If you are looking for travel accommodations for a country vacation or weekend getaway in West Virginia, consider making reservations at our historic B&B in Yellow Spring.

The community of Yellow Spring in the Potomac Highlands has been a rural, farming community from the earliest times.  The name comes from that of a spring located on the north side of "the gap" which arises about a mile up from the Cacapon River.  The yellow color contained in the "Yellow Spring" is attributed to ochre, the deposits of which range in color from pale yellow to brown.  Oddly enough, the wonderful crystal clear spring water enjoyed by the community is not from the Yellow Spring, rather from one of several springs emanating from the south side of the gap beneath a huge sandstone stand of rocks forming the ridge which continues for miles.

The river that passes through Yellow Spring is the Cacapon River.  It flows on north (as do all the rivers in the region) to join with the Potomac.  In colonial times it was known as the "Great Cacapehon," derived from the Indians’ term for the river which had some meaning of "healing" qualities.  The nearby Capon Springs, one of eight known warm springs in West Virginia, has a similar derivation of its name and adds to some confusion for those new to the area.  The valley is generally referred to as the Capon Valley, yet the river is called the Cacapon (pronounced "ca-cap-on," but not "cac-ca-pon" as visitors characteristically do).  Springs are plentiful in the area and, in addition to ground runoff, supply the water that feeds the Cacapon River.

It wasn't until early in the 20th century that any bridges were constructed to provide predictable transportation routes for the sparse population of the region.  River crossings (fords) were made difficult to impossible during certain periods of either very wet or very cold weather.  Bridges that were constructed vastly added to the ability of farmers to get livestock or crops to wider markets.