Eureka Springs probably has more writers than any other town of its size in the nation. Since World War II an astonishing number of books have been authored by residents of the “Stair-Step-Town.” Some of these writers have been producing novels, short stories, feature articles and poetry for a quarter of a century; others have appeared only recently on the literary horizon.

Vance Randolph, Ozark folklorist, is the author of fifteen major books and hundreds of pamphlets and feature articles. His books on the Ozarks, as listed in “Who’s Who in America,” are “The Ozarks: An American Survival of Primitive Society” (1931); “Ozark Mountain Folks” (1932); “From an Ozark Holler” (1933); “Ozark Outdoors” (1934); “The Camp on Wildcat Creek” (1934); “The Camp-Meeting Murders” (with Nancy Clemons) (1936); “An Ozark Anthology” (1940); “Ozark Folksongs” in four volumes (1946-50); “Ozark Superstitions” (1947); “We Always Lie to Strangers” (1951); “Who Blowed Up the Churchhouse” (1952); “Down in the Holler: A Gallery of Ozark Folk Speech” (1935).

Glenn Ward Dresbach is recognized as one of America’s leading poets. He has produced a number of books and contributed to leading national magazines for a number of years. His latest book: “Collected Poems, 1912-1948,” was published in 1950. Beverley Githens (Mrs. Glenn Ward Dresbach) writes both poetry and prose. Her “No Splendor Perishes” won the Dierkes Poetry award in 1946.

Major Frank L. Beals is author of “The Ancient Name” (1937); “Look Away Dixieland,” a novel (1937); The American Adventure Series of books (1941-45); “Boswell in Chicago” (1946); The Famous Story Series (1946-50); “Backwoods Baron” (1951).

Marge Lyon has produced four books on Arkansas and the Ozarks. They are: “Take to the Hills” (1942); “And the Green Grass Grows All Round” (1943); “Fresh from the Hills” (1945); “Hurrah for Arkansas” (1947). Her “And So to Bedlam” (1944) is set in Chicago. Mrs. Lyon has a column entitled “Marge of Sunrise Mountain Farm” in the Sunday Chicago Tribune.

Everett and Olga Webber, a husband and wife writer-team, have authored two novels: “Rampart Street” (1948) and “Bound Girl” (1949). “Rampart Street” sold more than a million copies in all editions. The Webbers contribute short stories to a number of magazines, including the Saturday Evening Post. We expect a new book from them soon.

Frances Donovan, retired school teacher from Chicago, writes on sociological subjects. Her books are: “The Sales Lady” (1929); “The School Ma’am” (1938) and “The Woman Who Waits.” At the present time she is working on a sociological study of Eureka Springs.

Cora Pinkley Call is author of “Pioneer Tales of Eureka Springs” (1930); “Shifting Sands” (1943); “The Dream Garden” (1944); “From My Ozark Cupboard” (1950); “Eureka Springs: Stair-Step Town” (1952). Mrs. Call is president of the Ozark Artists and Writers Guild.

Constance Wagner is a short story writer and novelist. Her latest novel, “Sycamore,” came from the press in 1950. Dr. Bonnie Lela Crump writes feature stories and has published a number of booklets. Morris Hull specializes on confession and human interest stories and contributes to the leading magazines in this field. He is the author of the novel, “Cannery Annie,” published several years ago. Bill Dierkes of the Dierkes Press is author of three books of poetry: “Gold Nuggets,” (1928); “The Man from Vermont,” (1935); and “Emerge with the Swallow,” (1944).

I began writing about the Ozarks in 1925 and have written and published about one million words on the history and folklore of the region. My books, to date, are: “An Ozarker Looks at Life,” (1927); “Dream Dust,” (1924); “Roadside Chats,” (1939); and “Ozark Country” of the American Folkways Series (1941). Most of my writing has been for magazines and newspapers and for my own Ozarkian publications: “Ozark Life,” (1925-30), “Arcadian Magazine,” (1931-32), “Arcadian Life Magazine,” (1933-42), and “Rayburn’s Ozark Guide,” (1942 to the present time).

In addition to the authors who have produced books, there are a score or more of writers in Eureka Springs who write for magazines and newspapers. Some of them are professionals, others write for their own pleasure. If all the stories, articles and poems produced in this town were assembled into books and placed alongside the volumes already published, it would make a sizeable library. Not many communities can boast of such a literary output.

Eureka Springs has been a mecca for artists for many years. Several years ago, Louis and Elsie Freund bought Hatchet Hall, the old home of Carry A. Nation, and made it into an art center. For several years they conducted a summer art school. Other Eureka Springs artists, whose works I have observed are: William Farnum, Fred Swedlun, Glenn Swedlun, Lester M. Exley, W. F. Von Telligan, Mr. and Mrs. L. V. Orsinger, Verne Stanley, Virginia Tyler, Art Foster and Bonnie Lela Crump. I am sure there are others who deserve mention but I have not seen their work. Most of the above are professional artists who work with oils and water colors. Some do pen sketches. Thousands of paintings and drawings have been made of the scenery and quaintness of Eureka Springs during its seventy-five years of history. If all of these creative products could be placed on exhibition at one time it would make a row of pictures miles long.