Historic Yellow Springs
Celebrate at the Washington

The Washington - Beautiful & Elegant

Originally built around 1750, this building has served as a colonial inn and tavern when the village of Yellow Springs was a fashionable spa. During the American Revolution, General Washington did indeed sleep here and visited the soldiers who were convalescing in the Yellow Springs hospital he commissioned in the village in 1777. During the 19th century, the building was used as a dining facility and dormitory for the orphans of Civil War Solders and the early 20th century saw this wonderful building used as a dining hall and dorm for the young artists of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

The Washington

Today The Washington is ready to host your special event. With over 2000 square feet in the main room, it can easily hold 150 seated guests and still have plenty of room for dancing. In addition, there are two smaller rooms can be used as a family lounge area and/or can host drinks and hors d’oeuvres that open out to beautiful outdoor spaces. The room is Air Conditioned with custom lighting to spotlight the key highlights of your event.

Walking Tour of The Washington

I am so happy you are here and have decided to take a walk around the village to consider having your wedding day at the Washington.

I am excited to show you what we have to offer. We are certainly in unprecedented times and I wish I could be there to show you around in person. Until that time comes, please enjoy our grounds, take a walk and learn a little more about us. I hope that this self-guided tour will help you start your journey to find the ideal spot for your historic day.

Okay, let’s get started


Famous Porch & Portico

When you park in the parking lot you will be next to the venue. As you walk up to the large stucco building called the Washington you will be walking along our famous porch and portico. This area is a great spot for photos and a nice location for high-top tables.

A Stunning Entry

Once you walk down the porch and portico, you will come to the Fountain Courtyard Garden on your left—this is where we will begin! We have three outdoor ceremony locations for you to view. Each one is breathtaking in its own right.

Famous Porch & Breezeway

Fountain Courtyard Garden

The Fountain Courtyard Garden is one of the choices for your ceremony

Imagine your chairs facing forward toward the wall and your guests seating on either side as you see the space around the fountain for you to walk down the fresh green grass isle. The two of you would stand right in front, with your bridal party by your side.

Stand in front of the garden where the stone wall serves as your back drop and imagine your friends and family sitting in front of you on either side of the fountain.

The Fountain Courtyard Garden is so beautiful. It not only serves as your ceremony site, but is also a setting for cocktail hour.

The Washington venue is directly beside this spot and houses the restrooms and bar for cocktail hour. our guests can mingle between the garden area, the historic brick room (where the bar is located) and in front of the venue under the lighted breezeway.

Note: If you choose to have your ceremony here, the chairs will stay out at cocktail hour, because as soon as your ceremony is over…Cocktail hour begins! Congratulations! Cheers!

At the back of the Washington, straight behind where you would stand for your ceremony, we have the Terrace Garden. You will notice that when you stand in the garden space, facing the venue, the shape of grounds makes a U. This landscape design allows you and your guests to enjoy the entire area, as it all flows together, and is surrounded by our beautiful seasonal plantings!

If you choose another ceremony space, you may want to use the garden for JUST your cocktail hour—you certainly can! Now,we have two more ceremony sites.

Let’s keep walking...


The Loving Tree

As you leave the garden area and go back to the porch, begin again by heading left and walk up a few steps to a porch by the white Lincoln building. Then, continue left past the Lincoln on your right and walk up the steps.

One of our most popular Ceremony Locations

Continue up the stairs, taking in the beauty of the trees surrounding you. When you get to the top, enter through the open space in the fence, walk down and look up ... there she is! Our big beautiful Copper Beech tree, or as we like to call her ... The Loving Tree!

This is one of our most popular ceremony locations. If you decide to utilize the garden for your cocktail hour, the tree offers great shade for summertime weddings along with a bounty of colors in the fall—making it a stunning scene.

Note: The stone path leads to two additional ceremony spots on the hill. BUT, if your guests or family cannot take the stairs, you can drive them to these ceremony areas.


