The erection of a store in 1846 and the construction of the Little Miami Railroad near the springs prompted the community to prosper,[2]: 669  even though no land had yet been platted.

[3] Growth began to taper off in the wake of the Civil War, as can be seen in the history of the Neff House, one of Yellow Springs' most prominent buildings.

Constructed in 1840 to serve users of the springs from Cincinnati and Columbus,[4] it burned during the war, and only in 1870 could the owner rebuild.

[1] The district embraces the majority of the village, beginning at the railroad line and continuing several blocks westward, including both sides of U.S. Route 68 and much of the Antioch College campus.

[5] A total of 473 buildings are included within the district's boundaries; 261 qualified as contributing properties in 1982, and 212 were considered non-contributing.