Monday Morning Coffee: Amazed In Camden

Last Saturday was a bright rather warm day.  Now usually plan do photo walkabouts on Sundays but the weather predicted for that day was cloudy and perhaps rain.  So went on Saturday.

For many years, cycled rural Eastern Indiana / Western  Ohio roads traveling anywhere from 50 -100 miles a day.  Sadly, those days are long gone.  

Instead of cycling, loaded the camera kit in the car, put Paisley in charge of the headquarters and set off driving along very familiar rural Preble County back-roads.

With no particular destination in mind, just motored along enjoying the sights and recalling past bicycle adventures.

Eventually arrived in the small village of Camden that  was laid out in 1818 as Dover. 

In 1824, the name was changed to Newcomb after State Senator George Newcomb as Dover, Ohio had already been established. This name did not catch on, and in 1835 the village was renamed to Camden. 

Camden with a 2025 population of 1,965 is currently declining at a rate of -0.25% annually.

The average household income in Camden is $56,490 with a poverty rate of 26.15%. The median age in Camden is 42.3 years: 38.8 years for males, and 46.3 years for females.  Reads like just another small town in the Midwest. 

Now usually seek out and photograph early 1900 locations / buildings / lodge halls.

First off the City Hall.       

           Camden, Ohio.

 

Next up, walked around the corner, looked to right and was completely surprised and startled.

   Camden, Ohio.

Now the old I.O.O.F red brick building on the right was expected but the modern up-to-date structure on the left was a complete amazement.  That's no 1900 era building.  What the heck is it doing in Camden?

Turns out, this is the most significant investment in the village of Camden in decades.

The Ship Med with offices in Tampa, Florida and El Dorado Hills, California is a medical supplies company established in 2021 and specializing in wound care management by direct-shipping surgical dressings to patients, demolished several eyesore structures so that they could build their headquarters in Camden, Ohio.

All writing and images © Richard W. Rodgers unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.