South School
Why it's listed
Built in 1856 at 909 South High Street in Yellow Springs, this L-shaped brick schoolhouse shows a local version of Greek Revival design. Corbelled pilasters, a brick entablature and pedimented gables give a modest building a dignified look. A wing matching the original brickwork was added probably in 1873. The land was donated by village founder William Mills. The building first served as a Miami Township school, then as the Yellow Springs High School from 1858 to 1872. From 1874 until integration in 1887 it was the school for the village's black students, and the enlarged building replaced a small frame school on Dayton Street. Of the more than a hundred schoolhouses in Greene County, only three used this style, all in Yellow Springs. The exterior remains little altered, while the interior has been rebuilt as residential space, with original trusses left exposed and old blackboards covered but preserved.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance for its architecture as a vernacular Greek Revival schoolhouse with corbelled brick pilasters and pedimented gables, typical of Yellow Springs' mid-century boom years. It also matters for education history, serving as the township school, the village high school and later the school for black students. As the black school from 1874 to 1887 it is described as the only remaining material reminder, apart from a church, of that period in the black community's history.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 89001459, listed October 4, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 909 S. High St., Yellow Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | October 4, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001459 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1856-1887 |
| Architect / builder | unknown (the form says it was likely built by J.W. Hamilton, who almost certainly made the brick) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Black, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The interior was partially demolished when acquired in 1976 and is being rehabilitated as a residence, with an apartment made in the wing in 1978. The exterior brickwork is in good condition and its integrity has been maintained. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.79878, -83.89579 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 89001459.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7568389
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.