Quigley’s Castle

Cat ladies have got nothing on Stone ladies.
The titular Mrs. Quigley was fascinated with stones all her life. And flora. And coral. And arrowheads. And butterflies. Mr. Quigley gamely went along with it. He didn’t quite share the same emotions his wife did. He was more a bottle man, himself. Man, what a couple meant for each other.
The culmination of Mrs. Quigley’s collections form the house we know as Quigley’s Castle, one of those landmarks that is so Eureka Springs that even if it wasn’t there somebody would have made it anyway. You wander through a little garden with stone artworks to the house itself, it’s exterior walls made of the stones. Even more fascinating are the huge walls detailing the interior — a dirt moat running floor-​to-​ceiling (two floors!) with vines that have grown since the 40s. You will not forget this.
Outside of some introductory words, you can explore the premises at your own pace. We were there about 30 minutes, and while that could be a bit brisk for some, an hour should satisfy everyone. If it doesn’t for you, you are likely Mrs. Quigley incarnate, and you may never leave again.
It’s quaint and modest but our family loved it. My kids are pebbleheads themselves so this was up their alley — they were practically drafting up blueprints. It takes a lot to lodge Graceland from the top spot of their Dream House list, but Quigley’s Castle may have done it.