ALABAMA: DYING Rural Towns - Far Off The Interstate

I toured a rural area of Alabama, far off the Interstate.
Alabama towns visited:
Jackson
Millry
Silas
Coffeeville
Thomasville
Grove Hill

[@Michael-ep7lx]

The downtowns of many of our small towns have been killed by Walmart. Back in the day, people used to go downtown for clothes, shoes, medicine, haircuts, and many other things that you can now get at Walmart. In my hometown, my doctor's office was there. The optometrist was there. The bank. The hardware store. Now, almost all of those things are in Walmart. Those families that ran those small businesses lost their livelihoods. The buildings lost their value. So, much of the wealth of the town - income and property values - was transferred from local families ... to Walmart. That's why all across rural America most downtowns are practically ghost towns.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

You're right.

[@davidledford3522]

Same shit here in tennesee

[@xoxoxoxoxo7997]

Totally. Sad really

[@jj-eo7bj]

They are ripe for redevelopment for someone with vision

[@moonfall8972]

@@jj-eo7bj I wouldn't say they're "ripe" for redevelopment. It may be too late. Small and diminishing populations can't pay back investments by developers. It would need to revert to a tourist town and success of that is extraordinarily expensive--and unlikely, at least on a ubiquitous scale.

[@ZachJ6]

I live in a small town in Alabama and this is how a lot of towns look like here. Most of the smalls towns have some of the best people you will ever meet.

[@OfftoShambala]

I want to move to Alabama. I hear that a lot. I just want to grow food and be around nice people. Sounds like a dream.

[@celenacasciani8500]

I love the looks of these small towns. As lonely as some of them seem it beats overcrowded city like towns with a lot of not too many genuinely nice people. The older I get the more I want to live the simple life in a small Midwest or Southern town

[@ramencurry6672]

It’s all good. Your belly is full

[@dominickjustave3558]

As long as you're white

[@johncole2469]

Most of these dying towns are self-inflicted and full of good ole boy cliques. I fled that mess and will not go back.

[@austinbumpers3373]

I was born in 1973 in Grove Hill and was raised in Coffeeville. Back in the late 70’s/early 80’s it was a happening little town. I had a great childhood here. It was safe, had lots of friends and a loving community. Things have changed so much and not for the better……Walmart, and the “big city life” is what has killed our little town. There are few jobs unless it deals with the timber industry so people move away to have a “better” life. I work for a paper mill north of Thomasville and drive an hour one way to work. I’ve made my home here in Coffeeville because it’s where I choose to live…..it is HOME!!! This place is special to me and thousands of others who were raised here!

[@Idkkkkk746]

I live kinda close idk if u heard of it but I live in silas al

[@alblack3425]

Dang on progress...

[@debbymiller8828]

I’m an AL native. There are many, many rural communities filled with people who love their small town. Thanks for sharing.

[@markrichards6863]

If it's home, and you're from there, you'll naturally have an affinity fir it, but you can't blame young people for wanting to move away. I thought the little town I lived in in Connecticut was sad, but it's not so bad compared to some of these places.

[@sapphirelane1714]

Also filled with people who love…to gossip about you!😉

[@markrichards6863]

@@sapphirelane1714 I say if people want to gossip about you give them something to talk about. We were in my fiancee home tome in rural Virginia a couple of years ago. About dinner time every day, a late middle age bald guy rides a bike in women's clothes, playing Connie Francis on a boom box, oddly enough not "Where The Boys Are". I suggested spreading a rumor that they couldn't afford a town dunk, so they got a self furnished drag queen. But it turned out the town drunk was a barber, who drowned in a puddle many years earlier. That's was my Fiancees brother and father used to drive into Richmond to get their hair cut. Any how the guy in drag on the bike, was actually a really cool guy, happily married to a woman, just a little eccentric. All I can say is, thank God for a few interesting people in small towns. Otherwise people out there would die of boredom. I think people who engage in vicious gossip are usually either jealous, or have shame about their own situation.

[@michaelnoble5921]

Hello Debby Miller how are you doing today and your family?

[@jmunnyrulz6175]

I bet the folks that still live there love it. Seems so peaceful.

[@kyledouglas7961]

So many good towns and people in the old parts of Alabama. I've lived in Alabama 42 years and ain't seen half of this state

[@ask_why000]

With Remote Working becoming a thing people can move to these areas to revive and thrive. Tiny houses. Local (organic) farms. A local orchards. Buying local first and grocery or big box stores last. A small church. A local library. A small hospital and wellness center. Local doctors who make home visits. A campus of single room school houses. Parks and wide open spaces. ... all far off the Interstate of possibilities...

[@elvangulley3210]

That's terrible nobody wants that

[@wendywehner2320]

@@elvangulley3210 Why is it terrible?

