Yellow Springs, Historic village in Greene County, Ohio
Yellow Springs is a village in Greene County, Ohio, that stretches along the Little Miami River. Old brick buildings line the short main street, while walking trails lead through wooded ravines to small waterfalls and shallow pools fed by iron-rich water.
William Mills founded the settlement in 1825 together with one hundred families who wanted to build a cooperative community following the ideas of Robert Owen. This early structure shaped later development, even though the original group dissolved after a few years.
The community takes its name from the yellow iron deposits left by natural springs that stain the riverside rocks. Residents and visitors often gather in the cafés along Xenia Avenue, where local artists display their work in small storefront windows.
The Glen Helen Nature Preserve sits at the western edge of town and offers several miles of walking trails through forests and ravines. The Little Miami Bike Trail runs parallel to the river and can be explored by bicycle or on foot, with the section near the town center being especially accessible.
Wheeling Gaunt, a formerly enslaved man, donated land in 1894 with the requirement that sugar and flour be distributed annually to needy widows. This tradition continues today and reaches several dozen households in the region each year.
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