plans were discussed and decided. A time for relaxation and fun, festivities and celebrations also occurred here. It was during the Independence day celebration of 1879 that Eureka Springs was chosen as the town's name. Arkansas has not been the same since. A flurry of building continued throughout the year to accommodate the still-arriving health-seekers who came from miles around to live in Eureka Springs.

Growing to Become a Vacation Destination

By 1881, Eureka had become a popular vacation resort boasting a boardwalk and several streets lined with interesting buildings, including the Perry House, an elegant four-story hotel. The Eureka Springs Railroad began operations in 1883, delivering six full trainloads of visitors daily. A horse drawn trolley system was introduced in 1891 and electrified in 1899. The famous Crescent Hotel was constructed and opened for business in 1886. Built from hand-hewn native limestone, the Crescent is a major attraction to Eureka still today, and exemplifies the creative tenacity of its first settlers.

An early trolley comes down the mountain
from the 1886 Crescent Hotel

By the turn of the century, Eureka Springs had grown into a well-established resort community with beautifully constructed homes, shops, and restaurants. It remains today one of the most esthetic locations in the world with its elegant Victorian style and splendidly remarkable scenery. The magic waters that brought a village together more than a century ago still flow from the ravines of the wooded hillsides, and the spirit in which healing was made possible is still evident in the town and in those who embrace it today.