The Sentinel=Record Archive

Hot Springs, in Garland County, Arkansas, is located on the Ouachita River in the Ouachita Mountains. Known for its thermal springs, the city started as a resort center that took advantage of the reputed health benefits of the springs in the early nineteenth century. Incorporated in 1851, the town continued to grow and is now the largest city in the Ouachita Mountains. In the early 20th century, Hot Springs was notorious for government corruption and illegal activities.

The Sentinel=Record (1900-current) developed from the Hot Springs Daily Sentinel (1877-82), and is the final title in a long line of fleeting newspapers and mergers. The Hot Springs Daily Sentinel was started by Kit Ousley and John L. Bowers. In 1899, John G. Higgins started a newspaper called the Hot Springs Record (non-extant). Shortly after, he purchased The Morning Sentinel (189?-1900) and merged the two newspapers into the Sentinel=Record. John G. Higgins turned the newspaper into a financial success, an accomplishment in a city known for short-lived newspapers. The paper managed to recover from two fires, one on March 4, 1878 and one on May 10, 1922.

The Sentinel=Record averaged eight-page issues, with occasional second editions, that covered local, national, and international news. The "Society" and "Personals" sections kept track of visitors to the health spas and to the Arlington and Eastman hotels. Articles highlighting the draws of the city--like the article on February 5, 1918, "Pleasure and Health the Keynote: Hot Springs Invites Pleasure Seekers to Join with Those Seeking Health"--were published to attract tourists. In the early twentieth century, Hot Springs grew rapidly, and construction was constant. Grand openings were a common subject of advertisements, especially those for theaters and other entertainment places. During that same period, the city suffered from several fires, and fire prevention and inspections were a major concern. Updates on the First World War were given, and on August 16, 1914, the paper argued for the United States to stay neutral during the war.