[@derfunkhaus]

Physicians making house calls is cool but it's not really feasible, especially when there is a shortage of primary care doctors. When you have a shortage of physicians, that means that the ones who are in practice in a given town (or the next town over) are very busy and seeing many patients back to back all day long. If they were driving from house to house throughout a whole county then all that drive time in between patients would detract from available patient care time. i.e. They could see far fewer patients per day.

[@itskayceemae234]

It’s not as realistic as you make it seem. I used to live in a rural town in alabama and I don’t miss it at all except for all the land we had around the house. Just having access to broadband was limited. We barely could get 1 mbps for Internet. Older family members still had to travel hours to a bigger city if they needed to see a certain health specialist. The local places were at risk of closing before bigger supply chains too over. These towns dying out is inevitable at this point.

[@williammosley8026]

I'm from Tuskegee . It's the same all over . Mindset . Most are just waiting around to ☠️ they don't want to go outside and really just don't care about life and nature . The fading color

[@charlesjordan4933]

I live in scottsboro, Alabama & 2020 census said our population was 15,578 that year ! 💝 I love my small town. I've actually never lived anywhere with a larger population !! (I'm 44) I've lived on mountains with gravel roads that still to this day aren't paved & don't yet have running water !! You still go to sleep to the whippoorwill & cicadas singing in unison with the frogs ! So loudly some nights it's hard to sleep. I wouldn't trade it for the 🌎

[@EmpathyUe]

I'm from Fort Payne just down the road!!

[@shawnknoblauch6338]

I live 10 miles north of Scottsboro with a scottsboro address. Jackson county is paradise!

[@i-35vagabond56]

Very nice homes and 30% poverty sounds like there's a wide economic gap in Jackson, Alabama. It's probably one of those towns where nearly everybody leaves for greener pastures soon after high school except for the people who have lots of money and the people who do not have enough money to leave.

[@tommiepernell5530]

You are on point for I am one of those who moved out.

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

i can tell you why the poverty gap is the way it is. the high earners are mill workers that have a special last name or connection to the mill managers, so they get in. the rest are either on food stamps and welfare, or work crap jobs like dollar general, etc.

[@nancysummitt4779]

My 6th great grandmother from the 1830's is buried in Clarke County. All my dad's family is from there. My dad was born in 1935, and when he was a teenager the family got electricity. He went to college and got a PhD in Veterinary medicine. We still have land of what was the "family farm" . Dad felt that if there was ever a depression we could go back and at least have food. Dad instilled the value of family, education and hard work to me and my sisters.

[@steveklaber3423]

Lessclose all everyone wal mart in the world

[@Georgie1660]

Lots of children divide up the family farm all for the $$$$$ and developers usually end up buying it and destroy the ranch and farm land. Once the farm and ranch land is developed, you’ve lost valuable resources.

[@TeezyT_Sunrise]

I'm thinking about taking a trip to Alabama. KZbin Teezy T Phoenix. Song is insane

[@mrs.228]

Do you know any Wilson or Alldredge families?

[@cliffordparmeter6940]

Very interesting

[@joanstearns2457]

Veterans could again live in vacant homes in dying towns.....and help build up those towns.🇺🇸 The Millry Veterans Memorial was very nice❣️🇺🇸

[@andstuff152]

Another thing you might not know about Jackson, at 2:15 into this video, that little coffee shop you passed on the right used to be a jail. The Allman brothers band was actually booked there after being busted for drugs at a nearby restaurant, shortly before they became famous. Some of the members had carved their names into the cell walls, that cell is still there in the coffee shop today.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

That is so cool.

[@missesmew]

I wonder if any of the band members ever went back to jail after that? You never write your name on any jail wall, it means that you’ll be back. Old superstitions, lol

[@MRosati5000]

Tied to the whippin post..

[@SuperNoncents]

Wonderful history!

[@aimee-lynndonovan6077]

😵‍💫🙄like the Allman Brothers ‘ music. The things you find out!🤓

[@gatorgogo2742]

Sad to see so many small towns dying. People have to leave to find employment. I feel the real estate prices are inflated. Thanks for the ride.

[@spaceghost8995]

They are inflated. If you offered someone even $10,000 they would probably sell a house to you.

[@OfftoShambala]

I want to escape employment and live ‘ in poverty ‘ off the land.

[@davisholman8149]

@@OfftoShambala What all of the USA needs to do is commit to bringing back these wonderful small towns. There are so many jobs now that we can do using a laptop. People could live a very nice life reasonably and most importantly - not live under so much STRESS, trying to get ahead. Just sayin’…..✌🏽😎☀

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

it 100% is. in jackson, people are always relisting, because no one is paying what they want.

[@TroyFutureExpat]

God bless that town of Millry. That town lost a lot of native sons judging by all those names on that Memorial. Nice video, thanks for sharing.

