main street usa {july 25, 2022}

Road trip to visit family in Philadelphia and two hours out of Columbus, T needs to take a phone call for one of his consulting clients. Once you get past Columbus on I-70 East, there's a lot of space between a lot of little towns. He needs wifi and a quiet space. Options are few. After a 15 minute Google search, he is set up to make his call at the Guernsey County Library in Cambridge, OH.

Welcome to Cambridge, the Crossroads of Southeastern Ohio. 

Cambridge is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Guernsey County. It is at the crossroads of Ohio at Interstate 70 and 77. In 1796 Col. Ebenezer Zane received funds to cut a road from Ohio to Kentucky. He responded by naming the first settlement in honor of Cambridge, Maryland. 

Long ago, the Delaware, Shawnee, Wyandotte, Miami, Chippewa and Mingo Indians traveled the forest spread throughout Guernsey County. Many bridges were built in the county including the construction of the first bridge authorized in the Northwest Territory. Some of the bridges curved, as evidence by several ‘S’ bridges, which still survive. I saw a road sign denoting the building of the first bridge but we had passed it and weren't able to make the turn around to grab a photo.

Gotta have a local bakery! This one sure smelled good. The special of the day was a mixed berry muffin.

Honoring hometown hero, John Glenn, who was born July 18, 1921, in Cambridge. He attended primary and secondary schools in neighboring New Concord and received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Muskingum College, also in New Concord.

John Glenn with his eyes to the sky. To infinity and beyond!

Early in the 1900’s, Guernsey County, and particularly Cambridge became synonymous with the quality glass of the Cambridge Glass Company. Collectors who appreciate quality glass still visit Cambridge for antique glass.

I walked into the museum thinking that I could stroll through the display cases showing the various stages of Cambridge Glass Company's 56 years of production. The lovely lady at the desk insisted I take the museum tour. I told her I had 30 minutes to look around and she happily gave me the "speed-dial" tour, which included the 8-minute movie showing the glass-making process in the factory from start to finish. It was a wonderful and very informative 30 minutes.

My grandma had this set of the gold-rimmed glasses and stemware for her fine crystal.

Next stop: The Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA.