Mark’s Score 8.6

Cambridge, like so many places on the Eastern Shore, is an odd mix of beauty and decay. My favorite way to enter Cambridge is from the north, crossing the bridge over the Choptank River. At Cambridge, it doesn’t look like a river, it looks like an arm of the bay. You need to get halfway across the bridge before you can see the outlines of buildings downtown. But what really makes Cambridge special is its rich history.

Cambridge is famous for a number of reasons. It is the inspiration of the fictional town of Choptank in Michener’s novel, Chesapeake. Having been founded in 1684, it is one of the oldest settlements in Maryland. It was also at the center of the tobacco plantation economy before the Civil War. It was the home of Harriett Tubman and a crucial stop on the Underground Railroad. During the civil rights era it was the center of the “Cambridge Movement” lead by Gloria Richardson and the location of two devastating riots in 1962 and 1967, the scars of which are still visible today. There is also a rumor that the famous pirate Captain William Kidd buried his treasure somewhere in the Cambridge area.
In my lifetime I have lived near, but never in, three Cambridges, Cambridge, MA, Cambridge, MD, and the original Cambridge in England. They are three very different cities. But there are three things they all have in common. All three are located on legendary rivers, they are steeped in history and tradition, and I have a soft spot for all three. For me, there is a particular spot in each city that encapsulates the essence of the town. In Cambridge, England it is the Kings College Bridge. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is Harvard Yard. And in Cambridge, Maryland it is the corner of Spring and High Streets.

Why Spring and High? Because the modern and historical Cambridge meet at this very spot. If you head northeast on High St, you enter a world of cobbled streets and stately homes, that go all the way to the river, starting at the beautiful Christ Church at the corner of High and Spring. If you turn southwest on High St you enter the modern Cambridge filled with brew pubs, restaurants, and upscale retail. Just a few more blocks in that direction you can still see the scars left from the riots of the sixties. If you look southeast down Spring Street you see the marina and modern apartment blocks. At the corner of High and Spring it the statue memorializing Harriett Tubman.

If I had written this review before COVID I would have given Cambridge a higher score. Cambridge still has a lively downtown, but it is not as lively as it was before Covid. A number of restaurants have closed and there are too many empty store fronts on Race Street. But given the small size of the town, Cambridge has a remarkable number of very good restaurants. It also has a number of lovely parks along the waterfront and some interesting retail.
There are many beautiful towns on the bay shore on Delmarva. Cambridge may not be the prettiest, but it played a significant role in American history, and that combined with some excellent restaurants make it well worth the visit.
Places rated in or near Cambridge
Review Date | Place | Category | Score |
2025 Jan | Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Center | Museum | 9.95 |
2025 Jan | Blackwater Wildlife Refuge | National Park | 9.33 |
2025 Jun | Emily’s | Retail/Farmers Market | 9.17 |
2025 Jun | 411 Kitchen | Event/cooking | 9.16 |
2025 Feb | Ava’s Pizzeria | Restaurant/pizza | 9.04 |
2025 Jan | RAR Brewing | Restaurant/brew pub | 8.76 |
2025 Jun | Blackwater Bakery | Restaurant/ bakery | 8.60 |
Places reviewed in or near Cambridge
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