Photo: Darla M. Wiese A photograph from the early 1900s reveals how Prospect Street and the former Farmers National Bank once looked in Cambridge.

Photo: Darla M. Wiese A photograph taken in December 2006 shows the corner of Prospect Street and Exchange Street as it stands in Cambridge today. BankORION bought the space once occupied by The Farmers National Bank in 1993. All that remains of the former building is the concrete base.

Walking the streets of Cambridge with 72-year old Harvey Johnson brings quiet tidbits from the town's 164-year history to life.

Cambridge was established in 1843 and, according to a brochure distributed by Village Hall, was originally planned around two public squares, Court Square and College Square. Today College Square is College Square Park and Court Square most likely is the block on Court Street that now houses the village hall.

Mr. Johnson can point out the history and the multiple hats each building along the town's main street, Prospect Street, has worn in his lifetime, sometimes even further back.

"The car dealership used to be a church," recalls Mr. Johnson a member of the local historical society and a lifelong resident of the Cambridge area. "I used to play pool at the auto supply, and Heritage Park is a good tourism draw."

Heritage Historical Park showcases four of the county's most historic buildings, which are arranged to give a small tour of life in the late 1800s. The four buildings are a sand and lime shed from the 1890s, the sheriff's horse barn from the 1850s, the train depot from the 1870s and the one-room courthouse, dating to the 1840s.

The courthouse originally was in nearby Morristown, but that was deemed "unsatisfactory to the people" and it was moved to Cambridge on runners. The courthouse made the 12-mile, two-day trek with the help of 70 oxen. The courthouse was used only for a couple of years before being replaced and since then has occupied various locations in Cambridge.

"It's been moved all over town," laughed Mr. Johnson. "Hopefully, we have it set now."

The seat of Henry County, Cambridge has expanded to a population of about 2,200 people. Prospect Street, however, is often plagued with vacant storefronts.

"Being the county seat is what has kept the town going," said Mr. Johnson. "The railroad was big news in 1870 when it came through, but today it's the county seat and the number of service businesses we have" that serve as the town's life blood.

Looking down Prospect Street, residents and visitors are greeted with a hodgepodge of buildings, some in varying stages of repair, something Deb Van De Woestyne, director of the town's Main Street Association, thinks is a deterrent to new businesses and residents.

To facilitate a better image, and ultimately more business, Cambridge Village Hall and the Cambridge Main Street Association are looking to their past to help shape, or design, their future.

In early 2006, Cambridge was awarded three grants totaling about $1.1 million for the express use of reconstructing and redesigning Prospect Street. The face lift, scheduled to be completed in October, will stretch about three blocks along Prospect Street, from Court to Locust streets, and will invoke an old town charm.

"I'd really like to see some unique specialty shops come in here," said Ms. Van De Woestyne, thinking that such shops would encourage day visitors. "Small towns really have to battle with the big-box towns."

In addition to a few structural repairs on the water main and storm drains, trees will be planted, new lamp posts will be installed and deep red benches and trash receptacles will dot both sides of the street.

"We really wanted a unique look," said Ms. Van De Woestyne of the choices for street landscaping. "We didn't want to look like any other `Main Street town,' so we had five committees meet and come up with the plan. We even had high schoolers on some of the committees. The results, I think, will be very unique to Cambridge."

At the corner of East and Exchange streets, a "pocket park" has been installed to give residents and visitors a taste of what's to come. A red bench and trash receptacle sit on a small square of a brick sidewalk with a lamp post nearby and a touch of landscaping. Inside Village Hall, artist renderings by Shive-Hattery, a Moline architecture and engineering firm, serve as a motivational reminder for the project. The renderings depict what Prospect Street could look like within the year.

"I hope many buildings have been restored and are viable businesses," said Ms. Van De Woestyne of her hopes for Cambridge's future. "I hope the streets are lined with cars."