[@TheNewMode]

I’m from Mobile and played Millry, Jackson, Coffeeville, and Grove hill during middle/high school. Always loved getting out of the city and visiting those small towns. Always ate at a good local homecooking restaurant for our pregame meal. Lovely ppl all around

[@danvanleeuwen1974]

That driveway at 5:17 led to my grandparents house. The White House out of view on your left looking at the driveway was my great-grandparents at one point. My understanding is the house was originally either a church or school and built on the other side of the road you’re driving on. It was moved across the street sometime thereafter on logs in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

[@naftalichepkoit5069]

Thank u for giving us a wonderful tour of the beautiful South. Born and raised in Kenya and have lived in Maryland for 25 years and look forward to visiting the American south.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Awesome!

[@TBSHAW4321]

I'm from Jackson Ala. I was born at Jackson hospital, right off hwy 43. I attended Coffeville elementary and high-school. The river that you visited in Coffeeville, that river is called the Tombigbee river. It runs all the way to Mississippi. It's part of the Mobile river. It my mother was born in Grove Hill Alabama so we're both of my aunts and my uncle. Majority of my immediate family still lives in Clarke County in Jackson Thomasville Grove Hill and Coffeeville. When you went to Grove Hill you forgot to go by the Clark County Museum which is also historical. When you Rode down Robinson Street in the middle of Grove Hill. You passed by my grandmother and my great grandmother's house. It was so exciting to see your documentary.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, I toured almost all of your stomping grounds! :)

[@darrylginwright]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I live in Jackson! Hope you got to eat at B's Burger or Ed's Drive In. Did you see where the old WW2 German POW Camp was? It's not there now, just an Historical Marker. Did you see the City Swimming Pool......It is 438ft x 108ft.....It's Awesome! Let us know if you come back to Jackson!

[@nolanwilliford8881]

I used to work at the Boise plant in Jackson and now work at the IP in Camden.

[@acwashingtonsr]

My cousin use to be the principal in Coffeville. Mr. Hytower

[@maryjemison1101]

Born on the Beautiful Gulf Coast Alabama 40 miles From Mobile Alabama but I now live in Mobile wishing I was on the Coast.

[@Darci3333]

It always breaks my heart when I see abandoned houses that could be fixed up into a home. A home is so important....

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I agree.

[@tbetyf7047]

They should fix them and give them to homeless veterans

[@AlanDavidDoane]

@@tbetyf7047 If we had a fair tax on millionaires and especially billionaires, we could house every homeless person in America and solve most of the other issues we see in these videos as well.

[@slainlawless2035]

I was born in Grove Hill in 1978 at the memorial hospital. Dr Neal delivered me at 3 a.m., butt first, no caesarean, in a small town. I'll forever be grateful to him and the place that produced me. Grove Hill will always be home no matter where I go in the world. Thanks for this video, I'll visit very soon because of it.

[@gilbertgildersleeve1581]

I am from Grove Hill and Dr Neal was our family doctor too. I don't live there anymore but wish daily I could move back.

[@portiamatthews9654]

Dr. Neal was my family's doctor as well. Grove Hill is a small town and the population has diminished significantly. Since the 1980's. Back in the day a lot of the businesses were locally owned. The main resource for Clarke County, Alabama was pulp wood. Many of the people did move away for better opportunities. I wish he had driven to Grove Hill and Thomasville Alabama. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this video.

[@portiamatthews9654]

@@gilbertgildersleeve1581 , your last name sounds familiar to me, do you have family from Indian Ridge, Suggsville, or Morning Star area? I remember a young lady by the name of Beverly Gildersleeves who graduated in 1981 from CCHS home of the Bulldogs.

[@gilbertgildersleeve1581]

@@portiamatthews9654 We grew up in Orange Hill on Asbury Road and I do have a cousin Beverly. We actually lived right down the road from Coach Horn.

[@portiamatthews9654]

@@gilbertgildersleeve1581 I know that area very well because I got married at that church. I remember coach Earl Horn from way back ago. He was funny. One of my sister's married Terry Pugh and they used to live on Orange Hill Rd in single mobile home on the right side of the road.

[@jacobbutler4017]

The big thing that happened was we got a Walmart and you didnt have to drive all the way to Thomasville. Coffeeville was where alot of people went to hunt.

[@seaserenity5971]

I live in these areas, so I know them well. Grove Hill is the county seat and tend to look the most busy. Jackson & Thomasville is actually a lot bigger & nicer than shown here, but the video only shows the more rural parts & downtown parts, which are historic & traditional-looking parts. However, this video is still a very accurate representation of these rural towns😂 These best time to visit rural Alabama is football/tailgating season, barbecue season, & Christmas season; that’s when everything really become lively, trimmed, and decorated.

[@TheBlackScatPack]

And when the economy is normal, places like Jackson and Thomasville keep me busy with all the lumber mills. My brother has an ex girlfriend that is from Whatley.

