A rose sits in front of the Athens Central Hotel on East State Street in Athens, Ohio, on 11/20/2021. From hotels to houses to retail chains, E. State street provides the possibility of life for many different people, all with different perspectives and reasons for living where they do.

NOTE: THIS IS A PHOTO ILLUSTRATION. Jordan Armstrong stands outside the front of Avalanche Pizza, a local pizza shop in Athens, Ohio, on 11/29/21. Avalanche Pizza is located on E. State Street, just before the highway, situated between houses and neighborhood roads. Without the business of the commercial side of E. State Street, you might find people walking to Avalanche from their houses, and eating outside on their cars.

A woman runs across the road at the intersection between East State Street and Verona Drive, just by East Elementary School in Athens, Ohio, on 11/20/21.

People walk to and from the entrance of the Kroger off of E. State Street on a busy Saturday afternoon in Athens, Ohio, on 11/20/2021.

"Guardian of the Neighborhood" a dog stands watch inside of a house on East State Street in Athens, Ohio, on 11/17/2021.

The inside of Kindred Market next to the reflection of a house in Athens, Ohio, on 11/10/21. Before the first highway entrance/ exit on State Street, the road mostly consists of neighborhoods and houses. Scattered throughout this section of the street are small businesses, separated from the large commercial zone across the highway, these businesses have a unique feel, as people often walk from home to visit the store.

Ashley Eastman, a manager at Kindred Market, poses in front of the store in Athens, Ohio, on 11/17/21. When talking to Ashley about how the location of the store affects business, she noted that the store wouldn’t be the same on the other side of the highway. Being in the middle of this residential zone creates more personal experiences, perhaps even a greater sense of community around the store. It is not unusual to see people sitting in the parklet to the side of the building, eating, studying, chatting with others.

Two men sit on the top of the Theta Chi house on East State Street in Athens, Ohio, on 11/17/21. Closer to Ohio University campus, State Street turns into mostly student housing, as well as fraternity houses.

The highway exit/ entrance on East State Street, near the Bob Evans and Athens Nails, In Athens, Ohio, on 11/19/21. State Street is busy, and is also very car-centric past this first highway exit. past the point this image is taken becomes hard to travel as a pedestrian, it almost feels as though you are intruding on the car's territory. This is interesting to experience as before the highway exit , State Street is very pedestrian inclusive, with wide sidewalks and crosswalks.

CVS as viewed from Rock Ridge Trail in Athens, Ohio, on 11/19/21. State Street is overlooked by hills containing rich nature and interesting rock formations.

A grave sits atop a hill overlooking State Street in Athens, Ohio, on 11/22/21. The environment surrounding State Street has changed greatly over the last Century or so. The graves of various members of the Mansfield family lie here, who owned a farm in the area. Now, the gravesite is in ruin. The hill it sits on used to overlook a mill and train tracks, now it overlooks Menards and the highway. The Mansfield gravesite has been essentially forgotten, most graves have been weathered away, brush surrounds the grave making it nearly impossible to spot from further down the hill, and there are no trails leading to the gravesite.

A man walks by Family Dollar, located just by the intersection between East Carpenter and East State Street in Athens, Ohio, on 11/10/21. As the brick road dwindles, it becomes clear that one is leaving Ohio University campus, the shift away from students is apparent in the way that East State Street is designed. As you walk further down the road, student housing is replaced by local housing, which is replaced by small businesses, which are replaced by large businesses.