York was supposed to be nothing more than a convenient stop-over, a place to break the long drive home after my visit to Fallingwater.  First impressions weren’t favorable.  It looked like one of those many once-prosperous towns hit hard by the economic downturn: slow-moving, a little shabby and neglected.  It’s sometimes hard to give a place a second look when you’re traveling.  Time is often tight and it’s tempting to move on without exploring beneath the surface of things.  I’m glad I resisted the temptation and lingered a little while in York.

The first surprise was the abundance of historic buildings downtown, mostly brick-built but also some half-timbered, such as The Golden Plough tavern built in 1741.  One of these buildings, the Central Market Hall, built in 1888, felt like the beating heart of York, filled with small stalls selling produce of all kinds and a few eating places such as The Copper Crust Company where I had breakfast.

The more I wandered around the town, the more I noticed the beginnings of York’s tentative revival.  As in many places, it’s a revival that seems to be led by artists.  I stumbled across a number of small studios and galleries, including Marketview Arts Studio which offered affordable work and exhibition spaces to young artists.  And don’t overlook the culinary arts if you find yourself in York.  For a great dinner I’d recommend especially The Left Bank.