Program: “A Yellow Springs Original—John Bryan of Ohio”

 

John Bryan High School, the Bryan Community Center, John Bryan State Park, Bryan Park Road—the name of the man who may well have been Yellow Springs’ most original eccentric is still with us nearly 100 years after his death. Poet, fabulist, industrialist, inventor, farmer, political theorist, philanthropist, self-promoter, atheist, eligible bachelor and millionaire, wealthy John Bryan took Yellow Springs by storm when he moved here in the 1890’s. For over 20 years, stories about his latest ideas and exploits filled local, regional and even national newspapers. When the press didn’t cover him, he was known to buy advertising space on the front page of prominent newspapers to have a soapbox for his views. And he was still creating controversy among Ohio’s elected officials, even years after his death. Dave Neuhardt, President of the Yellow Springs Historical Society, will tell the story of John Bryan, the man, at 2:00 on Sunday, April 26 at 2:00 in the Great Room of the Senior Citizens Center.

The program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments provided.