Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow
The Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) opened in June, 2000, on the original site of the Dairy Hollow House Bed & Breakfast , started in 1979 by writers and innkeepers Crescent Dragonwagon and the late Ned Shank. The Washington Post described the Inn as "a kind of Algonquin Round Table of the Ozarks."
Ned Shank was a writer, visual artist, preservationist and visionary. Ned's spirit was instrumental in bringing together the founding board and launching the program. Co-founder Crescent Dragonwagon is the author of 40 published books, including cookbooks (Passionate Vegetarian and Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread, a Julia Child Award and James Beard Award nominee), children's books, and novels.
In 2005, the operation grew into the Communication Arts Institute, expanding investment in the world of words and creativity for writers, readers, schools, and organizations. A building donated by Martin & Elise Roenigk, adjacent to the Colony's main building, is currently being renovated in partnership with Traditional Home magazine through a grant from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. It will become the Institute's national headquarters.