[@AntManeAmp]

Or the first of the month…

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

@@TheBlackScatPack too bad you dont get in unless you got that special last name.

[@tacticalmattfoley]

If you want to see towns on the decline in Alabama, find any town that had a textile mill of some kind. There are a lot of small towns built up around a sock mill or a denim finishing facility that are drying up or are dried up. Many places didn't find other businesses to replace the mill when jobs were moved offshore. Avondale Mills was a company that employed 100s of thousands of people. Several small towns were dependent on Avondale and actually had mill villages to house workers.

[@lisawilson9981]

I live in Tallassee Alabama. The old Mount Vernon Mills was the heart and soul of our town. It fed and clothed my family for a lot of years. Other industries have come in, but the closing of the mill took something away. When it burned a few years ago it was the saddest thing.

[@littlebrookreader949]

Showing us our towns and cities through your eyes, small towns included, the good and the bad over the whole country is a real service to America. You have a great channel, and I appreciate it so much!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!

[@tangodman]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I have always dream of visiting country side US. Being in India, I knew I can never travel so deeply in US and see myself. But through your eyes and camera, I can now see all of that. Thank you for these videos.

[@heatherdawn545]

Love seeing old towns and houses . It’s sad to see the boarded up stores and the abandoned houses esp the ones that jus need a little tlc ( I always wonder about the previous inhabitants) thanks for sharing

[@crystal.ann.b7347]

I grew up in this area (Fulton)and went to Thomasville High School. It’s not a bad place to live and there are a lot more nicer areas that you didn’t see in this short video. Very interesting to see these places spotlighted here on YT. 😊

[@thegoldenke]

I agree! The lake wood area is crazy beautiful and we also have some rough areas but I think his gps mainly took him on the downtown side of the highway

[@brendaz9222]

New to your channel and love it! Many of the old small towns have no jobs, no health facilities, few store choices etc. The people who stay are elderly, poor or can't afford to live elsewhere. Small towns are nice if you grew up there and know everyone. But not many jobs to raise a family on.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for being here, Brenda!

[@tacticalbondsh]

I love seeing these rural small towns

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Me too!!

[@DesertMav]

I read a really cool article on the Lustron homes. There were a small handful of them left and one was to be torn down and instead of demolishing the house, they carefully deconstructed it and moved it to another location. It was a really cool idea at the time.

[@redriveral2764]

There are two in Oak Park Michigan, south of Nine Mile Rd. east of Wyoming, I think it is.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Great idea.

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

that lustron home was built as a demo along with another in the town in 1957.

[@judylord4875]

I grew up in Mobile and have known of these towns all my life. It was very interesting to see what’s going on with them now.

[@spaceghost8995]

I have been a truck driver for the last twenty years and I have really learned about all the places in this country. Of course, I am usually on the interstates but whenever I can I get off onto some smaller routes and see some of the towns. A lot of dead towns too.

[@melodyhart1331]

We moved to a small city in NE Alabama,and it is growing and thriving. As the cities become more dangerious,people are moving out to small towns for a better life.

[@veegee3291]

I enjoy your videos! A recent transplant from Southern CA to Austin, TX seeking quality professional opportunities and better quality of life. Touring middle America through your eyes reminds me that living in CA is almost UNREAL. I was paying $900 per month for a tiny bedroom in a mid century hillside Ojai, CA home w/ a gorgeous view of the Valley and some of it's finest citrus orchards from the kitchen window, sharing a tiny bathroom w/ one additional housemate and visitors and parking my car on the street. I was frustrated because I couldn't grow my salary beyond $60k with my wealth of professional experience while meanwhile here $40k was mid-range for the average homeowner! I'm grateful for everything I have but I look forward to living within my means starting here in TX and ending somewhere in/near MN. Quality of life is EVERYTHING. 💛

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Excellent comment. Thank you for posting it, Vee Gee.

[@annkupke4263]

I live in Georgetown Texas. Pay is better but rent is expensive

[@veegee3291]

@@annkupke4263 You're justv15 mins. away in a beautiful city I visit often! 😊

[@JohnJacobGarza]

​@@annkupke4263you get what you pay for

[@johnrogers7846]

I watched your Biloxi and Gulfport videos and now these in rural Alabama. I live somewhere between the two near Mobile. I guess its relative, but it seems to me these old towns are not really dying, they just had a lot of people that wanted to be somewhere else. I bet those that still live there would not want to be anywhere else. Was in Denver last year and stepping over people passed out, hypodermic needles, and poop. Denver was very much alive, but like I said, its all relative. Your videos are excellent. I love the format and commentary.

[@njeanhunter9100]

Oh no! I did not know this had happened to Denver! It was a nice place when I was there, but that WAS fifty years ago. Sad to hear that. John Deutschendorf would be too.

