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GUIDE TO YELLOW SPR INGS  |  2020 – 2021 67 the lifework of villager Alan Macbeth, who continued to add to the initial structure — which had been built around 1855 in the Greek Revival style — until his death in 2017. There are no two build- ings in downtown Yellow Springs exactly alike. While some building styles are recognizable, the village is as eclectic as they come. Much like the villagers themselves, the architectural stylings of Yellow Springs have a unique flamboyance and vivacity that is hard to find anywhere else. rely on region-specific build - ing materials and design elements, drawing from the resources that are most immediately available. As a result, each vernacular building can look wholly unique, and in some cases, can be a blending of several different architectural styles. Many, if not most, of the buildings in the downtown area have a vernacular character. One of the tallest build- ings downtown is the three-story brick structure that houses Yellow Springs Hardware, built around 1853, is a quintessential example of local vernacular architecture, owing to its unusual shape. Unlike nearly every other downtown structure, it’s not square! It was built with oblique angles to fit the corner lot at the Short Street/Dayton Street intersection. “I love the way they were built,” said Rose. “They look square to the street, but they aren’t — which can mess with your mind when you walk past them on the sidewalk.” Rose went on to say that the exterior of the hard- ware store and the above apartments still exhibit many of the features that were included in their initial construction. “The building has some of its original six-over-six win- dows and how you can still see the original openings that were [later] bricked in along Short Street,” he said. Interestingly, the dynamic geometry of the building might have lent itself to the wide array of businesses it has accommodated over its 150-year-long exis- tence. According to a 2005 Dayton Daily News article on the building, it once housed a college bookstore, an art studio, the area’s first library and hotel, which, at one point, may have had some connection with the abolitionist movement in the 19th century. All the rest Suffice it to say, there are countless exceptions to the styles described above. After all, the Historic District encompasses more than just the businesses along Dayton Street and Xenia Avenue — it bleeds into the surrounding neighborhoods as well. Beyond the central busi- ness district, there are two noteworthy structures that represent Second Empire architecture: the imposing Fess House at 830 Xenia Ave. and the Union Schoolhouse, which formerly housed the Village offices, on Dayton Street. Nowadays, those offices are located in the John Bryan Community Center, which itself is wholly unique. Built in 1928 as Bryan High School, the Bryan Center is a gleaming example of Spanish Colonial Revivalism. There’s the Gothic Revival- ism of the First Presbyterian Church, which was designed around 1859 by the famous Cincinnati architect James McLaughlin. The Wellness Center at Antioch College is a prime example of Georgian architecture. Then there are those structures that defy clas- sification altogether. To wit: the Oten Gallery/Smoking Octopus building, with its intricate brickwork, curving archways, unexpected open- ings and winding walkways. The one-of-a-kind char- acter of this building was PHOTO: YS NEWS ARCHIVE Around 1964, the late Alan Macbeth, pictured above in 1984, purchased the building that would become the Oten Gallery. Over the next 50 years, Macbeth adorned the property with his unique approach to brickwork and masonry. The original 1855 structure was a part of the Greek Revival tradition, and was destroyed by a fire in 2000. Gentle Dentistry “Caring for Your Teeth and Your Feelings” J. Marc Holser, D.D.S. 1153W. Second Street, Xenia Hours by Appointment www.jmarcholserdds.com New Patients Welcome Orthodontics & Emergency Care Complete Dental Care Available • 937-376-9464 •