A Bright Spot On The Illinois Prairie: Champaign-Urbana, Illinois 4K.

Champaign-Urbana is home to the University of Illinois. These two cities stand out in a state that has a higher net population loss than any other since 2010.
Urbana: 1:02 - 6:25
Downtown Urbana: 2:02 - 6:25
University of Illinois Campus: 5:05 - 6:25
Campustown: 6:20 - 9:00
U of I campus again: 9:00 - 11:05
Champaign: 12:23 - 26:52
Downtown Champaign: 13:13 - 13:55
Market Place Shopping Center (The regional indoor mall): 15:50
Prospect Avenue: 18:23 - 22:48
Kirby Avenue: 22:48 - 23:58
Mattis Avenue: 23:58 - 25:41
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[@ChrisHarden]

EVERYTHING THAT I USE IN THE FIELD: Main Camera: amzn.to/3iS4vvF Side Cameras: amzn.to/2WuCYIs Media Mod for Camera: amzn.to/3j7CMGF Lav Mic: amzn.to/3lsMkz9 Drone: amzn.to/3ITcKBV SD Cards: amzn.to/3C2co9O Camera Mounts: amzn.to/2UXVR6p Cables Required for Longer Recordings: amzn.to/3BYnr3Q Computer: amzn.to/3787b2j External Hard Drive: amzn.to/3lb23Tf WHAT I USE AT HOME: Computer: amzn.to/3rKIdiN Sound Mixer: amzn.to/3C15Ubx Microphone: amzn.to/2VaCjvo Microphone Accessories: amzn.to/3v7A35Z INTERACTIVE MAP that shows you all of the places that I've made videos on: (Doesn't always work on mobile devices. Will always work on PC.) www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?hl=en&mid=1Lhzf04ocimPu-ROkg4cfXEYEvKMNnlI5&ll=42.68506257358429%2C-84.48366841804642&z=9 SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT INFO: Email: [e-mail] On Twitter: twitter.com/Chris_Harden55 On Instagram: instagram.com/c_harden7/?... On Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisHardenYT/ DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. As an Amazon Associate I do earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. As always, thank you for supporting my channel!

[@Doomlaser]

In Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, Hal 9000, the ship computer, mentions that he was born in Urbana, Illinois

[@argent3629]

makes sense with the supercomputer at UIUC

[@ZenityStudios]

That's a cool fact. UIUC is a top school for computer science

[@MattWileyArt]

When 2001 screens in Champaign, the audience cheers when HAL says that.

[@picklefish74]

Yeah, I remember when that day finally came along when I was in High school, it was kind of a bog deal.

[@davidbalut4149]

@@argent3629 it is really because the transistor was invented at UIUC hence the birth of the computer

[@garywhite3264]

You missed the most prominent landmark of Champaign/Urbana, what is currently named State Farm Center. This sports dome built in the sixties is actually a thin wall lightweight concrete structure. The design is based on a "folded paper" principle that gives the dome it's column-free strength. The shadows cast by the folds give it a striking other-worldly appearance. When you get that drone flying you may want to shoot State Farm Center on a bright sunny early morning. Otherwise, I enjoyed the video. Nice work.

[@blitzio]

As an international iMBA student at the University of Illinois I can't travel to my school because of COVID, so your video is really helping me explore and learn more about the city before I head there in person hopefully next year!

[@qx7458]

you will love and miss it.

[@getteasprec6003]

same here!!

[@sunburst6186]

It’s been a year, did you ever head there in person?

[@robertoandrada]

My dad went to graduate school there from 1972 to 1974, as an international student, and got a MSc in civil engineering. He always told me great things about UIUC and the great time he had there and how it changed his life. We are from Paraguay, South America, so Imagine going there alone at that time, from very far away in your 20’s, that must have been a very tough and brave decision to make. I always wanted to know what the city looked like and just imagine how life was back then when he lived there. We always had plans to go there and visit his beloved school but somehow it never happened and he never managed to go back. He passed away in 2016 and I would love to go there and visit the city and of course UIUC, just to honor his memory.

