Gambier

Tiny Gambier is a college town in Knox County, Ohio, centered around Kenyon College. Kenyon dominates the village, with a student body of 1,600 in a town of fewer than 2,500.

Get in

The easiest way into Gambier is by car. Kenyon College also maintains a list of transport options for the benefit of its students.

By bus

Knox Area Transit, 25 Columbus Road, Mt. Vernon, +1 740 392-7433, kat@co.knox.oh.us. M–F 6AM–7PM, Sa 6AM–5PM. Door-to-door service in and out of Knox County (call for rates), as well as $1 shuttles between Gambier and Mount Vernon (hourly M-F 8AM-10PM, Sa 2-10PM), with transfers available to local shuttles within Mount Vernon.
GoBus. Regular service to Columbus, Mount Vernon, Wooster and other locations.

By bicycle

The Kokosing Gap Trail (see below) connects Gambier with Mount Vernon.

Get around

Walk. The gravel path running through the village, known as Middle Path, is an important landmark. It runs about a mile from Bexley Hall at its northern end, through the town itself, and south to Old K(enyon), the college's first building. Where Middle Path meets Wiggin Street is a pillared entrance called the "Gates of Hell" by the college's students. While technically private property, the campus is open to the public (you need a Kenyon-issued ID card to get into any actual academic buildings or dorms).

See

Kenyon College, 40.374722°, -82.397222°. A small liberal arts college founded in 1824, the main attraction in Gambier. 2017-06-20
Gund Gallery, 101½ College Drive, 40.374855°, -82.397947°. T–F 11AM–5PM, Sa Su 1–5PM (only open when an exhibition is on view, check first). Art gallery named for Graham Gund, an architect closely associated with Kenyon. 2021-07-11

Do

Lowry Center, 40.3706°, -82.3928°. Kenyon's athletic center. Free for Kenyon Inn guests. 2018-12-08
Brown Family Environmental Center, 9781 Laymon Road, 40.373796°, -82.406198°. Open daily, sunrise to sunset. Nature preserve with 9 miles (15 km) of trails through multiple habitats, as well as educational programs about nature. 2021-07-11
Kokosing Gap Trail, 40.369355°, -82.39208°. This paved, 14-mile (23-km) trail extends from Mount Vernon past Gambier to Danville. It's beautiful, especially in the fall, and good for biking or walking. You can see a 1940s-era locomotive and caboose on the trail near Gambier. 2021-11-20

Buy

Kenyon College Bookstore, 106 Gaskin Ave, 40.376828°, -82.396652°. The longest continuously operating college bookstore in the US (or so it claims). A fun store, not just textbooks but also a good collection of trade fiction, Kenyon swag, and random products, as well as snacks like ice cream and coffee. Good for gifts.
The Village Market. A small market. Don't do your grocery shopping here (it's more expensive than your standard big-box supermarket), but convenient for quick purchases. Also sells a hot dog, the "Market Dog".

Eat and drink

Gambier Deli, 110 Gaskin Ave, 40.377074°, -82.396647°, +1 740-427-4324, gambierdeli@gmail.com. M–Sa 9AM–2PM, Su 10AM–3PM. Inexpensive option with an extensive menu of bagels, sandwiches, salads, and standard deli fare. Good pancakes.
The Kenyon Inn & Restaurant, 100 W Wiggin St, 40.376407°, -82.397811°, +1 740-427-2202. The fanciest option for dining in Gambier, where visiting scholars eat when they come to Kenyon.
The Village Inn, 102 Gaskin Ave, 40.376495°, -82.396588°, +1 740-427-2112. M–Sa 11AM–10PM; bar stays open late. A bar and restaurant popular with students and locals. Try the spinach and artichoke dip.
Wiggin Street Coffee, 101 Wiggin St, 40.376126°, -82.396623°. The coffee shop on campus, also serving bagels and other snacks. Usually full of students studying.

Sleep

Kenyon maintains a list of accommodations in Gambier and nearby areas.

Kenyon Inn, 100 W. Wiggin Street, 40.376360°, -82.397860°, +1 740 427-2202. 2017-05-14

Connect

Gambier Branch Library, 115 Meadow Ln (in the Gambier Community Center). M Th F 10AM-5PM, Tu W 11AM-8PM, Sa 10AM-4PM. Computers available for public use. 2020-04-22

Cope

Media

Kenyon Collegian. Kenyon's student newspaper. 2018-12-08
The Kenyon Review. A well known literary magazine, affiliated with the college but not a student publication. 2018-12-08
The Kenyon Observer. A student political journal, but not widely read on campus. 2018-12-08
WKCO (91.1FM), NA°, NA°. Student-run radio station. 2018-12-08

Go next

Mount Vernon – county seat of Knox County and the largest town close to Gambier. About 10-15 minute drive depending on which route you take.
Coshocton - county seat of Coshocton County to the east

Gambier - village in Ohio