Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is often said to be the little Switzerland of America because of its mountainous terrain and winding streets. It’s also been called “The Magic City” and “The Stairstep Town” because of its unique legends and design. There are no traffic lights, and no two streets intersect at the typical 90-degree angle. It’s considered a hidden gem tucked away in the Ozark Mountains. But beneath its charming façade, lies something altogether sinister.
EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
Early settlers of Eureka Springs, Arkansas were first drawn to the area by Native American legends of a hidden, healing spring. Indigenous people from the area had long visited the springs and considered it sacred. European settlers took note and believed the springs to be a source of healing, too.
Dr. Alvah Jackson claimed that the spring healed his eye ailment and established a hospital in a local cave during the Civil War. He later marketed the water as “Dr. Jackson’s Eye Water.”
In 1879, a friend of Jackson’s, Judge JB Saunders, claimed that he was cured of a crippling disease by the waters. He began spreading the news, telling friends and family about the miracles of the spring. Before long, the town had boomed into a large population and a tourist location.
In 1880, the area was incorporated. By 1889, it was the largest city in Arkansas, second to Little Rock. After the railroad was established there, tourism grew even more. Eureka Springs marketed itself as a vacation resort area.
HISTORY OF THE CRESCENT HOTEL
The Crescent Hotel is considered to be the crown of Eureka. Its Victorian architecture is stunning and reminiscent of the days of old. Built in 1886, the hotel was initially a resort for the wealthy. By the turn of the century, the hotel had fallen into disrepair. In 1908, it was reopened as the Crescent College and Conservatory for Young Women. It then became a junior college, and by 1934, it was opened as a summer hotel.
In 1937, the hotel was then purchased by Norman G. Baker, a radio personality. Norman fancied himself a doctor, even though he’d never received any medical training. He claimed to have found a cure for cancer. He’d been ran out of Iowa for practicing medicine without a license, so he moved his cancer patients to the Crescent Hotel. He advertised the place as a health resort. His primary way of “curing” patients was having them drink from the local healing spring. In 1940, Baker was brought up on federal charges for mail fraud and spent four years in prison.
The hotel was purchased again in 1946, was nearly burned to the ground in 1967, and was purchased again in 1997 for 1.3 million. The hotel then underwent a six-year renovation.
If you enjoy haunting stories, check out The Haunted Springer Opera House.
THE HAUNTED CRESCENT HOTEL
The Crescent Hotel is known to be one of the most haunted hotels in America. Many people have had sightings of ghosts. Here’s a list of its most infamous ghostly residents:
- Michael, an Irish stonemason who helped construct the hotel, allegedly fell to his death and haunts Room 218.
- Theodora, a cancer patient from the hotel’s Norman Baker days, is often seen fumbling for her keys outside Room 419 and even tidies up after guests leave.
- Breckie, a 4-year old boy who died in the hotel after complications of appendicitis, has been seen throughout the hotel bouncing a ball.
- Dr. John Freemont Ellis, an in-house doctor from the late nineteenth century, is often sighted near his once office, Room 212. His cheery pipe tobacco is often smelled there too.
- Morris, the hotel’s cat and famed general manager of 21 years, is buried on the property and is regularly seen and heard by guests.
- And perhaps most intriguing are the sightings of the Girl in the Mist, usually spotted around 10:30 in the evening, who can be seen flinging herself from one of the balconies into the garden below.
The hotel rests upon limestone, which many paranormal investigators believe conducts psychic and electromagnetic energies.
Some claim that there’s a certain feeling in the air at the hotel—like it’s heavy with something ominous. Some feel a sudden sadness or a sense of dread. Hallways feel as if they’re crowded, even when you’re the only one walking through. Eyes are on you, everywhere you turn. History and spooks wait in the shadows.
THE CRESCENT HOTEL TODAY
Today, there’s a museum of the hotel’s history on the fourth floor. With display cases and exhibits, the hotel’s historians and storytellers keep the memory of the building’s past alive. Ghost tours are available.
The morgue from its hospital days is still there. With every step, the air grows cooler, and the light gives way to dark. The refrigerator where they kept the bodies is the last stop on the ghost tour.
The hotel is one of the most visited hotels in the South. If you’re feeling brave, you can book a room and experience it first-hand. After looking into its history, it’s definitely a place I’d like to visit in the future.
Tales like these are reminders that every place has a story, a history that stretches beyond the lovely architecture and antique furnishings. Next time you’re in an old place, think on its soul… and those of the ones who have walked the halls, touched the railing, and slept in the rooms before. Their forgotten stories will bring the experience to life.
Many thanks to my friend, Kami, for suggesting this topic. If you’d like to get a semi-monthly email about all the happenings at Fabled Collective, sign up for the newsletter in the show notes.
Until next time… thank you for listening.
Music:
- Relaxing Piano Music by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4273-relaxing-piano-music
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
- Spring Thaw by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4409-spring-thaw
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
- Ghostpocalypse – 6 Crossing the Threshold by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
