History of Eureka Springs, Arkansas Restaurant - Mud Street Cafe

We are in what the locals call "Underground Eureka". Our building was built in 1888, and at that time we were street level. There is a spring that runs underneath us that in the late 1800's kept flooding the street, thus the name "Mud Street".

The street has since been built up, putting our level down a flight of stairs. We have wonderful old limestone walls, large wooden beams, and stained glass lighting.

The centerpiece of our dining room is a turn of the century oak bar with beveled mirrors. We have wonderful local art on our walls, oak tables and chairs, victorian carpet and a cozy sitting area with magazines and newspapers.

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Eureka, Greek for "I found it" and Springs, for the sixty three natural springs in the current city limits, is the perfect name for our small Ozark Mountain town.

Long thought to have healing properties, the springs were first discovered and utilized by the many Indian tribes living in the Ozarks area. Hernando DeSoto and his expedition are thought to have come to this area around 1541.

The first white settler to the area is thought to be Dr. Alvah Jackson who used the "healing waters" to cure his son's eye ailment in 1856. In 1879 J.B. Saunders, friend and hunting partner of Dr. Jackson was cured of a crippling disease after visiting Basin Spring.

The name Eureka Springs is attributed to Burton "Buck" Saunders, son of J.B. Saunders, after suggesting Eureka for "I found it" and Springs, for the healing springs in the area, literally meaning "I found springs", thu on July 4th, 1879 the town of Eureka Springs was born.

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