Eureka!

Mon. was a driving day, across the width of Oklahoma and just into Arkansas.  We took the scenic route, taking us through the Ouachita (pronounced “Wash-i-tuh”) Mountains and into the Ouachita National Forest in eastern OK.  We could see for miles and miles as we crossed the ridges of those small-ish mountains.  The scenery on that drive was like the Smoky Mountains, but that may have been because the day, in general, was overcast and hazy.  We spent Mon.  night in Ft. Smith, AR, just barely across the Arkansas line.  On Tuesday, our destination was Eureka Springs, in the far NW corner of Arkansas.  For hundreds of years, the spring in the town was considered to have healing powers.  In about 1880, 10,000 people lived in Eureka Springs, and it was a very popular resort town.  Between 1882 and 1884, thousands of homes and businesses were built.  These structures still exist today--so rigorously preserved that the entire town of Eureka Springs is on the National Register of Historic Places.   I read this: The impossibility of presenting a striking and vivid picture of Eureka Springs has been fully realized by every person who has made the attempt, and the most powerful descriptive writer would rise from the task dissatisfied with the best efforts of his pen. To group and present a few of its most prominent features would utterly fail to do justice to a city without parallel--unique, phenomenal, picturesque and beautiful."  That was written in 1892, and it is still true today.  We drove all through this hilly town, with very narrow streets, and a vibrant shopping area, and ornate, small Victorian homes, and old hotels.  I would describe it as a cross between Mackinac Island and Nashville, Indiana.  We did not drink from the healing waters, though.  We visited another town today:  Branson, Missouri.  This was not even on our list for this road trip, but when we realized that Branson was just about an hour north of Eureka Springs, we decided to make the drive.  We stopped in a Bass Pro Shop, ate lunch at a cool fishing lodge-type restaurant, and found both the historic downtown and the strip of hotels and theaters.  It was pretty amazing, like Myrtle Beach or Gatlinburg.  We took some pictures, and headed back to Eureka Springs for the night.  As soon as we got to our motel, a strong storm arrived, with major rain and some hail and lightning and thunder.  We were happy to be finished with our driving. 

Pretty drive in the Ozark Mountains

Hilly drive in the Ouachita Mountains

These Oklahoma road signs amused me because the shape of the state looks like a pointing finger.  I was confused several times about which way we should turn.  : )

Branson, Missouri.  It's a wild place!

Eureka Springs has so many pretty buildings--homes and businesses.