Cambria Friesland Chamber of Commerce

Several citizens of the Cambria and Friesland areas have achieved national and international fame.

Brothers David H. Houston and Peter Houston. Peter Houston developed the idea for the “Kodak” camera while living on a farm near Cambria. David applied for the first patent on the process in 1881. The brothers obtained a total of 22 Houston patents between the years of 1881 and 1902. David Houston moved to North Dakota. Peter Houston remained in this area and is buried in the Rosedale Cemetery.

Davie Jones. Davie Jones, a Cambria native, was one of baseball’s premier shortstops and outfielders in the era prior to World War I. He played in the 1907 World Series for the Chicago Cubs representing the National League. Davie batted .353 in that series compared to Ty Cobb who hit at only .200! Davie Jones was inducted into the Wisconsin Hall of Fame in Milwaukee in 1965.

David R. Jones. David R. Jones grew to notoriety as one of the leading architects in the State of Wisconsin. He was the main architect for the state between 1873 and 1885, and was commissioned to design the South Wing addition to the State Capitol. Many of his buildings are listed on National, State and local registers. Two notable buildings you can still visit today are the Congregational Church in Whitewater and the Washburn Observatory and Music Hall at the UW-Madison. Jones was also a nationally known poet with two books of poetry published. David R. Jones died in 1915 and is buried in the Cambria Cemetery.

David Behnke. David Behnke was a pioneer pilot who learned to fly in 1914 at the age of 15. The following year he joined the Army Aviation Corp and became a test pilot during World War I. He established Checkerboard Field in Chicago. He earned the “AP” rating, the highest award achievable in Army flying. David Behnke was an ardent supporter of flight safety and organized the Air Lines Pilot Association. In 1993 David Behnke was honored for his contributions to aviation by being inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame.

Gena Rowlands. Gena Rowlands, a native Cambrian, achieved fame as a Hollywood actress. She appeared on Broadway in “The Middle of the Night” opposite Edward G. Robinson. Gena made her Hollywood film debut starring in “The High Cost of Living” with Jose Ferrer. In 1974, Gena starred in “A Woman Under the Influence, a movie written and directed by her husband, John Cassavetes. Her brilliant performance earned her an Academy Award nomination and The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.