# The Crescent Hotel, 1886: Eureka Springs, AR



## trismegistus (Sep 14, 2020)

​I've been to a lot of places in the US, and Eureka Springs is up there with the most memorable city I've ever visited (_Savannah, GA is a close second_).  It is a sleepy town near the border of Missouri basically built right up alongside the Ozark Mountains.  The entire city more or less is listed on the National Historic Register, the town as a whole seems to exude a magical elegance that is tangible.  I fully believe that the existence of spring-fed caves and limestone has an effect on the body and mind, and this town is one of the best examples of this out there.


> Paleoindians lived in the Eureka Springs area thousands of years ago. During the Woodland and Archaic periods, residents of the area created projectile points (often described as “arrowheads”) from the chert cobbles they found in gravel bars. By the time of the Louisiana Purchase, the Osage tribe living in southern Missouri claimed all of northern Arkansas as its hunting ground. While Osage hunting parties undoubtedly drank from the springs, no evidence exists to suggest that the Osage or other tribes considered the water of any special medicinal value. Accounts of Indian leaders sharing the water with other tribes or with white settlers have been told to visitors since the end of the nineteenth century but have no historical foundation.
> 
> When the Osage ceded northern Arkansas to the United States government in 1825, the land was open to white settlers, but the Eureka Springs area remained sparsely populated until after the Civil War. Dr. Alvah Jackson is said to have found the springs (and their reputed healing powers) in 1856, but he reportedly shared the water only locally at first.


From what I understand of Native American's mastery of nature and their environment, I find it extremely hard to believe that they considered these springs "of no medicinal value", and that it took the "superior" intellect of the white American to recognize the healing powers of the springs.  But I digress, let's dig deeper into this "hotel".

From the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture:


> The Crescent Hotel was built in 1886 in Eureka Springs (Carroll County) by the Eureka Springs Investment Company, the president of which was former governor Powell Clayton. The organization purchased twenty-seven acres of wooded land for the site of the hotel and hired *Isaac S. Taylor from St. Louis, Missouri, as architect for the project*. The massive eighteen-inch-thick stones used for the body of the hotel were made of limestone, hand-carved from a quarry on the White River near Beaver (Carroll County) by a crew of Irish workers. These stones were hauled to the site of the hotel by trains and specially constructed wagons, and were placed in such a fashion that *no mortar was needed*.
> 
> The hotel boasted every modern convenience, from *electricity to elevators*, and was well known for its location near the springs that supposedly held healing waters. The cost for this hotel, declared America’s most opulent resort, was $294,000. The hotel opened its doors to the public on May 1, 1886, with an open house two weeks later. On May 20, a banquet was held for guest of honor James G. Blaine, the 1884 Republican presidential nominee. A gala ball was held for the 400 attendants, with Harry Barton’s orchestra entertaining, followed by a speech from Blaine.


So here we have a structure built with high technology of the time, not to mention that this was a mortar-less construction.  Quite impressive, if I do say so myself.  Does it not seem strange that this hotel already had electricity, considering that according to mainstream history the first power plants were built only _six years_ previous?  And these plants that were built were done in giant cities like NYC, Paris, Buffalo, etc.  How did sleepy little Eureka Springs get the infrastructure so quickly to support electricity?  I could possibly see it for low wattage equipment like lightbulbs, but _elevators_?  Ostensibly, the first electric elevator in "recorded" history was in 1880, as well.  Perhaps this elevator was powered by something else - - pneumatics/hydraulics or perhaps steam?  It is hard to say, as there is very little information about _how_ this technology made it into this building.

With that being said, there is an explanation that you won't find being discussed very much on these sites.  Over the last few years, there does seem to be some soft disclosure in the realm of ancient structures being able to focus or possibly generate electromagnetic energy through a combination of limestone, underground aquifers, and other factors.  I think it is distinctly possible that the limestone construction of this building was made to do just that - - generate electricity.  This could also explain the lack of mortar, as that would likely interfere with limestone's electric properties and the possibility that any heat generated from this process could erode the mortar quite quickly.  Also, note the "lightning rod" atop this building.  Consider also that this building is at the very highest point in the town, it towers over everything else in the area.  This would make it quite good for power distribution, if that is the case.  And of course, along with the healing nature of the springs, the water underneath the rocks in the untold amount of caves in the area would make it an even better candidate for naturally generated electricity.