[@cyberfearbot]

A fun little fact. A famous rapper named Ludacris was born in this town.

[@ChrisHarden]

No way... that's Ludacris that I didn't know that and mention it when making this video!

[@tutorialsbyaaron6707]

Oh wow I didn’t know that I always thought he was born in Chicago

[@GeorgeCruickshank]

Went to Urbana High School for a minute but idk if he was born here

[@zealanddublin9047]

I lived in this area almost 16 years. Didn't know that!!

[@celiagorleski2716]

Lincoln Square Mall has really deteriorated since I lived in Illinois. There used to be a nice shopping area in downtown Champaign but it is nonexistent now It's filled with business office buildings. U of I Is really considered to be in Urbana . The biggest growth that I see everytime I return to Illinois is on North Prospect on the west side of Champaign and residential areas south of Champaign along I-57. On North Prospect, you can buy everything or eat any type of food. The big mall has had its ups and downs as anchor stores moved out. I was surprised to see a Costco there last fall.Both Urbana and Champaign have a large number of medical facilities.My sister graduated from U of I. And my dad was a die hard Fighting Illini fan till the day he died. I stay in Urbana when I go to Illinois. You chose some rather nondescript roads at the end. If you'd continue south you would come close to a small but nice airport that we use when flying into the area from Texas. It's address would be the small town of Savoy.

[@chriskim6261]

Very helpful!

[@yousefnoori]

Yup! Savoy is practically part of C-U. The airport has flights to O'hare, Charlotte & Dallas-Ft Worth. It's very convenient honestly

[@alexandertebo4011]

Would also add that he skipped southwest Champaign which is the nicest part, where the money is really. Lincolnshire Country Club etc

[@platinumpagoda3079]

My hometown! I can't say enough about how clean the u of I campus has become with all the renovation in the last 20 years. It looks completely different. There are no dingy, poorly-lit nooks or alleyways anymore. Compared to my teen years, the campus is sterile and shiny.

[@johannaweichsel3602]

Central, Centennial, or Urbana? (Or Uni, if you're a smarty-pants lol)

[@platinumpagoda3079]

@@johannaweichsel3602 Born in Urbana but went to school in Mahomet. Post HS I've lived in both.😎

[@jdsshows2920]

yup im watching this video in champaighn

[@TheFanOfFans04]

Born in Urbana and lived in Champaign

[@marianneandrews8338]

Music is terrible

[@ChrisHarden]

Would you like to create a song for me on the violin that I can use for my videos?

[@icmusic472]

I low key miss Champaign

[@nickfittipaldi5741]

Me too

[@tutorialsbyaaron6707]

My friend really misses it

[@anthonymccoy1942]

Feel I spent from 18 to 46 there,now in Miami, time to get back to partly retarded and home

[@Sammie551]

Low key?

[@johannaweichsel3602]

High key me too

[@joshm4782]

“You people in Champaign need to stop assaulting and robbing eachother” got a lol out of me. It’s rough out here in these 217 streets!!

[@SS6496]

Frankly, that statement was disrespectful. I was raised in Champaign and took immediate offense to that/this statement.

[@binkiehewitt7926]

@@SS6496 ...me too my mom still there snd i left less then a year ago afyer my first 34 years. What an A$$

[@SS6496]

@@binkiehewitt7926 Thank you. Although I've resided in North Las Vegas, NV for almost 14 years, I still represent Champaign, Illinois to the fullest. My phone continues to have a have a 217 area code.

[@donalddavis6689]

Josh!! You People Are God People!! Your Statement Are Off 👎 👎.. Guns 🔫 And Drugs 💉.. Africans, African-American's, And The Native Americans Didn't Put Guns 🔫 And Drugs 💉.. Your Ancestors Did.. They Also But Slavery Here As Well And Stole Both Lands From Africa 🌍 And The Native American Indians 🌎.. We Had This Land Before Your Side Came Here.. My Ancestors Both Of Them 🌞 ☁.. P.S. So Stop Coming On This Man That's Showing Us.. The Difference Cities Of The United State's Of America 🇺🇸 ⚖.. Get A Life.. Racist Ass.