Historic Ruins

Timeless Beauty Rich in History

Our third ceremony option, the Historic Ruins, can be seen by just turning around. Want some true history for your ceremony? How about our ancient ruins, built during the revolutionary war!

Ceremony

Although, each of our other ceremony locations can accommodate 150 guests, the ruins are limited to 100 guests or less. Both the ruins themselves and the limited guests make this location very intimate.


Garden Cocktails

Now that you have made your vows, it is time to relax and celebrate!

Garden Cocktails

Let’s walk back down the steps to the garden and back toward the Washington. You will be coming down right into your cocktail hour. Picture high tables outside in the garden under the porch, (high-tops or low-top tables, cafe style with chairs around), maybe some live music, corn hole in the garden or your own special twist and charm! A truly perfect backdrop for your cocktail hour, if you ask me.


True Elegance - Walking into The Washington


Brick Room

When you’re walking along the portico, under the breezeway, you’ll see a large white door with a step up to your right. Please take a look through the windows. This is the Brick Room where the bar is located. The Brick Room is often considered a mini museum. Your guests can browse around the room, exploring pieces of history that took place at this very venue. I am sure you can see some of it!

Adding Classic Charm and History

Brick Room

In this room you can use a few tables for a guestbook, gifts, or maybe your seating chart. This room can also be set up with the addition of high-top tables. These are just a few options. Some people choose to do a photobooth. This area is great for a photobooth if you put the backdrop along where you can see the steps. (The steps lead to the bridal suite and upstairs ceremony location.)


Main Ballroom

Sophistication Meets Family & Friends at your Reception

Continue walking down to the porch area where the floor is a blue-gray and take a look in this room. You will be looking at the Main Ballroom. The Brick Room is directly next to the main ballroom to the right, and you should be able to see the doorway that connects them. Remember, your bar area will be in the brick room.

The Main Ballroom is where your reception will take place. This room will have all your tables and chairs, and it will be where you and your guests will be dancing!

You can use your imagination to visualize your decorations, but to help you get started, here are a few shots of the tables that were set up previously in this area. Your options include all round, or some round and some long tables. We will provide you with a table and chair inventory to select from. You will work with the caterers who will provide all linens, glassware and flatware.


The Dance Floor

A Celebration to Remember

Dance Floor

Take a look through the window and when you see the fireplace, pan to the left. Imagine your D.J. in the far corner to the left of the fireplace. Your guests will be dancing all the way out to the edge of the fireplace and across the room to the door on the left- hand side, leading to the foyer, where we will head next. (If you walk behind the Washington building in the courtyard area, you can look through the windows to get the opposite view that you have currently, as well as a backside view of the Brick Room and your bar area).


The Foyer

Go to the next few windows to view our beautiful farmhouse table, which we love, along the far wall of the foyer.

A Focal Point

This table has history. After the civil war the Washington and Lincoln buildings served as an orphanage. Our beautiful farmhouse table was once the dining table for these orphans. This historic table makes a fantastic place for your desserts, and provides more space for your guests to flow through.

Wedding Cake

From the Fountain Garden, to the Brick Room for cocktails, to the Main Ballroom for the reception, and now to the Foyer for a beautiful spot to display desserts.

Behind the orphan school table, directly left, is the doorway to the kitchen area used by your caterers. Next to the kitchen is an open doorway, and through this area you will see another door. The door is directly across from you as you enter the Washington building from the main white door. This door leads to the ...


The Groom's Room

Our Groom’s Room has lots of comfortable seating inside and houses the door that leads directly to the brick patio area (next to the parking lot). This gives lots of space for the fellas. You want your guys to have a place to get ready and relax too!

Groom Room

This is a good family spot for later in the evening. You might have a grandparent who would like to come in, sit and relax away from the crowd for a bit. A friend with her baby, or others who might want to take in some solace. This serves as a great transition room once the reception begins.

