Cora Pinkley Call was born near Eureka Springs in 1885. She was the youngest of 10 children. A debilitating childhood illness kept her out of school, but she used the free time to indulge her love of nature. As an adult, she began contributing articles on nature and gardening to national publications. She founded the Ozark Writers and Artists Guild of Eureka Springs, and was life president. She was co-founder of Ozark Gardens, a national publication devoted to gardening and birds. Her books include Pioneer Tales of Eureka Springs and Carroll County, From My Ozark Cupboard, and True Stories of Birds and Animals. Many of Call's works are archived at the University of Arkansas library. The following article was written by Clare Doss for this publication. More information about Clare appears on page 17.

Cora Pinkley Call was an amazing person! She is remembered for her great love of nature and books that she wrote and published. But, what most people do not realize, in my opinion, is what really caused her inspiration and curiosity of nature.

According to history, Cora's big interest was nature, but really the interest in nature was only a part of her story. When Cora Pinkley was a child her life was struck down by a rare but serious illness. There was no hope back then that she would survive. So, to prepare herself for her day of judgment in Heaven Cora spent endless hours reading her Bible. Soon, Cora's doctor was certain she would pull through although she would be weak for a long while. Cora became very spiritual both during her illness and her eventual recovery. In fact, it is said that she devoted almost 53 years of her grown up life teaching the Bible from a non-denominational point of view.

When she was strong enough, she was allowed out into the glorious sunshine which the doctor said was all she needed. During her daily outings Cora became very attached to the woods outside her house and the gorgeous simplicity it held. When Cora was strong again, she would spend full days writing and describing all that she saw. To me, Cora had a gift, a gift that not many people had then, or for that matter have now. Cora had the gift to see the world as a book, a book of nature as an extension of her spirituality. She understood that each leaf, tree ring, animal, and inch of ground was like a chapter of the big book. When she wrote she described her point of view of this big book of the world.

Cora Pinkley Call had a cabin especially for writing. That cabin now has been rebuilt next to the Eureka Springs Historical Museum.

After writing for a while, Cora, who was grown now, began to wonder whether other people were as interested in nature as she was. She decided to figure that out by seeing if she could get one of her short stories published in a magazine. She fixed the story up and sent it in. The magazine decided to try this new writer. It worked! Cora had succeeded! Soon, she began writing for many different newspapers and magazines. She even tried her hand at writing novels after a while. She wrote books like These Beloved Ozarks, Within My Ozark Valley, and Stair-Step Town. But, even nature and writing couldn't keep Cora away from romance.

On June 21, 1913, Cora Pinkley stated her vows to her soon to be husband, Miles O. Call. They were quite happy and soon had the company of five young children: Peggy Joyce, George Patrick, Paul, Phillip Dale, and Betty Jane. But, just like writing couldn't keep Cora from romance, romance and children couldn't keep Cora away from writing about nature and her love of religion. She taught her children the Christian ways and too quickly did they grow up and go off on their own. When the children were gone, the house seemed quiet and Miles was getting itchy feet. So, Miles went off and explored much of today's Newton, Madison, and Carroll counties. Of course, he asked Cora to come with him, but Cora chose to stay close to their house at Mill Hollow in the Winona Springs District and take care of her birds, write, and study. Finally, Miles came home and soon both were gone. Cora died in 1966, at the age of 74. She is buried at the cemetery in Eureka Springs.

In the end, I think that although Cora spent most of her life with nature and a typewriter, there was always that spark of inspiration behind her life's journey and her writings. She always remembered those many days of being ill and praying for eternal life and happiness and the days she spent out in the Ozark hills. She should be remembered for trying to understand God's creatures and His vast world. Someone once said of her, "When one lives close to nature, they also live close to God." Cora's life truly does embody this beautiful saying!

A picture from the Historical Museum shows Cora with her loom.