[@donalddavis6689]

@@SS6496 Hi Are You Doing? Tyrone Chatman.. I Just Got On Here.. And Read What Josh M. Said.. He Are A Very Disrespectful Racist Man 👨.. He Are Ignorant To God Himself.. Ignore Him.

[@mbakBud21]

I did my graduate degree at dept of Food science fr 1987-1990. Watching this video I can not recognise U/C anymore

[@jacquelynamcc]

Thank you so much for this informative video! I'm from Chicago and I'm looking into going to UIUC. I recently toured WIU and I hated how small the town was and startedto worry thet the same situationwould happen with UIUC. After watching this video, I was shocked at how parts of downtown look like they could be in Chicago!

[@tjn2254]

Western is way smaller then Champaign

[@voltrondefofunv5708]

Jacquelyn chi i think thats America period or any part of the world one track mind get ur head out ur ass

[@jacquelynamcc]

@@voltrondefofunv5708 why are you so mad? Lol

[@deborahmcintyre5216]

A lot of us call campustown little Chicago... lol!

[@ramencurry6672]

I just visited for the first time. It’s a nice area

[@kamaya325]

it’s weird seeing my hometown like this lol

[@kaylathurston3828]

For reallll

[@madiscs]

omg a stay in champaign??

[@kamaya325]

@@madiscs yesss are you a stayyy???

[@vallerie8893]

Omg you like skz🥺 i might be going there this year for college, its good to know there are more stays🥰

[@kamaya325]

@@vallerie8893 wowww!!! i didn’t know they existed other than me in my town

[@salesbaymont1476]

In Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, Hal 9000, the ship computer, mentions that he was born in Urbana, Illinois

[@PWPH1984]

I remember on the date he was supposed to be created, you could go to the local post office and get a commemorative stamp for his "birthday". I still have mine!

[@picklefish74]

Champaign was also a great place to grow up too. Now. I live just a couple of miles west on Champaign now in a tiny little town called Bondville.

[@sartorialdriver6528]

I only ever partied at U of I as a guest in the mid 2010s for unofficiall, but thanks for driving by the many spots I drunkenly shambled by in this ever-evolving town.

[@dcvalentine1]

Born and raised in Chambana lol

[@bigtom1869]

Hey man where was your background picture taken?

[@picklefish74]

My favorite alumni is Roger Ebert. Champaign has an annual Roger Ebert Film Festival.

[@dwaynecollins3408]

When you have Twin Cities, like Champaign/Urbana, there is a great deal of competitiveness. You spent plenty of time on downtown Urbana and Campustown but did downtown Champaign a great injustice, traveling north on Walnut, a parallel side street to the main downtown street, and did not travel south on Neil, the main downtown Champaign business street. The Champaign business community has spent lots of time and money reviving the business area. I have not lived in Champaign for 30 years but grew up there and although I would never move back, there is still a small amount of pride.

[@TheSicknessUntoDeath]

Yeah, he missed 1/2 of downtown Champaign. Unlike his statement in the video, while campus has exploded in growth, so has downtown Champaign, especially regarding restaurants and nightlife, though the pandemic has harmed this significantly.

[@adventureguy4119]

We door dash here in the 12-4am hours the college kids are thankful and greatful for our service. Ofcourse you seen the latenight drunk ones but they are so far and few between its not bad

[@michaelrizzitiello3417]

Awesome video. U of I Class of 2009 Alum. If you film a video again in Chambana it would be neat if you could drive thru Southeast part of City of Urbana (Philo Rd, Florida Ave, High Cross Rd, Windsor Rd). It would also be neat to cover some of the development in Savoy.

