With its eclectic mix of shops, galleries and restaurants, Yellow Springs has an environment that attracts equally diverse residents. From the quirky, knitted “graffiti” adorning trees and traffic signs downtown to the mostly locally owned — and supported — businesses, this small town is a place that residents are proud to call home.

Susanne Oldham, owner of the Arthur Morgan House Bed & Breakfast, never really considered herself a “townie” when she was growing up just outside of Yellow Springs. As an adult, she left and chose to travel around the world, only returning because her parents still lived there. But after she came back, “it stuck,” as she says.

“I wanted to be in a place that was friendly and welcoming and safe and secure,” she says. “I don’t think I would feel as safe anyplace else and as completely comfortable anyplace else.”

A trip around town shows that many share Oldham’s sentiments. Even in this economy, businesses are busy. People walk and bike the main drags of Dayton Street and Xenia Avenue, filtering in and out of coffee shops, art studios and specialty stores like Pass It On Kids, a children’s consignment shop, where owner Miri Nasoff also provides a safe, communal space for area teenagers to meet, play music and hang out. At Emporium Wines and The Underdog Café, people gather to hear live music and view art while enjoying a diverse wine selection or fresh breakfast with homemade breads and muffins.

The town owes its loyal and eclectic population to a history of acceptance. Because it was once a stop on the Underground Railroad, Yellow Springs was already a racially diverse community when, after WWII, many African-American men stationed at nearby Wright Patterson Air Force Base wanted to buy homes. At that time, Yellow Springs was one of the few communities that allowed African-American families to finance and build homes in the area.

The inclusive environment also allowed Antioch College — a school with a history of socially conscious, activist students like Coretta Scott King — to thrive.

Even the college’s closing in 2008 didn’t dampen the town’s spirits. Instead, the Antioch College Continuation Corporation, an alumni-run group, raised money to purchase the college, which it hopes to reopen in 2011.

The same group now owns the adjoining Glen Helen Nature Preserve, where hikers can find the healing springs that gave the town its name. Numerous trails wind through the 1,000-acre preserve and around the springs, creating a serene environment for hiking, bird watching and painting.

The natural beauty is perfectly woven into this artists’ community, creating a welcoming environment that attracts both lifetime and new residents.

Oldham tells a story about a couple who came to her B&B from northwest Ohio for a short vacation. Six weeks later, they returned and decided to move to town.

Oldham is quick to point out that this doesn’t happen with everyone; however, she appreciates it when visitors share her sentiment: “What better place to be than Yellow Springs?”

Yellow Springs

• Year Founded: 1825
• Location: Greene County, 21 miles northeast of Dayton
• Population: Approximately 4,000
• Size: 1.9 square miles
• Type of Government: Council/Manager and 5-member council