[@yeshuaischrist9951]

FUNNY IM IN MOBILE , AL . MIDTOWN TO BE EXACT. I WORKED IN CHICAGO FOR 20 YEARS AND NOW BACK IN MOBILE. SO MUCH LESS STRESS HERE.

[@Rikrik1138]

I live in West Mobile. I work a job where I transport rail and tugboat crews, so I’m in all of these towns quite a lot. I actually made a TikTok of the Veteran’s Memorial in Millry.

[@johnrogers7846]

@@Rikrik1138 Millry High School came to play our basketball team here in southeast MS years ago. I had a feeling it was way out there. I wish he had done a close up of the names on the memorial so we could pause it and look at the names.

[@apocyldoomer]

Yep, Denver is a dump, mile HIGH city alright, it sure is!! Doper Heaven !

[@janetalexander4476]

Interesting ... I live in a small Alabama town ... you need to check out our neighboring town of Hodges ... once thriving ... still filled with small active churches and large cemeteries... what has time erased? I always wondered when I delivered the mail there to the four-hundred families determined to stay ... my challenge on route at times were cows in the road ... or people on horseback ... beautiful bluffs and landscape ...

[@karl9828]

Jackson, Al. has a lot of industry you didn't see. There is a Bosie Cascade papermill there, 3 lumber mills, a new pellet mill being built. There are several multi millionaires there and many large land owners also. Clarke county is one of the top timber producing counties in the country and the rich folks like it just the way it is!

[@oldrustycars]

Are the employees being paid a living wage and decent benefits? Probably not, the rich folks like that just the way it is as well.

[@bluelava4282]

@@oldrustycars 🏆 post

[@leskobrandon8998]

Not in my part of AL

[@leskobrandon8998]

@Blue, fool

[@spaceghost8995]

@@oldrustycars He was being sarcastic . Relax.

[@mikelasarge7090]

I was pretty heartbroken to not see the house I helped my dad fix up in Jackson, AL...it was an old 1890's historical with a Spire in the front, built by one of the first preachers there, right next to the middle school...you took a left before the middle school instead of going straight out of downtown...heartbreaking to not see the old house. Love your channel bro, it takes me back to long drives for work through small towns, but this time I have someone driving for me spouting facts, love it.

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

if it makes you feel any better, the current owner has been fixing it up, completely painted it, and even has chickens and turkeys running around. he also has a christmas story leg lamp in the top spire room window LOL.

[@dopeMike_]

@@frigglebiscuit7484 Approved Christmas Story leg lamp.

[@nunyabizness4306]

It's still there passed by it the other day

[@stargasm1000]

I guess these houses missed out on the economic changes that the interstate system caused. I find it difficult to fathom the idea of these quaint little towns and villages dying and wonder what could ever be done to prevent it. I also wonder how attractive such a small town would be to an economic driver such as a major employer. If one ever set up shop within a reasonable commuting distance of a small dying town like one of these, I can imagine the town would come right back to life. The cost of living could be a major advantage of such small towns. With remote work, people could live in towns like this for cheap and still have an income.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I agree.

[@billwilson3609]

There's been manufacturers from the Northern States and California building new plants in Alabama and Mississippi for quite some time due to half of the customers being located in the Deep South. There's an area in east central Mississippi called The Golden Triangle that's been growing by leaps and bounds. Northern Mississippi and Alabama also have been growing economically.

[@entermachine6531]

Not until the education systems massively improve and better internet access gets rolled out to rural areas like this.

[@liamgray9644]

I love this channel , I can honestly say I'm addicted. I am a over the road truck driver , many of the towns in your videos I have been through , but driving a semi , I don't get to see everything in these videos. Thank you for the work you do.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thanks, Liam! You made my day. 👍

[@lowyieldforeffort6996]

Cute little town. Not really that small next to some. I'm glad to see that people keep it up and take pride in it. Thank you for sharing! (Incidentally, if you want to feature more Lustron homes, we have quite a few here in rural and quasi-rural Northern Illinois. I've seen them in pink, yellow, and blue, in addition to the tan you featured here. I've heard that they're hot in the summer, so it surprised me to see one still standing in Alabama.)

[@raymnsmith]

Really enjoyed your video my friend. Thanks for posting. I grew up in Grove Hill Alabama. Things have not changed much since I was there in 1983. Has always been a real lack of opportunity in that region. I live in an Atlanta Georgia suburb right now. But, nice to walk back through some of those very familiar spaces through watching your video. I truly enjoyed it. ❤❤❤❤

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, glad I could do that for you, Raymond. Little Grove Hill packs a lot of history!

[@terrysmitherman584]

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Alabama! Its been my home all my life :)

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Love it there. We will be returning. :)

[@ThickMadame80]

Liked this a lot. I’m originally from Montgomery but currently in Indiana. Miss home.

