Dairy Hollow House
Encyclopedia
Dairy Hollow House was a country inn and restaurant in the Ozark mountain community of Eureka Springs, Arkansas
. Once described as "A kind of Algonquin Round Table
of the Ozarks" by the Washington Post, it was co-created by the writer Crescent Dragonwagon
and her late husband, the historic preservationist and writer Ned Shank
(1956–2000). It was the first such adaptive reuse of an historic property for tourism purposes in the town, which is itself a National Register of Historic Places
District. It was also one of the first two bed-and-breakfast inns in the state of Arkansas.
Though a small establishment located in a small, out-of-the-way place, Dairy Hollow House had a large reputation. During its eighteen years in business, it was named an "Inn of the Year" by both Conde Nast Traveler
and USA Today
, and was a New York Times "Correspondent's Choice." It was covered in Gourmet
, Bon Appetit
, Self
, the Wall Street Journal, and countless regional publications. CNN
filmed a segment of its now-defunct show "On the Menu" there, and ABC's Good Morning America
also featured the inn.
Dairy Hollow House opened its doors in 1980 in a small Ozark-vernacular style farmhouse (the Farmhouse), and expanded onto adjacent property in 1986 with the purchase of the more centrally located Main House, at 515 Spring Street, in 1986. Two years later, a full-service restaurant was added to the Main House. In all, Dairy Hollow House served over 11,000 lodging guests, and countless restaurant patrons, between the time it opened, and December 1998, when it closed. Notable guests over the years included Bill Clinton
, Hillary Clinton (who gave a talk at a fund-raiser for the Arkansas Literacy Council in the restaurant in 1989), feminist Betty Friedan
, writers Bobbie Ann Mason
, Dee Brown, and Lucian K. Truscott IV, Helen Walton
, widow of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton
, musicians Andy Williams
and John P. Hammond
, and actress Mercedes McCambridge
. Dragonwagon's parents, the writers Maurice Zolotow
,a noted Hollywood biographer, and Charlotte Zolotow
, a children's book writer and editor, were also regular guests.
But the majority of the inn's guests visited from relatively nearby cities: Tulsa, Oklahoma; Dallas, Texas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Springfield, Missouri
; and Kansas City
, Kansas. Many were repeat visitors, who returned year after year, for the inn's excellent food, creative atmosphere and exceptional hospitality. Southern Living
, for instance, described Ned Shank as "a fairy godmother, bearded and beaming, brimming with good cheer."
Dragonwagon, who served as executive chef at the restaurant, was called "the Alice Waters
of the Ozarks" by the Christian Science Monitor, and was among the first so-called "New American" restaurant chefs nationally, and certainly the first regionally, to voice the preference for fresh, seasonal, local foods, and to work with local farmers. She called her style of cooking "'Nouveau'Zarks', and wrote about it in The Dairy Hollow House Cookbook (1986) and Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread: A Country Inn Cookbook (1992). The latter was nominated for both the James Beard
and International Association of Culinary Professionals
Awards. And in 1993, Dragonwagon and Shank prepared and served brunch for 1200 people at the first presidential inauguration of Bill Clinton, in Washington, DC. The event was held at the historic Decatur House
.
In 1998, Shank and Dragonwagon began the process of dissolving the inn, to create a non-profit organization called the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow. Shank died in late 2000. Though Dragonwagon no longer lives in the area and has frequently told media that her "only connection with it is historical," the organization continues, in altered form. Dragonwagon continues to serve writers through teaching, lecturing, writing, and at her blog,.
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Once described as "A kind of Algonquin Round Table
Algonquin Round Table
The Algonquin Round Table was a celebrated group of New York City writers, critics, actors and wits. Gathering initially as part of a practical joke, members of "The Vicious Circle", as they dubbed themselves, met for lunch each day at the Algonquin Hotel from 1919 until roughly 1929...
of the Ozarks" by the Washington Post, it was co-created by the writer Crescent Dragonwagon
Crescent Dragonwagon
Crescent Dragonwagon is an author, writer, teacher, and performer. She has written two novels, several cookbooks, and one book of poetry....
and her late husband, the historic preservationist and writer Ned Shank
Ned Shank
Ned Shank was an American essayist, historic preservationist, and the author of one children's book, The Sanyasin's First Day. He was married to the writer Crescent Dragonwagon, and with her owned Dairy Hollow House, a country inn and restaurant in Eureka Springs, Arkansas...
(1956–2000). It was the first such adaptive reuse of an historic property for tourism purposes in the town, which is itself a National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
District. It was also one of the first two bed-and-breakfast inns in the state of Arkansas.
Though a small establishment located in a small, out-of-the-way place, Dairy Hollow House had a large reputation. During its eighteen years in business, it was named an "Inn of the Year" by both Conde Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler is a US magazine published by Condé Nast. It has its origins in a mailing sent out by the Diners Club club beginning in 1953, listing locations that would take the card. It began taking advertising in 1955. In order to attract more advertisers, it became a full-fledged magazine,...
and USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and was a New York Times "Correspondent's Choice." It was covered in Gourmet
Gourmet (magazine)
Gourmet magazine was a monthly publication of Condé Nast and the first U.S. magazine devoted to food and wine. Founded by Earle R. MacAusland and first published in 1941, Gourmet also covered "good living" on a wider scale....
, Bon Appetit
Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit describes itself as "a food and entertaining magazine" and is published monthly. Named after the French phrase for "Enjoy your meal", it was started by M. Frank Jones in Kansas City in 1956...