[@johannaweichsel3602]

Yeah, it's got a lot of nice but kind of pricey development.

[@adityaravishankar8344]

Reduce the background music volume mate. That is annoying. Otherwise I really like this video and the vibe. Your voice is also very smooth and calming.

[@picklefish74]

And because Roger Ebert is an ulumni of UIUC, we have the annual Roger Ebert film festival.

[@deboraf9987]

My uncle, Warren York, was Roger Ebert’s favorite accompanist for the silent film fest there because, not only did he live in Urbana, he played the grand Wurlitzer regularly at the theater and knew how to hit all the sound effects in addition to great musical accompaniment. (When Warren died they made his signature red socks mandatory for the Eagle Theater organists as a tribute.)

[@gwheelock911]

@11:08 is where I watched a beautiful, young, UIUC student get struck by a car on Sunday, September 9, 2001. She died a few days later. I ran across the street and tried to render aid as I'm a paramedic, but there really wasn't much I could do. The vision of her body on the roof of the car will always be with me. RIP.

[@jeffw1246]

I love Champaign and Illinois, you turned left at the end because you saw the Monicals pizza sign subliminally.

[@dawngibbs691]

Well I hate this state Illinois sucks

[@jeffw1246]

@@dawngibbs691 I love my home, but hate the political environment and ever higher taxes. Far enough from hurricanes and venomous bugs and most snakes. Hate to say it but yet may be a refugee from my home state.

[@dawngibbs691]

I live in wood River Illinois it's like 2 hours from there and I hate it here

[@AaronPly7]

I'm shocked at the size of those new buildings for a city thos size. This must be one of the smallest stand alone cities in the country with that many highrise buildings.

[@ChrisHarden]

I was too!

[@Rxnextgenradio]

Well collectively both cities are over 100k people so not really. And I say collectively not because they’re sister cities but because Urbana is annexed into Champaign (iirc)

[@robertbrown3902]

Yeah, interestingly even more are being currently being built here. Mostly apartment complexes for the constant influx of college students but also office buildings and the like.

[@jkim3323]

It is mostly apartments for rich international students. They tend to stay near campus. Demands for semi luxurious apartments, walkable distance to campus, etc..

[@coryburris8211]

@Slopjaw Johnson all those high rise buildings in Campustown are privately owned, no tax $ involved

[@randygiles845]

He completely bypassed the actual Main Street of downtown Urbana.

[@keeshakhan7136]

Sweet, I stomp these streets daily.

[@GoWestYoungMan]

Could almost pass for a Canadian city. The one notable difference is how spread out this place is. US cities are less compact and US houses typically sit on bigger lots. You get a bigger lawn but then it takes you twice as long to get anywhere.

[@TheGeebsterYT]

Actually Champaign Urbana is quite dense with a density of around 4000 per square mile and both cities together only being 20-30 square miles big.

[@brianrankin7602]

Never have been to Champaign-Urbana. It looks to be a very pretty town. Thank you for doing this video.

[@binkster01]

Enjoy the video and comments but HATE the "musick"!

[@Bo-jl8jr]

Not that annoying

[@galaxynews720]

Just like all of my trips to Champaign, it ended at Monical's Pizza!

[@THEMIDWESTVIEW]

Hey im in this video loll

[@illinoisdriver2685]

Just discovered your channel a couple days ago and been binge watching. Nice videos! Keep up the great work!

[@ChrisHarden]

Appreciate the love!

[@billybobjoe5196]

I love uiuc and hope I get accepted from the waitlist

[@ZenityStudios]

Good luck!

[@randycox3522]

it's the university of illinois at urbana-champaign

[@ChrisHarden]

... Or, it's the University of Illinois. No?

[@paulaolson8956]

You are correct. It’s Urbana- Champaign, hence UIUC. Signed 1979 alum.

[@Rxnextgenradio]

@@ChrisHarden Yeah but there's one in Chicago too owned by the UIUC

[@sb-tb1oh]

​@@ChrisHarden no. Place needs to be specified. Could be Chicago or Springfield. It's actually University of illinois at Urbana Champaign

[@aps125]

I graduated from U of I, BSEE class of 1999. I missed the good time

[@cdw4255]

At 9:57 when you stopped at the corner of Oregon and Goodwin, to the left above the coffee shop was Hugh Hefner's apartment. Then you turned left, that's the building I work in in the left.

[@cvkline]

You missed another area of very rapid growth: what they call Midtown, which is between downtown Champaign (east of the railroad tracks) and Campustown. It mostly stretches along First Street north of University. The city has been working hard to develop that area as a "bridge" of sorts between downtown and Campustown. You didn't comment on it, but at about the 33 minute mark you drove south on Prospect Avenue through one of the most hated parts of town. Along that stretch are all the big box stores (Meijer, Walmart, Best Buy, Lowe's, Target, etc). Traffic is horrific there thanks to all the lights and people turning in and out of all the giant parking lots. However, it's hard to avoid it visiting it altogether because there's always something you need from one of those giant stores! I've lived in Champaign-Urbana for my entire adult life, thanks for touring around it and showing it in such a positive light.

[@elizabethj3561]

It reminds me of Veterans Pkwy in Bloomington IL. I stopped in Champaign on my way back home to Austin TX from Rochelle. Both streets bad with traffic yet everything of significance is on those streets LOL.

[@coryburris8211]

The worst part of that mess on North Prospect is that Champaign had a city planner, a graduate of the U of I Urban Planning department... not a good reflection of the program.

[@concorde2003]

It's Champaign-Urbana, a complete shithole. The details are unimportant IMHO.

[@anna.318]

I'm so fascinated watching this! I lived in Illinois until I was 6, then moved to California. I had such good memories in Illinois and I miss it. I think Illinois is beautiful compared to California because there's something about the countryside that is more special and cozy while where I live now it is very suburban

[@foxy3179]

I live in st louis😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@GetOuttaMyFae]

That’s so funny, I lived in Cali until I was 6 and then moved to Illinois. I have missed Cali since I left, but after living in Illinois for so long I am not about to pay $1,500 for a one bedroom apartment 🙃. I still visit at least once a year though.

[@ramencurry6672]

Illinois is paradise. It should be one of the 7 wonders of the world.

[@deborahmcintyre5216]

Reo speedwagon is from Champaign So much of that construction is now buildings and stores ... and the huge building project at the mall is now Costco

[@claygruberman6951]

I saw online that ang lee, director of life of pi was a notable alumni.

[@adrianmontelongo9707]

I love Champaign Illinois, it is lovely small town, it kind fun out there, it lot shopping store, market place mall,restaurant. I been there for many times. I live from Danville Illinois. Great video drive around Champaign Urbana and I love it

[@haynowt.v3925]

Yup back block bootleg

[@keeshakhan7136]

I love it too. I know every street he was on. Near to see it on screen than actually being there.

[@deboraf9987]

I was born in Urbana, then lived in Danville for a bit too, then Westville which is only a couple miles down the highway. I haven’t been back since mid-seventies but still recognize some of these streets. Even saw the hospital where I was born. It’s apparently a Carle Kaiser now I think, but was a Carle Memorial in my day. He was driving a little fast at that point but I’m *pretty sure* it was a Kaiser.

[@kimiastewart6293]

I visited the campus in 1989, saw a football game and walked around the whole campus, wow, it's huge!!

[@Sarah-qr3rr]

Moving here for law school with my husband and 2 small kids. Thanks for the video!

[@ChrisHarden]

Good luck!

[@daraoluwafemi5657]

Do you resume Fall 2022?

[@johannaweichsel3602]

Bottenfield Elementary School is my old elementary, it's small but really nice IMO.