[@erin8808]

I was born in Jackson, AL. My mom moved us before I was old enough to remember anything. Thanks for this sneak peek into my city of birth

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

you didnt miss anything, unfortunately.

[@vanpiper]

The small the town the better I like it.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I love them.

[@horseplop9]

Lord is all over the road. Rural to city to beaches. Man finds it all.

[@bthomson]

And lets us see it too! Thanks!

[@horseplop9]

@@bthomson He really does a Nice job. He's great

[@marciathehooligan9967]

Please explain your comment. It doesn't make sense

[@dr.leonardhofstadtersavage6413]

Love your content, I love seeing old houses and buildings. Reminds me of the days I lived in Port Arthur Texas in 1989, so much of that type of abandoned houses and buildings, I really miss them days.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the kind words. How's Penny doing? :)

[@davidmotes2171]

I went to high school in the Jackson area in the 80s. I still have a lot of relatives living there but I haven't been back since. Its depressing to see how bad the area looks now. I thought about returning there many times over the years. After watching this video, I don't know if I ever will. I would imagine the friends I had there are gone. Not enough progress in the area for jobs to increase the population. Sad.

[@kimmcdaniel1495]

I was born and raised in Thomasville and I now live in Montgomery. I am proud of my hometown, especially the downtown accomplishments. Thomasville is in Clarke County and Grovehill is the County seat. That is the reason for most of the activity in Grovehill. The pulpwood industry is responsible for a good percentage of jobs in Clarke County and surrounding areas. I'm sure the Mountain Dew truck was parked there during the driver's off road period and the flashing vehicle was probably the truck driver's ride. Lol

[@jamesnash6101]

The problem with the South is this. You don't know how to relax so I'm going to share some tips and how to achieve a zen-like state. *increasing your daily intake of fibre by including plenty of high-fibre foods in your diet, such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrains avoiding dehydration by drinking plenty of water *trying to get more exercise - for example, by going for a daily walk or run *working out a place and time of day when you can comfortably spend time on the toilet *not delaying going to the toilet when you feel the urge *if you use wet wipes, avoiding products that contain fragrance or alcohol as this could lead to discomfort or itching - if you use toilet paper, use a soft brand and avoid wiping too hard *soaking your bottom in a warm bath several times a day, particularly after having a poo, to relax the muscles in your anus

[@alexandralovesgoats3360]

Loved learning about these rural Alabama towns. The homes on the National Registry are very cool. The Veterans Memorial is beautiful! I’d love to know the story behind the 7-up truck and RR car! Thank you for a great video!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Alexandra!

[@fatbald938]

It's funny, I had a lot of family that grew up in the area of millry, silas, coffeeville. To see it show up here like this, was just so unexpected. I guess I always remembered it as so Lively and friendly. I really wish you had showed the Millry drive-in, it was just past the Millry telephone company on the right. I always remember getting good food there when I was younger. How the years have gone by.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I wish I had known a drive-in was there. I love them.

[@charlottebassett7971]

My family is from Chatom AREA AND Millry.

[@charlottebassett7971]

My family names are Carpenters, Tate’s, Singleton, and Dearman.

[@dathancudger8581]

I live in Millry now and love it

[@mr1pearl]

Some really nice affordable towns in this one nice to see there are some left ! You guys should do a live I got a ton of questions . Thanks for including temperature that was one of the questions I had ! Have a good day !

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Bill. And I will continue with the weather - it was a great idea. :)

[@tylerminix2028]

loss of manufacturing has hit our rural towns hard all over the south-east. lots of textile mills around my area in mid-GA that were booming in the 60s-70s that are mostly abandoned now except for a dollar general and post office.

[@jerrycoaker4655]

NAFTA was designed to decimate the South as it did by sending our jobs to china.

[@dfrasu]

What the hell did they do in the small towns to survive? Silas, wow. The farther you going to these areas the more fascinating it gets. We finally get to see rural America and it’s real setting. And some of the realities of our nation. Really at this point I think you guys are doing a public service. Thanks as always

[@ShawnBumpers]

What is not stated in the video is that along the Tombigbee there are many different large plants that employ thousands and thousands of people. In Jackson, there is a huge paper mill and there are large industrial plants up and down the river. Many people who live in these areas work for these plants or travel down to Mobile for their work (just 60 miles south). A lot of people who could live in larger cities choose to live in these areas where it costs less and where they can own larger tracts of land. Many of these people have quite a bit of money, but live frugal and are able to enjoy life without the debt required to live in larger cities.

[@redriveral2764]

Have to travel a bit for a Walmart I guess.

[@davidjackson7281]

@@ShawnBumpers Thanks for the good information and explanation.

[@slackjawedyokel1]

timber -agriculture -both required far more man power 100 years ago --also we hadnt sent tons of our manufacturing overseas

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Daniel.

