Eureka springs gay friendly
Touted as the “Gay Capital of the Ozarks,” Eureka Springs is on Vacationer’s list of 22 Small LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. So, here’s what you need to know before you go!
When one thinks of Arkansas, one may think of the Ozark Mountains, southern food, and nature activities. The name Eureka Springs, located in Arkansas, evokes images of waterfalls and waterways.
But what you may not verb is this town, is also known for its Victorian architecture, and an array of activities from a big cat sanctuary to ghost tours. It is just as it sounds, really diverse. The City of Eureka Springs was founded in 1879 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places with National Significance.
Eureka Springs is also notable for being the first city in Arkansas to issue its first same-sex marriage license for Arkansas in 2014. It has been touted by other gay publications as one of the “best small gay cities”, “Gay Capital of the Ozarks”, and “the gayest miniature town in America”.
Where to Stay
This town is home to five historic hotels built before 1906. They
Here's how a tiny Ozarks Mountain resort became both a religious mecca and an LGBTQ vacation haven.
Conservative Christians and progressive LGBTQ folks: these are the two largest contingents of tourists who descend upon Eureka Springs, Arkansas, every weekend. They walk the same dizzyingly narrow and hilly streets and pop inside many of the same folk-art galleries and down-home cafes. They loosen among the gracious lobbies and leafy gardens of the alike historic spa hotels. And somehow these two disparate groups—who in much of the country often find themselves politically and culturally at odds—manage to coexist amicably. In this verdant mountain hamlet in northwest Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains, it’s been this way for more than 50 years.
This peculiar dynamic is a big part of what makes Eureka Springs such a special place to visit, and it directly inspired the critically acclaimed 2018 indie documentary, The Gospel of Eureka, a poignant and often very funny exploration of how the town’s dual personas intersect and overlap. The film provides a remarkable glimpse of the town’s current
LGBTQ+ residents find safe haven in Arkansas town steeped in history
A small town in Arkansas boasts a statue of Jesus, 7 stories tall, arms outstretched over a community dotted year-round with Pride flags.
Eureka Springs is a town that welcomes all, a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community. It has made history as one of the first towns in the South where gay couples have legally married.
One of those was Zeek Taylor and Dick Titus, who are widely considered the first male married couple in the South. The couple moved to Eureka Springs as adults for its small-town feel and arts.
"It is known as the town where misfits fit, which I like," Taylor said.
Revered by the Osage tribe for its healing waters, Eureka Springs was considered sacred long before finding its place in the Bible Belt. Today, a commission protects just about every building within city limits, many considered historical landmarks.
The urban area model is "Keep it the same," meaning they want to maintain its uniqueness despite having only 2,000 residents.
"I mean, it's a small town, s
Eureka Springs – Arkansas’s Gay Village
Eureka Springs is one of Arkansas’s magical cities that looks verb it has come straight out of a storybook. It’s veiled away in the Ozark Mountains, and while only a petite over 2,000 people live there, there are many, many more in Eureka Springs on any given day. It’s a colossal tourist destination, and for many reasons: the music shows, the antique stores, the Victorian architecture, and the gorgeous views. It’s called The Little Switzerland of America, and people love it—Especially LGBT people. The city is actually one of the biggest LGBT cities in Arkansas! The 2010 Census shows just how gay the city of Eureka Spring is: out of the 250 households made up of unmarried partners, 200 of them were same-sex couples!
Why Live in Eureka Springs?
If you’re talking to a gay or lesbian Realtor about making the move to Eureka Springs, you’re probably doing so because you’re interested in the tourism industry. That’s the main industry in the noun, and while not everyone works in tourism or retail, many do. Of course, the biggest reason many