Now, about this architect.

*Isaac S Taylor*

From findagrave.com:


> Architect. Born in Nashville, Tennessee to Isaac W. Taylor and Mary Stacker Taylor, his natural fondness for architectural drawing which he developed in early boyhood shaped the course of his life. After receiving a collegiate education at St. Louis University, Issac associated himself with architect George Barnett, one of the most noted architects in the West. He devoted six years to studying architecture under Mr. Barnett's instruction. At the end of that time he entered into a partnership with Mr. Barnett, resulting in the firm of Barnett & Taylor. In 1879 he severed his connection with Mr. Barnett and became one of the most accomplished and widely known architects in the United States.
> 
> *In September of 1901, he was appointed Chairman of the Commission of Architects for the Louisiana Exposition Company to oversee the design of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.*
> 
> Also in September of 1901 he was also appointed to the position of Director of Works. He served in this position until the close of the Fair.  He presided over the planning of all buildings and landscape works; was the organizer and director of all the professional and executive forces; was in charge of the Grounds and Buildings Committee, the letting and execution of contracts, light, power, water supplies, fire protection, sewers, intramural transportation and sanitary conditions.  He formed the following departments as part of the Division of Works:  Architectural, civil engineering, electrical and mechanical engineering, sculpture, landscape and mural decorating.   *He was known as "the man who built the fair."*


If I can make a meta observation here, it seems so strange that whenever I do research on these buildings or architects from this time period it inevitably leads back to an Expo of some sort.  It's like we are assembling a puzzle that fits piece by piece, but when you stand back to look at it, it is very difficult to see exactly what the image is.  This type of research is frustrating - - is this _really_ just a strange set of coincidences?  With no definitive solution to what all these connected dots mean, it can seem like it really might be.  Maybe it is like one giant game of six degrees of separation, in which research on this architecture will inevitably lead to a stolen history connection somewhere else just due to the smaller pool of architects back in the day.  Perhaps in a few years from now, when someone else finally finds some concrete evidence of these buildings being "found" and architects merely taking credit for building them when in fact they were built by a memory-holed civilization, I can be satisfied that this research was more than just reading into strange connections.

To keep this thread in order, I will hold off on expanding on exactly what he designed for the World's Fair, but his wiki should give you a good start.

*Oh Lord Jesus, its a fire!*​As if you thought you could get through one of these posts without mention of a town crippling fire, here in Eureka Springs we have several examples before 1900.  

From eurekaspringsfire.org:


> *--1883 *
> November 3    -A fire burned both sides of Mountain and Eureka Streets eventually spreading to over five acres and destroying seventy-five buildings.  The fire starting in the Cushingberry building during the early morning hours.
> 
> *--1888*
> ...


There is very sparse information on these blazes throughout the years, and admittedly the only reason I knew that they happened was because it was mentioned offhand on one of the historical plaques around the city.


*Conclusions*​There is something rather mystical about this area of the world.  It is kind of hard to explain if you've never been there, but perhaps those who have can relate to this.  Perhaps just being in the presence of architecture from a time when people actually gave a shit about aesthetics can create this effect, but I am inclined to believe there is quite a bit more going on here.

I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the strong presence of Freemasonry here.  There is a fountain on the main strip that was funded by the local Masonic lodge, and the main road that goes through the town is "adopted" by them as well.  If we follow the logic sometimes used on this site that Freemasons are those who claim the "free mason" left by a previous civilization then this area is a prime example of that.


*Bonus Mudflood building: Carrol County Courthouse
*









​


> Note: This OP was recovered from the Wayback Archive.





> Note: Archived Sh.org replies to this OP are included in this thread.


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## anotherlayer (Apr 26, 2021)

> Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.Username: anotherlayerDate: 2019-03-04 17:07:03Reaction Score: 2


Those stairs look exhausting. If I am not the first to make this comment, let me know but, the architect who designed this building was an idiot.