[@mannfan12]

My family has deep roots in Alabama and I love to go back and visit. Sister and I did a Delorme Map Geocaching challenge a few years ago that took us literally to every corner of the state. We travelled thru many small towns. One of my favorites is Repton - not far from Jackson. Even though I live in Texas now, I love Alabama. It's one of the most beautiful and underrated states in the union. It is also the state with the most miles of fresh water lakes, creeks, and rivers of any state - by far. Thanks for traipsing thru the back roads of this beautiful state.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I agree.

[@hoppes9658]

Michigan has 64,980 lakes and ponds. Don’t think Alabama has that many. You got us beat by lumber production though.

[@annkupke4263]

@@hoppes9658 Texas also

[@juliehughes1258]

Same with Minnesota. The land of 10,000 lakes actually has closer to 15,000. I was born and raised there and it’s the first thing you notice when you fly into MSP airport; the sun reflecting off all the lakes. The winters really stink though.

[@mannfan12]

@@hoppes9658 I wasn't talking about number of lakes. I was talking about the number of *miles* of rivers, creeks, and lakes. Alabama has the most on that statistic. 77,000 miles

[@nunyabizness4306]

Im from jackson, thanks for showing all our local communities. The good and the bad, it will always be home to me. Saw a few people i knew driving by in your video😂

[@ameliarhodes5000]

You're quickly becoming one of my Top Three KZbinrs for experiencing towns and cities. To be honest, for financial reasons I assume, one of my Top Three is stuck in Michigan. Love his stuff. Wish he were in a position to cover the rest of the U.S. Subscribed.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the great compliment, Amelia. I'm glad you're here!!

[@peggydearmon2738]

If you found a local to guide you. You would give a more accurate picture of the place. I grew up in Mobile and have traveled all these roads for almost 6 decades when I married a guy born and raised in Millry . You are missing the most awesome part of these places.

[@peggydearmon2738]

I have been in these towns many times and for the most part. You are not seeing the true representation of these towns.

[@renayvance-moser9434]

Kudzu envelopes anything. In Summerdale there is or was a house that was ordered through the Sears roebuck catalog in the late 30's. Couple more Sears houses in New Mexico. You're vlogs are fascinating.

[@bthomson]

I agree!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, thank you, Renay!

[@Skyduke]

I love seeing rural America! Thank you for this. Cheers from Belgium.

[@VOOODOOO37]

great honest review with historical data and current data. I live near the AL border, and some of the town look abandoned. very disconcerting to see empty downtowns.

[@fatpugg3507]

You are living my dream, I love traveling seeing small towns, I used too drive otr,, you will be amazed of the small towns, that aren't even on any database, I don't miss driving trucks, but I miss the traveling and seeing sites that time / people have forgotten about 👍👍💯

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, FP!

[@PCBill0622]

Near Coffeeville, you crossed the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Better known as Ten-Tom, it was built by the Army Corps of Engineers to connect the Tennessee River to the Tombigbee River and provide a direct water route from the navigable Tennessee River and the Gulf of Mexico. Although it has been an economic boost for some areas of Alabama, many consider Tenn-Tom a classic example of pork barrel politics.

[@slackjawedyokel1]

one thing to consider is when many of these waterways were built like the Tombigbee -(early 70s ) -a lot of our manufacturing had not been outsourced overseas so the mindset was that there was still a need to move large heavy materials . Sadly that is not the case now

[@PCBill0622]

@@slackjawedyokel1 yup

[@annkupke4263]

@@slackjawedyokel1 they use railway to move industry or military in state. They also use seaport we have a huge port in my hometown. Oil, petroleum. Steel mill, also they have military. I moved recently and they have a lake And a river

[@joerowland7350]

I live a few miles from the tenn-tom I fish a lot but prefer the Branahachy I get crusher run for live stock pads Off the barges I like small town mississippi life

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

it should have never been built. muddied the HELL out of the tombigbee.

[@theknowitall4090]

I live in Birmingham and once decided I was gonna take old US 11 from B'ham to Slidell. It was amazing how many towns, businesses and homes just died that weren't on the interstate. Not the towns on 11 but the ones on the county and state roads.

[@robertyu4313]

These towns remind of the rural towns outside of Troy where I lived as a youth (13-18 yo) during the early 1970s. I remember that our prom night finished with a drive seeing the beautiful homes in Troy’s historic district and having a soft drink at one of the two drive-ins that existed during that time. A lot has changed but it appears that some things have not. It’s both interesting and difficult for me to watch this video as I don’t have fond memories of my experiences during that period of my life.

[@nancyparker9986]

So interesting! I am on the west coast….love seeing all these places u visit ….. I would never get to see them otherwise !

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for watching, Nancy. Much more coming!

