Cambridge Time Machine: Oakley Beach Burns
On December 6, 1954, the half-century old Oakley Beach Hotel burned to the ground. The Choptank riverfront establishment was owned by Harold and Celia Ashmore, who had bought it in 1947. Local newsboy Sewell Frey, Jr., spotted smoke in back of the building around 7am. He ran in, yelled “fire,” phoned the police, and went […]
Cambridge Time Machine: Greene’s Opera House
Greene’s Opera House was a music hall located on Pine Street across from Wells Street, built around the turn of the 20th century. It was one of the most important African American entertainment venues in Cambridge. Like many “opera houses” of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it hosted a variety of entertainment, including […]
Cambridge Time Machine: WCEM Radio
WCEM was one of the longtime local radio stations serving Cambridge and the Mid-Shore. The AM station, WCEM 1240, first signed on in November 1947 and originally used the call letters WCMD before changing to WCEM in 1949. For decades, WCEM was a classic small-town local station. Older residents remember it as a place for […]
Cambridge Time Machine: the Catholic Church
Though a small Catholic congregation formed in Dorchester County in the 1700s, a Cambridge congregation was not established until after the Civil War. Led by Rev. Alfred Curtis, the local Catholics purchased the property at the corner of Mill and William Streets and put a building on it in 1885. In 1894, it was replaced […]
Cambridge Time Machine: The Chronicle Building
The Cambridge Chronicle was actually the name of several related newspapers over the course of the 19th century. The earliest known version began publication as a weekly paper around 1822. A later version began in 1828 and evolved through several title changes before being absorbed into another Cambridge paper around 1855. Then, another newspaper using […]
Cambridge Time Machine: Up Pine Street
This 1928 photo shows the intersection of Pine and Washington Streets and looking north. The house on the left was owned by Lula Earle. On the right is Lewis Bayneum’s house and funeral home. Bethel Church can be seen in the distance, at left.
Cambridge Time Machine: The House Called Glenburn
In 1830, Dr. Robert Tubman came into possession of Glasgow, and some time later he gave a portion of the tract, called Glenburn, to his son-in-law, Benjamin Gaither. The house built on the property, an example of late Federal-style architecture, originally faced south with the expectation that Travers Street would be extended. When the street […]
Cambridge Time Machine: The Pumping House was needed
The Cambridge Water Company’s pumping house and ice factory were located on Trenton Street, south of the Cambridge Creek Bridge. The company had been established after the 1892 High Street fire demonstrated the need for emergency water.
Cambridge Time Machine: Academy School
In 1865, James L. Bryan bought six acres in what is now the Historic District, including the property on Mill Street upon which he built a military academy. In the 1870s, the military academy became Dorchester County’s public high school for boys. The Victorian frame building burned down on December 15, 1902, while 300 students […]
Cambridge From the Couch: the Lost Architect
One of Cambridge’s most important people had a bit of bad luck: he built the city, but the city forgot him. On my Cambridge-themed Instagram account, I used to feature significant buildings and houses around town, including their history and style details. Often, J. Benjamin Brown was mentioned as architect and/or builder. Once, my friend […]