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## Archive (Apr 26, 2021)

> Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.Username: ScottFreemanDate: 2019-03-05 07:10:46Reaction Score: 0




trismegistus said:


> View attachment 18277
> View attachment 18275View attachment 18276View attachment 18278View attachment 18279View attachment 18280I've been to a lot of places in the US, and Eureka Springs is up there with the most memorable city I've ever visited (_Savannah, GA is a close second_).  It is a sleepy town near the border of Missouri basically built right up alongside the Ozark Mountains.  The entire city more or less is listed on the National Historic Register, the town as a whole seems to exude a magical elegance that is tangible.  I fully believe that the existence of spring-fed caves and limestone has an effect on the body and mind, and this town is one of the best examples of this out there.
> 
> From what I understand of Native American's mastery of nature and their environment, I find it extremely hard to believe that they considered these springs "of no medicinal value", and that it took the "superior" intellect of the white American to recognize the healing powers of the springs.  But I digress, let's dig deeper into this "hotel".
> ...


Those last photos look a little like my hometown.


And, nice work squeezing an Eddie Murphy quote in there


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## Archive (Apr 26, 2021)

> Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.Username: BrokenAgateDate: 2019-03-22 16:39:15Reaction Score: 3




anotherlayer said:


> Those stairs look exhausting. If I am not the first to make this comment, let me know but, the architect who designed this building was an idiot.


Stairs, stairs, and more stairs. Stairs going up, stairs going underground. Were architects too stupid to put the main entrance at ground level, where normal humans could reach it easily?? I guess they didn't have people in wheelchairs back then, or elderly or infirm people, who needed to gain access to these churches and offices.


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## Archive (Apr 26, 2021)

> Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.Username: ScottFreemanDate: 2019-03-22 16:42:36Reaction Score: 0




BrokenAgate said:


> Stairs, stairs, and more stairs. Stairs going up, stairs going underground. Were architects too stupid to put the main entrance at ground level, where normal humans could reach it easily?? I guess they didn't have people in wheelchairs back then, or elderly or infirm people, who needed to gain access to these churches and offices.


good point!


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## Archive (Apr 26, 2021)

> Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.Username: jd755Date: 2019-03-22 16:52:12Reaction Score: 1


Stairs on the courthouse are 'the just' going 'up' as into 'heaven' up from either side of the road level and those going down directly 'under the just' are the crims descending into hell to be 'judged by the just' who have just entered heaven to 'sit in judgement' on the 'lesser beings'.

Courts are religious buildings. Why do you think judges sit higher 'up' than anyone else and all manner of 'religious leaders' sit or stand above 'the unchosen ones' For religious symbolism to be effective it has to get its 'man' closer to 'heaven aka god' than every bugger else which tells anyone half awake 'heaven' isn't to be found 'above one's head' or in 'religious author ity'.


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## Archive (Apr 26, 2021)

> Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.Username: ElancanDate: 2019-03-22 20:54:23Reaction Score: 0




BrokenAgate said:


> Stairs, stairs, and more stairs. Stairs going up, stairs going underground. Were architects too stupid to put the main entrance at ground level, where normal humans could reach it easily?? I guess they didn't have people in wheelchairs back then, or elderly or infirm people, who needed to gain access to these churches and offices.


There was one long staircase going up, and another even longer going down. And one more going nowhere, just for show. Fiddler on the Roof


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## wizz33 (Apr 26, 2021)

> Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.Username: wizz33Date: 2019-03-23 01:28:09Reaction Score: 0




BrokenAgate said:


> Stairs, stairs, and more stairs. Stairs going up, stairs going underground. Were architects too stupid to put the main entrance at ground level, where normal humans could reach it easily?? I guess they didn't have people in wheelchairs back then, or elderly or infirm people, who needed to gain access to these churches and offices.


i think it was the entrance for the personal ani-gravity vehicles, skateboard, ect


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## Whitewave (Apr 26, 2021)

> Note: This post was recovered from the Sh.org archive.Username: whitewaveDate: 2019-03-25 16:09:44Reaction Score: 2


I'm wondering why they built churches with stairs at all since it's prohibited in Exodus 20:26: Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.


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## trismegistus (Apr 30, 2021)

Came across this photo posted by the hotels social media profile.






Hardly looks like the same structure. Barely looks like a brand new built structure.


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## luddite (May 2, 2021)

trismegistus said:


> Hardly looks like the same structure. Barely looks like a brand new built structure.



Looks dug out from the mud.

I love this town. It's on some solid lay lines also.


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## trismegistus (May 2, 2021)

Did some follow up today. Found some interesting stuff in the surrounding area, as well.

Seems I found the bit that was in the construction photo I posted above. It definitely looks much older than the rest of the building by a wide margin.


​
A nearby chapel:


​


trismegistus said:


> If I can make a meta observation here, it seems so strange that whenever I do research on these buildings or architects from this time period it inevitably leads back to an Expo of some sort. It's like we are assembling a puzzle that fits piece by piece, but when you stand back to look at it, it is very difficult to see exactly what the image is. This type of research is frustrating - - is this _really_ just a strange set of coincidences? With no definitive solution to what all these connected dots mean, it can seem like it really might be. Maybe it is like one giant game of six degrees of separation, in which research on this architecture will inevitably lead to a stolen history connection somewhere else just due to the smaller pool of architects back in the day. Perhaps in a few years from now, when someone else finally finds some concrete evidence of these buildings being "found" and architects merely taking credit for building them when in fact they were built by a memory-holed civilization, I can be satisfied that this research was more than just reading into strange connections.



What better example to bring this back around than this:




https://theoldhouselife.com/2019/11...circa-1899-in-eureka-springs-arkansas-749900/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Link
So here we have it. Another architect who happens to have designed structures at the St Louis world’s fair just happened to build a home several blocks away from the Crescent Hotel, another building so happened to have been designed by a St Louis Fair architect.

What do we make of this?


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## asatiger1966 (Jun 8, 2021)

luddite said:


> Looks dug out from the mud.
> 
> I love this town. It's on some solid lay lines also.



Where can I see a picture of the local Ley Lines.


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## myth (Jun 15, 2021)

thanks for sharing trismegistus.  I'll have to check out Eureka Springs next time I'm in the Ozarks. 

it's crazy how tall the lightning rod is in the one photo





While reviewing photos on wikipedia I saw one that was a view of the Crescent Hotel from *Magnetic Mountain*.  Also within a short distance is a *Magnetic Spring*.  It's all very interesting, especially with Mt. Ida ("quartz capital of the world") not too far away.


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## trismegistus (Jun 15, 2021)

myth said:


> thanks for sharing trismegistus.  I'll have to check out Eureka Springs next time I'm in the Ozarks.
> 
> it's crazy how tall the lightning rod is in the one photo
> 
> ...



You know what's on top of Magnetic Mountain, don't you?




_Christ of the Ozarks, site of The Great Passion Play_​Regarding magnetic spring, from Roadside America (with a grain of salt):



> any metal object placed in the spring supposedly became magnetized -- proof of the water's mysterious power.
> 
> Magnetic Spring was in such demand that in 1911 workmen were paid to dig 38 feet into the side of the mountain -- which is said to be the *center of a magnetic vortex* -- to open up a stronger stream of water.​


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## myth (Jun 15, 2021)

wow!  ain't that something.  I can't believe the whole town is on the National Register of Historic Places.


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## Kent_Woods (Jun 25, 2021)

Here's the Gematria of Issac Stacker Taylor.

If you know anything about Gematria, you probably know 201 is typically associated with the Jesuits, 322 is associated with the Skull and Bones and the German secret societies that they descend from. 66 is pretty obvious. I'd absolutely wager Mr. Isaac Taylor had some pretty "illustrious" connections.

My Fiance and I are going to Eureka on a road trip for our honeymoon so I'm looking forward to seeing the town and experiencing it's unnatural atmosphere.


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## trismegistus (Jun 25, 2021)

trismegistus said:


> Did some follow up today. Found some interesting stuff in the surrounding area, as well.
> 
> Seems I found the bit that was in the construction photo I posted above. It definitely looks much older than the rest of the building by a wide margin.
> 
> ...



Another follow up to this: 

Avarana is defined as:


> _Avarana_ is a Sanskrit term which translates as 'covering' or 'obstruction'. It is considered to be one of the three defects of the mind that hinder spiritual progression. Avarana is a veil of ignorance that dulls the mind and prevents us from seeing our true self or higher self. Without lifting the veil of Avarana, it is not possible to know Atman or Brahman.



For what purpose would they give this name to a building? 

Further reading on Avarana here.


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## luddite (Jul 2, 2021)

trismegistus said:


> For what purpose would they give this name to a building?


It seems like a very obscure name to give anything. Who even knew that word back then or even now? I think that there would be more to it.


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## Truth Lover (Jul 4, 2021)

The stair





anotherlayer said:


> Those stairs look exhausting. If I am not the first to make this comment, let me know but, the architect who designed this building was an idiot.