[@matteoternullo4114]

Good 🇮🇹💪

[@cop39fl]

my dad lived there for 30 yrs and was employed by carl hospital, along with his wife and my 2 half sisters. it was nice and slow paced to enjoy what it had to offer, in 2 minutes your out in the cornfields enjoying n state parks and relief from in town stress. during my visits with my dad we would often go out to homer and have lunch in the diner and go fishing in a slake near it. house prices are reasonable but they get ya in property tax's for sure which should be cut by 30% compared to the value you get for govermental services. i would'nt mind becoming a sorta snow bird....leasing a apt for a year and spending my summers in a quiet town. ( me) chicago to cocoa beach fl...(age22) to ft lauderdale ( age 26 )....since 1986. i can't say career wise what would have happened if i stayed in illinois but glad i left and pursued my life's ambitions.

[@emu5088]

My favorite alumnus of U of I? She's sitting next to me

[@jeffholloway7974]

I am about to turn 61, and I never remember the Illini being in good in football. But, I hear UI has one of the best computer science programs in the world. I remember HAL from the movie and book 2001 being born at UI.

[@jacquelinek5036]

They were undefeated in the Big Ten in 1982 and went to the Rose Bowl. Of course the next year there were sanctions. We can't seem to recruit successfully without cheating.

[@TaverRecords]

I used to live in Champaign Illinois it was OK not the best

[@ladesigner8764]

So many better and prettier college towns.

[@mankdemes7909]

You should totally do Iowa city plus the surrounding cities if you ever get the chance!

[@ChrisHarden]

I'll get there eventually!

[@BoiledButts]

Hehe, you missed most of downtown Champaign, and downtown Urbana (downtown Urbana is super small, but you crossed through it)

[@ZANIAHRENE09]

My mom is born and raise in Urbana illinois, My dad was born in Florida, But he moved up here with is mom

[@rayedwards4132]

This video has changed my perspective on Champaign. I go to Mattoon and Charleston regular, and Even thought of moving there but now you got me considering Champaign in the equation as well.

[@bookishness652]

Campus area brought back such wonderful memories! I haven’t been back in a few years and it’s interesting to see the many changes they’ve made. Thanks for the video!

[@coryburris8211]

I was back on campus in 2015 for the first time in over a decade and was amazed at how much had changed!

[@cycnleus6815]

wired music, can't tolerate

[@ebert8756]

"Nostalgia Tours" is the right name for this. It was fun to see the place again.

[@UberAdventure]

It's not just Champaign-Urbana. "Savoy" is part of the city and is located just south of downtown Champaign. Savoy is also where the local airport is with commercial and private flight's including a new customs & border patrol for international flights. P.S the population has seen consistent growth for 10+ years and now stand over 240k

[@ChrisHarden]

Champaign County has a population of 209K, so how could the population of the three cities that you mention be 240K?

[@UberAdventure]

@@ChrisHardenGoogle doesn't have up-to-date numbers and as a local who has taken part in different consensus studies I'd be more informed than somebody on KZbin

[@UberAdventure]

@@ChrisHarden the US census also hasn't been updated since 2019

[@hotshotsurfer69]

Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy are just shy of 140k based off of 2019 population estimates. Roughly 15k less based off 2010 census. Your numbers are off. And Savoy is not considered part of the city. It would be part of the Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area.

[@UberAdventure]

@@hotshotsurfer69quoting data from 2019 LMFAO it's clear you're not from around here and wouldn't know that Savoy is completely integrated just like urbana

[@icmusic472]

I'm still watching this video so idk if you went over by Parkland College but I used to live right over there when I lived in Champaign

[@phillipsmusic3871]

I know its not technically correct but I still pronounce it as urbaña

[@jupitersaturnuranusneptune2816]

Spent my first two months in the US at U of I back in 1975, lived in Bromley Hall. It is quite interesting that Murphy's Pub still exists! I went on to graduate from The Ohio State University. Love your video, thanks for sharing

[@shawnkim8542]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God loves you and want to forgive your sins. Repent and believe in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ name I pray. Amen.

