Saturday, September 18, 2010

Did you know America's first Medieval Castle was built in the Ozarks?


Found deep in the Ozark Mountains in northwestern Arkansas it is one of the country's newest and probably most unique tourist attractions. The Ozark Medieval Fortress is the first full-scale castle being built on American soil. An army of craftsmen is using authentic tools and techniques from the Middle Ages to build a towering stone fortress that will not be completed until 2030.



Teams of architects, craftsmen and artisans started work in late 2009 on the 20-year project. It's all being done just the way it would have happened in Europe (except for a few nods to building codes and OSHA safety regulations). Workers are using locally quarried stones that are carved by hand, forged tools and old-fashioned manual labor. Carpenters, stonecutters, potters and others in period costumes toil each day at the project site, stopping only to answer questions from the visitors who began arriving after the project opened to the public in May 2010. The site includes a wooden castle reproduction to help tourists and schoolchildren visualize the finished product: a fortress with six-foot-thick stone walls, a drawbridge and towers reaching 24 feet above the inner courtyard.

The project is the work of a French couple, Michel Guyot and Noemi Brunet. Guyot has restored one castle in France and is already 10 years into a 20-year construction project similar to the Ozarks fortress. A local couple originally from France heard about Guyot's project and convinced him to duplicate the undertaking near their hometown in the Ozarks. 
Taken from Ozark Medieval Website

The Ozark Medieval Fortress is less than an hour from glitzy Branson, Missouri, approximately 2 hours from Eureka Springs, or the quieter Harrison, Arkansas.   Learn more at http://www.ozarkmedievalfortress.com/en-us/

Article taken from http://www.where2nowmag.com/

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Make a brilliant get away to Eureka Springs!

Eureka showing off her Fall colors!

Enjoy nature's spectacle right on our own screened in back porch.  Fall is peak season for more than just foliage!  Take advantage of the local wines harvested, enjoy our historic town we offer vibrant arts and exciting events.  Book now!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Did you Know?


Interesting facts about Eureka Springs:
  • Eureka Springs has earned the title of "one of the nation's most walkable cities" because of its pedestrian-friendly layout and inviting sidewalks with plenty to see and do along the way. 
  • The town's name comes from the Greek word "Eureka," meaning "I found it," and referring to the area's many naturally healing and soothing springs.
  • Eureka Springs is the nation's only city to have its entire downtown area named to the National Register of Historic places.
  • During the Civil War, Dr. Jackson's Cave Hospital was run to help the wounded soldiers; after the war, Dr. Jackson continued in the health business with his famous "Dr. Jackson's Eye Water."