The ugly stairs seem to be a slightly diff. color, an add on.   After a mud flood event, windows can still be seen even though part of them are underground. Deeper mud floods May cover more than one story, for what we usually she in towns a 3/4 or 4/5 of one level cover up. 
With that much soil, a door would be very hard to open. So someone(s) would have to climb in at first. At some point steps to go up to the next higher level would be placed, in order to get in properly.


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## asatiger1966 (Aug 16, 2021)

trismegistus said:


> Did some follow up today. Found some interesting stuff in the surrounding area, as well.
> 
> Seems I found the bit that was in the construction photo I posted above. It definitely looks much older than the rest of the building by a wide margin.
> 
> ...



Great fireplace, just looks out of place burning wood?


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## trismegistus (Aug 16, 2021)

The hotel has some implications that could connect it to the other topic of research here on the forum - the history of humans traded for cannibalism

Human Specimens Buried at Crescent Hotel

So the "news" story is a kooky doctor discarded his medical waste in bottles and intentionally buried them out back of the hotel.  But the real story is much darker.

I will preface this by saying that I got this information from a secondhand source - I decided to play tourist and take the tram tour of the city.  On an aside if you do make your way up to this place I do recommend it if only for the lovely stroll through a freemasonic wonderland of "my dick is much bigger than yours" architecture.  The man hosting the tour was from a family who had been living in Eureka Springs practically from its inception, and was the chief of police in the town for many decades. 

Norman G. Baker - Wikipedia

Not only was this man a complete charlatan, swindling people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars - but his trade seemed to be the killing of cancer patients. 

The tour guide went into some general details about Norman and how much of the town hated him, but left it at that.  On a break I approached him and coyly asked him why he didn't bring up the body parts buried on the grounds of the hotel.  After a bit of reluctance and pulling me slightly away from the gathered crowd he told me that not only was he killing patients for their money - but that the buried body parts (they only really mention "jars of specimens" in the news - but there was far more there that wasn't disclosed) were buried _after_ he had been carted off to jail awaiting trial.

The implication he was making was that he was not working alone in this venture.  Consider the people who were occupying this city during those times (and even now, likely).  Consider what they _may_ have had predilections for if IHASFEMR is a pervasive lifestyle of the people of the times.  Consider what they stood to lose if anything outside of "doctor kills cancer patients for money" comes from discovering evidence for the trial against the man. 

I could tell this former chief of police really truly _hated_ this man and what he did to the community.  His hatred did not seem to be directed at a charlatan, but perhaps directed at a more general evil that rests beneath the town he oversaw for so long.  Of course, this is all my interpretation but I consider myself adept at reading non-verbal communication.

Edit: Bonus miscellaneous photos of the town from my last trip 


​


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## myth (Sep 28, 2021)

@trismegistus

Some recent discussions on Eureka Springs I came across. Thought I'd pass along.

*Innerverse Podcast S7 E39*
Michelle Gibson | Piercing the Veil of Illusion: Mudfloods and Secret Resets — INNERVERSE PODCAST

_@08:40 "There's a master crystal there -- Atlantean master crystal -- I can tell you exactly to how to get to the spot where you can feel it .... Do you know where the Passion Play is? You go down that road towards town ... past Magnetic Springs ... very special place.."_


*Question the Narrative | Wait… Can’t We Raise Cities Anymore??*

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToWftBJ0YK0_


_@12:20 mentions Eureka Springs (shows a screenshot of Underground Eureka Springs -- undergroundeureka.com/)_


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## trismegistus (Sep 28, 2021)

myth said:


> @trismegistus
> 
> Some recent discussions on Eureka Springs I came across. Thought I'd pass along.
> 
> ...



Glad to hear Michelle is on the hunt here.

Ive heard of this Atlantan crystal in the town before (perhaps in the archived replies) - but I’ve only ever found various questionable blog posts mentioning it. I haven’t actually made my way up to Magnetic springs but I will definitely make a point to stop by next time I am there. Though GPS coordinates would be nice, of course.

There is certainly much to be discovered with this tiny little town…


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## asatiger1966 (Dec 13, 2021)

Archive said:


> anotherlayer said:
> 
> 
> > Those stairs look exhausting. If I am not the first to make this comment, let me know but, the architect who designed this building was an idiot.
> ...



The stairs originally maybe had an alternate use, energy step transformer maybe? If the basement floor was ever repaired I wonder what was directly under the floor, iron rods, water running, mercury, quartz stones, mica?


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