I know that many of you have enjoyed shooting in the Smith Creek Nature Preserve and thought you might want to know this. Marty Roenigk, the man who was responsible for this tract being available as a nature preserve, was killed overnight in a car accident in Iowa. His wife, Elise, who one of the waterfalls is named after, was with him and is injured and is in the hospital. They also own the Crescent and Basin Park hotels in Eureka Springs, as well as other high-profile properties in the area - including the War Eagle Mill.
Marty called me many moons ago looking for just the "perfect" piece of property for he and Elise to build a cabin on. I told him about the Smith Creek property that was on the market - it had been platted out for small acreages that would have certainly spoiled the place. Marty bought it almost immediately, upgraded the little road going down into the property, had the wooden bridge built, and then promptly sold it to the Nature Conservancy for a fraction of what he had paid for it - Marty wanted to be able to protect this gem, but also wanted to make sure access would be provided for the public. He retained a small parcel inside the tract for that cabin of theirs, but he never got around to building it.
Marty was a great steward of the land and will be sorely missed. The next time you happen to visit Smith Creek, please remember him...
So sad! I met Elise about two years during a media event at the Crescent. I didn't get a chance to meet Marty as far as I can remember. We need more people like them! Most people with money don't invest their money in a "nature" project that will only benefit nature lovers. Arkansas has many great natural areas and thanks to the Roenigks, we have one more gem of a place on Smith Creek. Marty will be missed!
http://crescent-hotel.com/staff.htm
Posted by Larry Daniel on June 19, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Sad news. Hope to make it down to Smith Creek this year and will certainly remember him. Hoping his wife will recover.
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on June 19, 2009 at 3:04 PM
We appreciate you sharing this information with us Tim, sad as it may be. Though I didn't know them I do appreciate the generous gift they gave to outdoor and nature lovers. My thoughts & prayers will be with both of the families as they work through these difficult days.
Tim, thanks for letting us know of this tragic event. Smith Creek has become one of my favorite spots and I will remember Marty and Elise in my prayers. I never met them but what a gift they have given us.
I may never make it to this preserve, but I still feel it as a tragedy. It is good to hear of such good people who imagine the world beyond themselves. My condolances to Elise and all who knew him.
Yes, sad news indeed. When I got the call yesterday and heard, it hit me pretty hard. Marty and Elise were both great folks that I enjoyed working with on many occassions. They were very good to me and my family, and of course I was honored to be the caretaker of the Smith Creek property for them and the owner before them.
When Marty told me to take care of upgrading the road, gates, etc. he made it very clear that he intended to make access available to most everyone and that he would spare no expense to make it happen. He felt that it was a special place and shoud be shared by many folks. We had many long discussions about what group should get it to give the most benefit to the most people. It is indeed a special place and Marty and Elise were (are) special people. I am proud and honored to have been a part of it and to be able to call them friends.
Marty will be missed and Elise will be in our thoughts and prayers!
I think the renaming is a wonderful idea. Why does it always have to be the good ones that this sort of thing happens too? It doesn't really relate to this, but when I first read this news Paul Eells accident suddenly came to mind.
Posted by Glenn Carter on June 22, 2009 at 5:34 PM
Thanks for the info Tim. I was just down there last Saturday a week ago. I turned left onto an old road that comes into the creek further downstream and discovered a waterfall. Does that one have a name? I saw the story on the news but didn't know that he was the man that protected Smith Creek. I'll always admire and remember him when I go there.
Sounds like you followed the new "trail" that does indeed lead to the waterfall (or to the creek right next to the waterfall outlet stream) that is in my Arkansas Waterfalls guidebook - they opened up that old road trace this past spring - there will be a loop trail through the property soon, which is the same as the directions in the guidebook, just easier to follow now that they route has been cut out. That waterfall is named after Elsie (QuiVaLa Elise Falls, page 40).
Discussion
12 repliesMarty called me many moons ago looking for just the "perfect" piece of property for he and Elise to build a cabin on. I told him about the Smith Creek property that was on the market - it had been platted out for small acreages that would have certainly spoiled the place. Marty bought it almost immediately, upgraded the little road going down into the property, had the wooden bridge built, and then promptly sold it to the Nature Conservancy for a fraction of what he had paid for it - Marty wanted to be able to protect this gem, but also wanted to make sure access would be provided for the public. He retained a small parcel inside the tract for that cabin of theirs, but he never got around to building it.
Marty was a great steward of the land and will be sorely missed. The next time you happen to visit Smith Creek, please remember him...
News story now online about the accident
http://crescent-hotel.com/staff.htm
I visited Smith Creek for the first time a couple weeks ago and thought then how sad it would have been to have the area developed.
When Marty told me to take care of upgrading the road, gates, etc. he made it very clear that he intended to make access available to most everyone and that he would spare no expense to make it happen. He felt that it was a special place and shoud be shared by many folks. We had many long discussions about what group should get it to give the most benefit to the most people. It is indeed a special place and Marty and Elise were (are) special people. I am proud and honored to have been a part of it and to be able to call them friends.
Marty will be missed and Elise will be in our thoughts and prayers!
Glenn Wheeler
www.glennwheeler.com
Sounds like you followed the new "trail" that does indeed lead to the waterfall (or to the creek right next to the waterfall outlet stream) that is in my Arkansas Waterfalls guidebook - they opened up that old road trace this past spring - there will be a loop trail through the property soon, which is the same as the directions in the guidebook, just easier to follow now that they route has been cut out. That waterfall is named after Elsie (QuiVaLa Elise Falls, page 40).