A Place of Refinement for the Groom

There are also two bathrooms located across from the Groom’s Room. Which means there are restrooms on either side of the building.

The foyer, where the farmhouse table is located, has a staircase on the wall across from the table. This staircase takes you upstairs to the inside ceremony location, along with the Bridal Suite.


Upstairs Ceremony

A Day to Remember

You can take a peak into the indoor ceremony location upstairs if you travel back toward the parking lot. Walk up the little hill of the lot toward the woods and turn right, going behind the Washington building. You should see the covered bridge. This area provides some handicap access to the upstairs. You can drive a car close to the bridge, enabling a shorter walk to the Upstairs Ceremony Location. If you walk up onto the bridge you might be able to see into the windows.


The Bridal Suite

While you are standing on the bridge, look to the left and you will be looking towards the upstairs Bridal Suite. This is really a great room, one of my favorites. The room has lots of natural lighting, making it bright, cheerful and great location for putting on your makeup! It also has a private bathroom, double sinks and tons of mirrors.

Quiet Beauty for the Bride

You can create so many memories in here with your Mom, your girlfriends or all those important to you before you walk down the aisle.

As you can see, Historic Yellow Springs is a place that has tons of charm, romantic gardens and is rich with so much history.

We know that you can tie the knot with your own history at our village and make it your own.


The Gazebo

Before you go, I encourage you to take a walk down to the Gazebo. This is another fabulous location offering great photo opportunities.

Another Beautiful Photo Opportunity

Gazebo

If you walk back to the parking lot across from the Groom’s Room you will see the Gazebo across the street, down by the springs. It is directly across from the Washington. There are stone stairs that will take you to the deck walkway that leads to the gazebo. This really is a sweet spot for quiet moments with just the two of you.


Directions to The Washington

The Washington is located a short distance off Route 113 in the village of Chester Springs, between Phoenixville and Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

The Washington

at Historic Yellow Springs
1685 Art School Road
Chester Springs, PA 19425
Phone: 610-827-7414
Fax: (610) 827-1336

Google Maps

From Harrisburg and points west:

Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike east and exit at #312, Route 100 towards Downingtown. Go 1 1/2 miles and turn left onto Route 113. Go about 3 miles and turn left onto Yellow Springs Road. Follow to fork in the road. Parking is available in front of the Lincoln building and in the paved parking lot near the Washington Building.

From Philadelphia and points east:

Take I-76 West and exit at EXIT 328B-A toward WEST CHESTER / KING OF PRUSSIA / POTTSTOWN / SWEDESFORD RD. Follow 202 south for approximately 10 miles and exit at Route 401 West. Take Route 401 4 1/2 miles and turn right onto Route 113 at the Sunoco gas station on your right. Go about 2 miles and turn left onto Yellow Springs Road. Follow to fork in the road. Parking is available in front of the Lincoln building and in the paved parking lot near the Washington Building.

From Wilmington and points south:

Follow 202 North towards West Chester, crossing over Route 1 in Painters Crossing. About 6 miles past Route 1, exit right to stay on route 202 at the Holiday Inn (do not go straight into West Chester). After 3 1/2 miles, exit onto Route 100 north. After approximately 7 miles, turn right onto Route 113. Go about 3 miles and turn left onto Yellow Springs Road. Follow to fork in the road. Parking is available in front of the Lincoln building and in the paved parking lot near the Washington Building.


I hope this self-guided tour was helpful. I know planning a wedding is never easy. Now, having to consider the COVID-19 restrictions, guidelines and well, more challenges, doesn’t make it any easier. I am happy to help you plan from afar.

P.S. Before you go, I suggest you check out our Instagram page. It includes highlights of various months at the Washington. I believe that if you look at the page it might help you paint the picture of your special day a little more, as well.

Download Tour (pdf)

Thanks for exploring and considering our rare village to be a part of your special day! If you have questions or would like to reserve this venue, please email washingtonvenue@yellowsprings.org or call 610.827.7414 ext. 15.