[@sokola311]

When you went downtown you only showed one block of it. You only went down walnut st. Come back and do it again. lol. This was a great video!

[@ChrisHarden]

Haha. Early on I wasn’t the best at planning out routes for cities and towns. Probably would’ve made 2 videos, one on Champaign and another on Urbana if I were to do it again. Maybe I will 🤔

[@sb-tb1oh]

You also didn't do downtown urbana justice, nor mid town. Some of the residential neighborhoods might also be of interest architecturally. You need a townie to direct you 😊

[@anbasilio]

Didn’t show Memorial Stadium and State Farm Center but great video otherwise!!!

[@binkiehewitt7926]

My home town lived there from 1986 to july 2020. Miss my momma buy thats the most

[@raymondlion314]

Spent almost three years in this university town. Now I am back to my own country.

[@roxanneg6538]

Did you like living there?

[@kaylathurston3828]

Champaign is a good compromise from small town life and city life. You can still live in small neighborhoods, get to know your neighbors but have access to campus which has restaurants and shops reminiscent of things you find in Chicago. My uncle owns Lincoln Square Mall, it’s gone downhill. Only people wanting to rent spaces there are things that don’t draw in public attention (very very few shops and restaurants)

[@MisterHoodrich89]

that's the deal with malls almost everywhere. thank Amazon.

[@sb-tb1oh]

Well there is the farmer's market held outside in the warm months and the inside during winter. And the Co-op.

[@jjnelson2855]

My hometown. I can tell you anything you want to know about c-u in 70s and 80s. I remember watching Market Place be built sitting in the middle of cornfields. Downtown Champaign in 70s was great shopping. One Friday night each summer they had moonlight madness sale. I remember the 2 big fires downtown. I remember the 2 fires at country fair too. I remember the tornado in 70s. When my dad was a kid city hall was the fire station. My family has been around there since the 1930s. I grew up in Devonshire which was THE neighborhood in late 60s, 70s and 80s. Champaign is a very wealthy city as well…many of friends and classmates families were the who’s who of Champaign.

[@coryburris8211]

8:04 the grassy vacant lot at the southwest corner of 4th and Green is the former site of O'Malley, a great campus dive bar. Every night (it seemed anyway) they played American Pie and all the kids sang along. My history TA held his office hours there!

[@ralvin3614]

Can’t wait to come back after almost a year of staying home. Gotta end senior year with a bang!

[@ChrisHarden]

Finish strong!

[@williampowell8125]

thanks for letting us be your passenger. exited to see your anna il vid one day.

[@ChrisHarden]

Stay tuned

[@coryburris8211]

13:19 "most of the growth and activity appears to be in Campustown". True, but downtown Champaign has improved a lot since I was a student, back then it was a dying downtown like most of the others in Central Illinois.

[@coryburris8211]

14:42 "you can't put too much stock into the high poverty levels" as he reaches the corner of Market and Bradley, near the most impoverished part of town

[@sb-tb1oh]

​@@coryburris8211 also...students, especially grad students. Residents but low income. But it's possible to live decently on low income here.

[@MariaM-fu6wm]

I❤ Fernando

[@korihendon4180]

Lived here in college and then for a year caring for elderly mother. Love it. Temple Grandin u of i alumni

[@michaelgarrity6090]

With all the new development near the campus and around town is like that going on in Gainesville, Florida, home of the University of Florida. I am impressed with what you have shown. Living here, you would feel like it is the 21st century.

[@trinityzee8233]

You should do Carbondale, Illinois as well!!

[@ChrisHarden]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5SXmomcbrGSZ8U

[@jaredtolbert3133]

Got a subscribe for this vid the only problem with living here is living here.

