Looking for information about the people and places of Eureka Springs?
Each city has its own story to tell and we are very proud of ours. When you learn about the city in which your ancestors lived, you take a big step towards understanding what their life was like and the people, places, and events that impacted them. We recommend starting your search by accessing our online archives below, as well as the many free online resources presented by our state and federal government agencies. The Eureka Springs Historical Museum also offers paid Research Services for those requiring additional assistance with historical, genealogical, and academic inquiries.
ESHM : Online Archives
Rights and Access
ESHM presents these materials for educational and research purposes pursuant to fair use under United States copyright law. You are responsible for determining whether your use of the items in these collections is legal. You will need written permission from the rights holders to copy, distribute, or otherwise use copyrighted materials except as allowed by fair use or other statutory exemptions. Some materials may be protected under international law. You may also need permission from holders of other rights, such as publicity and/or privacy rights.
1980 Historic Property Survey
On February 21, 1979, the Eureka Springs Preservation Society was awarded a grant to conduct a comprehensive survey of all the structures within the Eureka Springs Historic District. At that time there were over 1,000 buildings in the district within city limits with only 1,700 permanent residents, making Eureka Springs one of the largest historical districts per capita. By 1980, all structures within the city limits had been surveyed and photographed. These records were digitized from 2013 to 2023 by Eureka Springs Historical Museum staff and have been uploaded here for historical property research purposes.
Historic Cemetery Records
These historic cemetery records were transcribed from handwritten copies found in the Eureka Springs Historical Museum archives, plus data compiled by the Eureka Springs Cemetery Commission and Carroll County Historical Society. Currently, over 5,000 records are available for search by surname.
Local Obituary Records
These obituaries are useful for those conducting biographical and genealogical research. They were digitized from donated scrapbooks, personal memoirs, newspapers, and other paper documents found in the Eureka Springs Historical Museum archives. In some cases, the original source of the obituary was (unfortunately) not recorded. All files are available in PDF format.
Historic Newspapers
Eureka Springs experienced four major fires at the turn of the century which destroyed a large portion of our paper records. Thanks to a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council, we are now able to digitize the surviving historic newspapers from the Eureka Springs Historical Museum archives. All files are available in PDF format.
Phonebooks and Directories
Select a Year:
ESHM believes that the telephone and directories in this collection are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions and are free to use and reuse. All files are available in PDF format.
Eureka Springs Carnegie Public Library
Our public library opened in 1912 and is one of only two Carnegie buildings still serving as a public library in Arkansas. The Eureka Springs Carnegie Public Library has served as a crucial resource center of learning and community services since that time, and has recently launched an online archive featuring digitized records from their historic collections.
Other External Resources
Note: External links are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the Eureka Springs Historical Museum of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. ESHM bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
Museum Research Services
The Eureka Springs Historical Museum also has a large collection of archival documents and photos on the history of this wonderful “City of Distinction” and its residents. Our staff historians take great pride in helping you make amazing discoveries at very reasonable rates.
» Click here for our Research Request Form «
Completed forms may be emailed to info@eshmuseum.org, or mailed to the museum at: ESHM, 95 S. Main Street, Eureka Springs, AR 72632
Within three to four days of receiving your request, you will receive a reply confirming that we received your request. Our staff will contact you if more information is needed. Depending on the number of research requests our staff is processing at the moment, it may take one to three weeks after confirmation of your request before the results are delivered to you.
You may send a check for $15 for the first hour, or you can pay online here
Questions? Please call 479-253-9417
Copies and Research Fees:
- Research Request Fee: $15.00 per hour (min. 1 hour).
- 8 ½ x 11 Black & White Xerox copies are .50 each, plus postage.
- 8 ½ x 14 Black & White Xerox copies are $1.00 each, plus postage.
- In lieu of printed paper copies, scanned documents and images can be emailed for free.
USAGE AND REPRODUCTIONS:
Use of any media acquired from the Museum via research request in books, websites, broadcasts, publications, media productions, tours, applications, or exhibits requires an additional completed and approved Contract for Permission to Use or Publish Media. Please contact us for this additional form.
Eureka Springs Historical Museum
95 South Main St.
Eureka Springs, AR 72632
ph: 479-253-9417
The Eureka Springs Historical Museum is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Your donations are greatly appreciated. Please call for information about becoming a Member of the Museum.
Another great way to learn about our “City of Distinction” is to visit us in October for our Living History Tour, “Voices from Eureka's Silent City”.
