Thursday, May 6, 2010

Yellow Springs, Ohio

Welcome to Yellow Springs Ohio! Where you are far from the monotony of chain stores and restaurants. Experience something special when you Find Yourself Here.

Yellow Springs named one of 10 Coolest Small Towns in Budget Travel


We heard about a great artsy fartsy little town nearby and wanted to check it out. We drove there on Monday only to discover that most of the shops were closed that day. We had a nice supper with our friends and managed to buy a couple of really cute hats ... one for Dawsyn and one for ME!

Beautiful hat models Bella and Willow!

This girl likes hats as much as I do!!

The creamery we went to today also happened to be just out of Yellow Springs so we went back into town. I didn't get to shop in any more of those cute little shops but Ben did get me some good pictures.

I do believe this is the Granola Capital of Ohio!! For those of you too young to remember, "granolas" are those your grandparents labelled "long-haired hippees"! Think tie-dye and birkenstocks. I heard this week that Yellow Springs actually still has an operating commune that's been there since the 60's. Ben was afraid to go searching for it for fear that I'd stay!





Yellow Springs is the home of Antioch College, a private, independent liberal arts college. The College campus and buildings are very beautiful. I'm afraid our photos don't do it justice.




More information and better pictures can be found at http://antiochcollege.org/

The "artsy fartsy" always seems to come with a heavy dose of new age. This is evidenced by the signs for tarot card readings on every corner and crystals in shop windows. It seems to be a very liberal accepting little town which is home to many faith groups as diverse as buddism to baha'i to both liberal and evangelical christian churches.


I look forward to visiting again ... but who knows when!

This is from the town's website and describes this delightful little place better than I can:

Yellow Springs, Ohio is an eclectic village of 3,800 known for recreational attractions, unique shops, gourmet restaurants, lively arts and healthful living. The community is culturally diverse, values self-expression and prides itself on being open, friendly and creative. Recently Yellow Springs was named one of the Best Hometowns by Ohio Magazine and one of Budget Travel’s “Coolest Small Towns”.
The area - and more specifically, the Yellow Spring - was discovered around 1800 and quickly became a major attraction for those seeking its "curative" waters. For more than 100 years the town was a popular attraction with hotels, spas, boarding houses and a tavern to serve travelers on the nearby stagecoach road. With the completion of the Little Miami Railroad in 1846, Yellow Springs became the center of trade and recreation for the region.

The spring, which gives our town its name, still exists but the railroad has been converted into miles of biking trails. The Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail runs through the heart of Yellow Springs. The natural beauty of the 1,000-acre Glen Helen Nature Preserve features 25-miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, a Raptor Center, a museum and a nature shop. Additional hiking and camping opportunities are nearby at John Bryan State Park and Clifton Gorge.

Today visitors flock to Yellow Springs for shopping, dining, recreation and to enjoy a variety of events. The downtown offers a rich and rare assortment of shops and restaurants as well as live music and theater, a chamber music series, interesting galleries and a first-run art-film movie theater. Rich visual and performing arts abound in this vibrant community of artists.

In Yellow Springs, you are far from the crowds and retail chains of the malls. The vibrant streets and window-boxed storefronts invite you to explore. Here you will find health foods, herbs, hand-crafted jewelry, pottery, stained glass, toys, art of all kinds, books, bicycles, imported clothing and delight in a variety of dining choices.

Yellow Springs is an authentic small town with activities to fill a variety of interests.

8 comments:

The Blog Fodder said...

I'm surprised the Repugnicans haven't tried to shut it down for being un-American. Sounds like a great little place.
Somehow I can see you in a commune, it is your Mennonite roots. Ben, not so much.

Dawsyn's Mom said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dawsyn's Mom said...

Oh, I don't know? If you take a good look at Ben, he looks a little like a hutterite! Especially back in the days he used to spend so much time on the colonies and had that thick thick beard. I certainly have the butt to fit into either a Mennonite or a Hutterite colony ... I inherited the "hip" genes so I can't git into the "hippee" jeans!

jafabrit said...

So glad you enjoyed your visit and I liked the photos. The commune, I think you may be talking about the Vale
http://www.smallcommunity.org/vale.asp

Republicans, we have a few live in town ;) and most of the hippies are old now, but we get a lot of hippie tourists :) YS has a strong quaker history and presense, the most famous being the nobel peace prize winner Irwin Abrams.

Dawsyn's Mom said...

Thank you so much for weighing in! Nice to hear from a local. I really loved your little town and would have liked to spend more time there if we had not been so busy.

matt said...

AWESOME!!! a gift shop totally dedicated to Tye Dye!! I would love it there!!!! my hat and I will see you 2morrow!!

Diane Lutz said...

Please come back soon. Yellow Springs has so many fun events. 3rd Friday is especially fun in the summer. There is even dancing in the streets sometimes and kids love it. I lived in YS many years ago, I manage to keep my YS Connection by frequent visits and having my art in a gallery there-Art Happens. PS, most art galleries everywhere are closed on Mondays. Take care, Diane L.

Karen Wintrow said...

I'm getting to this very late but it was a real joy to read your blog. I'm the director of the Chamber of Commerce and love your photos and characterizations of Yellow Springs. Pretty perceptive. Please let us know if you're ever in town again.