Yellow Springs, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Yellow Springs is a village in Greene County
, Ohio
, United States
, and is the location of Antioch College
and Antioch University Midwest. The population was 3,487 at the 2010 census
. It is part of the Dayton
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
, who wanted to emulate the utopian community at New Harmony, Indiana
. The communitarian efforts dissolved due to internal conflicts. The Little Miami Railroad was completed in 1846 and brought increased commerce, inhabitants, and tourism.
Yellow Springs was one of the final stops on the Underground Railroad
and the village was known for its racial tolerance. Wheeling Gaunt, a former slave who purchased his own freedom, came to Yellow Springs in the 1860s and owned a substantial amount of land upon his death in 1894. Gaunt bequeathed to the village a large piece of land on its western side, requesting that the rent be used to buy flour for the "poor and worthy widows" of Yellow Springs. Although the land was used to create Gaunt Park, and thus does not generate rent, the village expanded the bequest to include sugar and still delivers flour and sugar to the village's widows at Christmas time, a tradition that generates annual media coverage.
Antioch College was founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection
, and began operating in 1853 with the distinguished scholar Horace Mann
as its first president. Arthur E. Morgan was the innovative president of Antioch College who implemented a much-imitated work-study program for students. An engineer by training, Morgan became head of the Tennessee Valley Authority
in Franklin D. Roosevelt
's Administration. Upon his return to Yellow Springs, Morgan was a key leader of Quaker intentional community developments in Ohio and North Carolina
. Antioch College was closed by Antioch University in 2008 but is set to reopen, as an independent college, in 2011.
In 1979, Yellow Springs held the distinction of being the smallest municipality to pass an ordinance
prohibiting discrimination
based on sexual orientation
.
, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.
The village takes its name from a natural spring located in nearby Glen Helen Preserve which is rich in iron ore, leaving a yellowish-orange coloring on the rocks. The spring was thought to have curative properties and spas and hotels were built nearby.
of 2000, there were 3,761 people, 1,587 households, and 896 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,981.3 people per square mile (764.3/km²). There were 1,676 housing units at an average density of 882.9 per square mile (340.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 76.58% White, 14.97% African American, 0.51% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.72% from other races
, and 5.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.94% of the population.
There were 1,587 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.5% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.73.
In the village the population was spread out with 18.4% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 80.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $51,984, and the median income for a family was $67,857. Males had a median income of $41,875 versus $37,744 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $27,062. About 7.3% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
.
Local news and events are covered by an independent weekly newspaper, the Yellow Springs News
.
Yellow Springs is served by a branch of the Greene County Public Library
.
Additional listings of people in the arts that came from or through Yellow Springs, Ohio at "Yellow Springs and the Arts"
Greene County, Ohio
Greene County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 161,573 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Xenia, and it was named for General Nathanael Greene, an officer in the Revolutionary War. Greene County was established on March 24, 1803.Greene County is part...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and is the location of Antioch College
Antioch College
Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
and Antioch University Midwest. The population was 3,487 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. It is part of the Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Greater Dayton
The Dayton metropolitan area is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Ohio, behind the largest, Greater Cincinnati, Greater Cleveland, and Greater Columbus.-Definitions:...
.
History
The village was founded in 1825 by approximately 100 families, followers of Robert OwenRobert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
, who wanted to emulate the utopian community at New Harmony, Indiana
New Harmony, Indiana
New Harmony is a historic town on the Wabash River in Harmony Township, Posey County, Indiana, United States. It lies north of Mount Vernon, the county seat. The population was 916 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Evansville metropolitan area. Many of the old Harmonist buildings still stand...
. The communitarian efforts dissolved due to internal conflicts. The Little Miami Railroad was completed in 1846 and brought increased commerce, inhabitants, and tourism.
Yellow Springs was one of the final stops on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
and the village was known for its racial tolerance. Wheeling Gaunt, a former slave who purchased his own freedom, came to Yellow Springs in the 1860s and owned a substantial amount of land upon his death in 1894. Gaunt bequeathed to the village a large piece of land on its western side, requesting that the rent be used to buy flour for the "poor and worthy widows" of Yellow Springs. Although the land was used to create Gaunt Park, and thus does not generate rent, the village expanded the bequest to include sugar and still delivers flour and sugar to the village's widows at Christmas time, a tradition that generates annual media coverage.