[@charleskittler4330]

Class of 1974..... I must say the growth of CU is amazing. Both towns are one of the few bright spots in downstate Illinois.😷

[@CevinBeverly]

I just saw myself

[@st3lll442]

my parents grew up there and i lived there until i was 4. i still have fam there and it’s so weird seeing how much it’s changed since i was young

[@anna.318]

I lived there until I was 6 so last time I've been there was 2008 so idk how much it changed

[@goldsilverdiamonds.1795]

These places sorta looks interesting. I've never been there before.

[@jackj.hutchens9209]

the state doesn't have high taxes; that's a myth. its a 4% flat tax. i don't get how that's high.... and retirement isn't taxed.

[@jackj.hutchens9209]

@@MrJimShorts and with the high property taxes you get.... good education! kinda isn't a mystery why somewhere like Alabama is in the toilet when it comes to schools. "at least we don't have to pay the guvment nothin!"

[@sb-tb1oh]

You didn't go through any residential streets. Just saying. Nice to see any coverage of champaign urbana though 😂 also you gave short shrift to both downtown Urbana and Champaign. 😢 just saying

[@frankm7707]

Poverty? There are approximately 35,000 students enrolled and each will spend +40k per academic year. That’s +1.4 billion dollars income to the city, nearby businesses, and university.

[@tita5580]

DO THEY SUPPORT LGBTQ HUMAN RIGHTS in 2024? My question please someone answer me

[@craignovy2090]

Terrific video! Looks like "Campus Town" is the really big driver. How cool that a university has its own downtown. Wake up Illinois state government and reform the tax regime so that much more of my home state can look like this.

[@kaylathurston3828]

You drove right past my work how cool!

[@maketriawashington7226]

Great city

[@edwinwise6751]

We lived in different parts of CU when my dad got his doctorate from UI . Our real home was coastal Virginia . The winters were crazy

[@BHV0810]

I go to Champaign for college! I love this city!

[@JoBC88U]

Love seeing my Hometown/Cities through another person's eye. You hit on the major arteries but not enough of Urbana, would have took South Lincoln to Florida Ave to Southern part of Campus (Athletic Fields/Stadiums) then head West to 1st St or Neil St to get to Downtown Champaign. Could have mentioned North Prospect as the main Shopping/Restaurant corridor. Going to check your Bloomington-Normal video as I'm an IL State Alum and current work for an Insurance Company in Bloomington.

[@lordgoku03]

i live here

[@meredithroman3212]

I use to live in Champaign. I really would like to watch this video but, The music is so aggravating! No better word than it pisses me off. Need a sedative to attempt to watch it. It’s would be nice to see an upbeat video. Just can’t , the music is that horrible!

[@jbstewart985]

Man I love this town, I'll be sad to leave it when I graduate in May.

[@deboraf9987]

@ChrisHarden I recently discovered you after my curiosity abt Cairo (mentioned in Huckleberry Finn so I had to look it up because I’m from IL). I landed on your KZbin and was haunted by the ghost town. Imagine my delight to see you’ve been to my birthplace of Urbana, IL as well! Haven’t been back for 50+ yrs yet I recognized the hospital I was born in as you passed by. What a wonderful video. I have deep history there - and probably many cousins. Thank you! Sad to hear some stats abt Champaign.

[@nlading]

You really blew through Downtown Champaign and didn't even drive down Main St. Also didn't do justice the the U of I Campus. Overall I did enjoy seeing the town I spent the 90's in, so thanks.

[@johnl2727]

That Macy's Mall in Champaign looked pretty sad to me. The parking lot was deserted (unless you filmed on Sunday morning at 7:00 AM).

[@swagmastergreen1074]

I usually go here on my work breaks for lunch. It gets a decent amount of business. Jus a very average typical mall. Not as deserted as a lot of the ones I been to tho

[@iamdomingas256]

I went to Champagnem /Urbana , its a twin town and very boring and quiet, i stayed there for 3 months , I don't intend to ever come back😊

[@TheAncientOneVI]

The guy who made KZbin also went here

[@bloodCount8895]

Theres Volition Inc on main st

[@TheAncientOneVI]

Champaign Urbana is a great town and a wonderful place to live