Vox Civitatis the New Colonist weblog
06/16/2007: "Main Streets: Cambridge, Ohio"
A Saturday drive took us from Pittsburgh to the outskirts of Zanesville, Ohio to visit some antique and pottery stores. On the way back 40 took us into the town of Cambridge, population 13,000. Wheeling Street in Cambridge was quite a treat. The street is framed by exceptional architecture including a Victorian Courthouse. A block behind the street and you come upon some attractive and well-kept brick residential buildings. The best thing was the businesses on Wheeling Street. After eating at a value-priced home-cooking diner, a co-op art gallery caught our eye. The volunteers inside were quite friendly and said the town was trying to promote tourism (maybe they should keep their secret!). It would seem to be a well-kept secret at that--and one I''ll try my best to blow. After a couple antique stores, we then wandered in to one of the largest coffee shops I've ever seen and a small bookstore packed with bargains including a really reasonably priced first edition of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood." There was a National Road Heritage Center which we didn't get to on time and even a community theater. The place seems filled with artists and I can't imagine the housing costs are very high. Its certainly a nice town to visit--hell, I'd trade the array of stores on Wheeling Street for East Ohio Street (the commercial street nearest my house) any day. And if you stay on Wheeling Street and head into Wheeling, that's a real geographic and architectural treat. MORE ABOUT CAMBRIDGE