Antioch College was founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection
Christian Connection
The Christian Connection or Christian Connexion was a Christian movement which began in several places during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and were secessions from three different religious denominations. The Christian Connection claimed to have no creed, instead professing to rely...
, and began operating in 1853 with the distinguished scholar Horace Mann
Horace Mann
Horace Mann was an American education reformer, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1827 to 1833. He served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1834 to 1837. In 1848, after serving as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education since its creation, he was...
as its first president. Arthur E. Morgan was the innovative president of Antioch College who implemented a much-imitated work-study program for students. An engineer by training, Morgan became head of the Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
in Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's Administration. Upon his return to Yellow Springs, Morgan was a key leader of Quaker intentional community developments in Ohio and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Antioch College was closed by Antioch University in 2008 but is set to reopen, as an independent college, in 2011.
In 1979, Yellow Springs held the distinction of being the smallest municipality to pass an ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
prohibiting discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
based on sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
.
Geography
Yellow Springs is located at 39°48′6"N 83°53′34"W (39.801723, -83.892662). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.
The village takes its name from a natural spring located in nearby Glen Helen Preserve which is rich in iron ore, leaving a yellowish-orange coloring on the rocks. The spring was thought to have curative properties and spas and hotels were built nearby.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,761 people, 1,587 households, and 896 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,981.3 people per square mile (764.3/km²). There were 1,676 housing units at an average density of 882.9 per square mile (340.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 76.58% White, 14.97% African American, 0.51% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.72% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 5.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.94% of the population.
There were 1,587 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.5% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.73.
In the village the population was spread out with 18.4% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 80.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $51,984, and the median income for a family was $67,857. Males had a median income of $41,875 versus $37,744 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $27,062. About 7.3% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
Media
Yellow Springs is the home of public radio station WYSO, which is a member station of National Public Radio and is licensed to the Board of Trustees of Antioch UniversityAntioch University
Antioch University is an American university with five campuses located in four states. Campuses are located in Los Angeles, California; Santa Barbara, California; Keene, New Hampshire; Yellow Springs, Ohio; and Seattle, Washington. Additionally, Antioch University houses two institution-wide...
.
Local news and events are covered by an independent weekly newspaper, the Yellow Springs News
Yellow Springs News
Yellow Springs News is an independently owned weekly newspaper that serves the community of Yellow Springs, Ohio. It has a weekly circulation of approximately 1,800.-History:Yellow Springs News was founded in 1880...
.
Arts and culture
Relative to its size, Yellow Springs has a large arts community. Local organizations include:- Yellow Springs Arts Council
- Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse, an award-winning summer theater program
- Chamber Music Yellow Springs (CMYS)
Yellow Springs is served by a branch of the Greene County Public Library
Greene County Public Library
The Greene County Public Library serves the communities of Greene County, Ohio . The library system's administrative offices are in Xenia, and other branches are located in Beavercreek, Cedarville, Fairborn, Jamestown, Bellbrook, and Yellow Springs...
.
Notable people
- Noah AdamsNoah AdamsNoah Adams is an American broadcast journalist and author, known primarily for his more than thirty years of experience on National Public Radio. A former co-host of the daily All Things Considered program, he is currently the senior correspondent at the network's National Desk...
, public radio journalist and author - Arnold AdoffArnold AdoffArnold Adoff is an American children's writer. In 1988, the National Council of Teachers of English gave Adoff the Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. He has said, "I will always try to turn sights and sounds into words...
, poet and author - Cindy BlackmanCindy BlackmanCindy Blackman is an American jazz and rock drummer. Blackman is best-known for recording and touring with Lenny Kravitz...
, jazz/rock drummer - Dave ChappelleDave ChappelleDavid Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His...
, American comedian & actor - Steve CurwoodSteve CurwoodSteve Curwood is a journalist, author, public radio personality and actor.- Biography :Curwood was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and brought up as a Quaker in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where his mother, Sarah Thomas Curwood, was a sociology professor at Antioch College.In 1970, as a writer for the...
, author and public radio personality - Mike DeWineMike DeWineRichard Michael "Mike" DeWine is the Attorney General for the state of Ohio. He has held numerous offices on the state and federal level, including Ohio State Senator, four terms as a U.S. Congressman, Ohio Lt. Governor, and was a two-term U.S. Senator, serving from 1995 to 2007.- Biography :Born...
