Ellis paints glories of Eureka's past and present

Ellis, author of nearly 20 books of regional history ranging from Lighthouses and Islands, his history of the Mississippi Sound, to his jazz history Spirit of John Handy, has taken an offbeat and intriguing approach to his subject matter.

In this novel mixture of travelogue and fictional narrative, Ellis recounts a visit to the city by two sisters who, encountering the dashing and hospitable young Sidney Bosarge ("He was tall, with premature graying hair and ... a dark Van Dyke mustache and beard"), are given a whirlwind tour of the area during their week-long holiday here.

Ellis combines historical black-and-white photography with contemporary color photographs of his own to show the scope of Eureka's glories then and now.

In 1903, Madeline Bridges wrote: "Eureka Springs is so deliciously irregular. Its odd little passages and winding roads, its crooked streets, its steep ascents, or descents -- tempt you on and on -- many times a strenuous climb -- but, Oh! The glorious views from the heights will repay you!"

In his narrative, Ellis has recast portions of A Story of the Ozarks, Nellie A. Mills' account of the region (and indicates those sections in italics in his text.)

We tend to forget that Eureka Springs at one time was in many ways a much more vibrant -- and larger -- city than it now is. (In 1900 the population peaked at 18,848; now it's closer to 2,350.)

Ellis' imaginary visitors see many of these forgotten or now obscure sites, for example the 3,500 seat auditorium which once existed in Harmon Park and the Southern Hotel, which stood above Basin Spring Park opposite the Basin Park Hotel, and which burned in 1933.

All in all, Ellis' new book provides the interested reader with one of those rare volumes, perfect in its own way, which will yield a vast horde of gold, in local history and photography, to those lucky enough to purchase a copy.

Ten percent of sales from the book will go to the Eureka Springs Historical Museum.

There will be a book signing for Romancing Eureka: We Found It! on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Al Hooks Gallery at 7 Center St., where Hooks will also debut recent paintings by Barbara Mailer, widow of the late Norman Mailer.

For details, call 253-0665.