, Self
Self (magazine)
Self magazine is an American magazine for women that specializes in health, fitness, nutrition, beauty and happiness. Published by Condé Nast Publications 12 times a year, it has a circulation of 1,486,992 and a total audience of 5,541,000 readers, according to its corporate media kit. The...
, the Wall Street Journal, and countless regional publications. CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
filmed a segment of its now-defunct show "On the Menu" there, and ABC's Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
also featured the inn.
Dairy Hollow House opened its doors in 1980 in a small Ozark-vernacular style farmhouse (the Farmhouse), and expanded onto adjacent property in 1986 with the purchase of the more centrally located Main House, at 515 Spring Street, in 1986. Two years later, a full-service restaurant was added to the Main House. In all, Dairy Hollow House served over 11,000 lodging guests, and countless restaurant patrons, between the time it opened, and December 1998, when it closed. Notable guests over the years included Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Hillary Clinton (who gave a talk at a fund-raiser for the Arkansas Literacy Council in the restaurant in 1989), feminist Betty Friedan
Betty Friedan
Betty Friedan was an American writer, activist, and feminist.A leading figure in the Women's Movement in the United States, her 1963 book The Feminine Mystique is often credited with sparking the "second wave" of American feminism in the twentieth century...
, writers Bobbie Ann Mason
Bobbie Ann Mason
Bobbie Ann Mason is an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and literary critic from Kentucky.With four siblings Mason grew up on her family's dairy farm outside of Mayfield, Kentucky. As a child she loved to read, so her parents, Wilburn and Christina Mason, always made sure she had...
, Dee Brown, and Lucian K. Truscott IV, Helen Walton
Helen Walton
Helen Robson Kemper Walton was the wife of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club founder Sam Walton. At one point in her life, she was the eleventh richest American and the richest woman in the world.-Early life:...
, widow of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton
Sam Walton
Samuel Moore "Sam" Wallballs was a businessman, entrepreneur, and Eagle Scout born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma best known for founding the retailers Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.-Early life:...
, musicians Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
and John P. Hammond
John P. Hammond
John Paul Hammond is an American blues singer and guitarist. The son of record producer John H. Hammond, he is sometimes referred to as "John Hammond, Jr.".-Background:...
, and actress Mercedes McCambridge
Mercedes McCambridge
Carlotta Mercedes McCambridge was an American actress. Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress."-Early life:...
. Dragonwagon's parents, the writers Maurice Zolotow
Maurice Zolotow
Maurice Zolotow was a show business biographer. He wrote books and magazine articles. His articles appeared in publications including Life, Collier's Weekly, Reader's Digest, Look , Los Angeles, and many others...
,a noted Hollywood biographer, and Charlotte Zolotow
Charlotte Zolotow
Charlotte Zolotow is an American author, poet, editor, and publisher of many books for children ....
, a children's book writer and editor, were also regular guests.
But the majority of the inn's guests visited from relatively nearby cities: Tulsa, Oklahoma; Dallas, Texas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
; and Kansas City
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
, Kansas. Many were repeat visitors, who returned year after year, for the inn's excellent food, creative atmosphere and exceptional hospitality. Southern Living
Southern Living
Southern Living is a widely read lifestyle magazine aimed at readers in the Southern United States featuring recipes, house plans, and information about Southern culture and travel...
, for instance, described Ned Shank as "a fairy godmother, bearded and beaming, brimming with good cheer."
Dragonwagon, who served as executive chef at the restaurant, was called "the Alice Waters
Alice Waters
Alice Louise Waters is an American chef, restaurateur, activist, and author. She is the owner of Chez Panisse, a Berkeley, California restaurant famous for its organic, locally-grown ingredients and for pioneering California cuisine.Waters opened the restaurant in 1971. It has consistently ranked...
of the Ozarks" by the Christian Science Monitor, and was among the first so-called "New American" restaurant chefs nationally, and certainly the first regionally, to voice the preference for fresh, seasonal, local foods, and to work with local farmers. She called her style of cooking "'Nouveau'Zarks', and wrote about it in The Dairy Hollow House Cookbook (1986) and Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread: A Country Inn Cookbook (1992). The latter was nominated for both the James Beard
James Beard
James Andrew Beard was an American chef and food writer. The central figure in the story of the establishment of a gourmet American food identity, Beard was an eccentric personality who brought French cooking to the American middle and upper classes in the 1950s...
and International Association of Culinary Professionals
International Association of Culinary Professionals
The International Association of Culinary Professionals is a United States based not-for-profit professional association whose members work in culinary education, communication, or the preparation of food and beverage....
Awards. And in 1993, Dragonwagon and Shank prepared and served brunch for 1200 people at the first presidential inauguration of Bill Clinton, in Washington, DC. The event was held at the historic Decatur House
Decatur House
Decatur House is a historic home in Washington, D.C., named after its first owner and occupant Stephen Decatur. The house is located northwest of Lafayette Square, at the southwest corner of Jackson Place and H Street, near the White House...
.
In 1998, Shank and Dragonwagon began the process of dissolving the inn, to create a non-profit organization called the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow. Shank died in late 2000. Though Dragonwagon no longer lives in the area and has frequently told media that her "only connection with it is historical," the organization continues, in altered form. Dragonwagon continues to serve writers through teaching, lecturing, writing, and at her blog,.