, former US SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... - Richie FurayRichie FurayRichie Furay is an American singer, songwriter, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member who is best known for forming the bands Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, and Poco with Jim Messina, Rusty Young, George Grantham and Randy Meisner...
, musician - Virginia HamiltonVirginia HamiltonVirginia Esther Hamilton was an award-winning author of children's books. She wrote 41 books, including M. C. Higgins, the Great, for which she won the National Book Award in 1974 and the 1975 Newbery Medal....
, children's author - Anne HarrisAnne Harris (musician)Anne Harris is a singer/songwriter, violinist, recording artist and actor based in Chicago, Illinois. She has independently produced and released four studio albums on her record label, Rugged Road Records: Anne Harris , Open Your Doors , Wine and Poetry and Gravity and Faith . A live album, Live...
, musician and actor - Mike KahoeMike KahoeMichael Joseph Kahoe was a catcher in Major League Baseball. Kahoe was one of the first catchers to wear shin guards. Kahoe was born on September 3, 1873 in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and made his Major League Baseball debut on September 22, 1895 with the Cincinnati Reds.-References:...
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Robert Freeman WexlerRobert Freeman WexlerRobert Freeman Wexler is an American writer of surreal fantasy. He lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He was born in Houston, TX and lived there until leaving to attend college at the University of Texas in Austin, TX, where he received a bachelor's degree in journalism.-Books:* In Springdale Town ...
, writer of surreal fiction - Aaron ZagoryAaron ZagoryAaron Zagory is a former college football player, and the starting kicker for Stanford University in 2006 and 2008. In 2006, he led the Cardinal in scoring with 37 points. He is also the Stanford record-holder for career field-goal percentage...
, former Stanford University football player
Additional listings of people in the arts that came from or through Yellow Springs, Ohio at "Yellow Springs and the Arts"
Antioch faculty and students
- Herb Gardner, cartoonist and dramatist
- Stephen Jay GouldStephen Jay GouldStephen Jay Gould was an American paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and historian of science. He was also one of the most influential and widely read writers of popular science of his generation....
, paleontologist - Coretta Scott KingCoretta Scott KingCoretta Scott King was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader. The widow of Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King helped lead the African-American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.Mrs...
, human rights activist, wife of Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the... - Horace MannHorace MannHorace Mann was an American education reformer, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1827 to 1833. He served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1834 to 1837. In 1848, after serving as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education since its creation, he was...
, educator and president of Antioch College - Eleanor Holmes NortonEleanor Holmes NortonEleanor Holmes Norton is a Delegate to Congress representing the District of Columbia. In her position she is able to serve on and vote with committees, as well as speak from the House floor...
, District of Columbia delegateDelegate (United States Congress)A delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a U.S. territory and from Washington, D.C. to a two-year term. While unable to vote in the full House, a non-voting delegate may vote in a House committee of which the delegate is a member...
to the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Cliff RobertsonCliff RobertsonClifford Parker "Cliff" Robertson III was an American actor with a film and television career that spanned half of a century. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film PT 109, and won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie Charly...
, actor - Rod SerlingRod SerlingRodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
, creator of The Twilight ZoneThe Twilight ZoneThe Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
Attractions
- Glen Helen Nature PreserveGlen Helen Nature PreserveThe Glen Helen Nature Preserve is a nature reserve immediately east of Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. The land area was given to Antioch College by Hugh Taylor Birch in memory of his daughter Helen in 1929. The Glen stretches in land area for approximately 1000 acres...
- Little Miami Scenic TrailLittle Miami Bike TrailThe Little Miami Scenic Trail, also known as the Little Miami Scenic River Trail and Little Miami Bike Trail, is a rail trail that runs though five southwestern counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The multi-use trail sees frequent use by hikers and bicyclists, as well as the occasional horseback...
- John Bryan State ParkJohn Bryan State ParkJohn Bryan State Park, part of the Buck Creek/John Bryan State Park Region, is a Ohio state park in Greene County, Ohio. The park surrounds Clifton Gorge, a deep cut of the Little Miami River between Yellow Springs and Clifton. The park contains a campground, and hiking and biking trails...