[@richardsanty9063]

Of all these small towns, Jackson was my favorite.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It's a really nice town full of beautiful neighborhoods.

[@judywilson9003]

A beautiful place and land. One day will rise again.

[@RichardFelstead1949]

Greetings from Australia. These "Smalltown USA" videos are very interesting.I enjoy them very much.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thanks, Richard!!

[@jdbsw6756]

Wow, it's so cool to see you visiting places around where I grew up. I grew up in Sweet Water about 15 to 20 minutes away from Thomasville. It is much smaller. Maybe around 200 for the population in the city limits on a good day. We all had to drive to Thomasville to shop. Funny enough, some of the best high school football teams in the state are in that area as well.

[@miss.g-shun-w]

A fellow Dallasite! This is the 2nd straight video I've watched from your library lol. You are so funny and pleasant to watch and I love your little town facts! Just wonderful all around. 👏🏾👏🏿

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the kind words!! :)

[@miss.g-shun-w]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Sure! I forgot to subscribe to you when I originally watched your videos and when I got back home I couldn't remember your channel name. Happy that I finally found it again!

[@surinfarmwest6645]

Evening from Isan and that was interesting, some rather isolated places out in the sticks. The houses built from sheet steel are different, never heard of those before, certainly learn something new each day. Looking at the history Grove Hill was nearly wiped out by Yellow fever in 1853. Good job you have the NRHP to ensure a lot of these structures are preserved. Thank you for the jaunt around the countryside.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the extra info, SF.

[@frigglebiscuit7484]

yea, a lady came back from mobile and said she was fine....she wasnt.

[@paulachannell4296]

Some the friendliest & most generous people u will ever meet r from these little old Alabama towns.

[@hoopty.]

A lot of people that lives in these small cities commute to other cities to work, that is why some of them have nice looking homes, with such low income.

[@neverjethot]

My uncle and aunt lived in Dothan. He was chief of police, she worked for the paper. Once a week we would get the Dothan Eagle- Often a front page would feature a young man making Eagle Scout. It would be nice to live in a peaceful little town like that.

[@spaceghost8995]

Dothan is a much bigger town and it is not exactly peaceful.

[@neverjethot]

@@spaceghost8995 This was back in the late 60's, early 70's. Sounds like they need a man like Uncle Smith again.

[@CityCinderella]

I always drovedown I-65 straight to the end - hit water / Fairhope AL Love this thank you I reallly adore Alabama

[@NH1969GOAT]

Jackson is so clean!!

[@daviddecelles8714]

There were four mailboxes outside the building advertising catfish for sale. Sign also saying it was open. Pretty good bet the fish were caught from the nearby river. Given the mailboxes, it seems likely that all four of those secluded and ramshackle structures were occupied. A special glimpse of rural America, thanks to you.

[@denisesmith2745]

Loved it, loved it!!! You travel just like my family always has. Driving through the neighborhoods, seeing downtown. I so appreciate your information on median incomes, real estate values, etc. I commented on your video of Dodge City and mentioned I am originally from Kansas. There is and was a lustron house there. As a child, I was fascinated with it. All the towns near my hometown look just like these. It was a wonderful place for childhood. I am in Kennedale Texas now but love going on your car trips and also with my son. Thank you so much!!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, thank you Denise. You made my day. :)

[@angelataylor3822]

I love that house with the porch going around the house they are all beautiful homes

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Those are the best houses! They just aren't built like that anymore.

[@edneuzamorais6655]

Amoooo.esses vidieos mostrando as cidades pequenas ,amo ver as casas nas zonas rurais,tenho muita vontade de um dia ir ai conhecer essas cidades gostaria muito .

[@brandoncaldwell9415]

Out of all the rural areas of Alabama I’m shocked you stumbled across my little slice of the world. Growing up I’ve traveled throughout every town in this video more times than I can count. They’re not much, but it’s home to me. Us young folks keep moving away from these areas but there’s just something about these small towns that brings you back.

[@xtraprebel6274]

My grandmother was born in Gloster, Mississippi which was a very small town and the population was 880 people. Both of my grandparents were born in small towns.

[@toddfr9781]

l love how you often bring up historical information in your videos!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for that, Todd!

[@josephwalker132]

I’ve been working in Jackson for few weeks it’s nice and quaint It amazing work you are doing here

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It is a nice town. I honestly didn't expect that.

[@deehoward2351]

When you were in the area with the houses near the river and that catfish for sale sign, all I could think of was moonshine whiskey. My grandfather lived by the Mississippi River and he was a moonshine maker. He said his whiskey was better than store bought.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I was think that too. Sure looked like a moonshining location!

[@mariesheppard3750]

To bad a lot of senior don t move to places like this it s quiet and afforded , and lots to see I m in Canada on the West Coast of B C, Been loving your video ,

[@1gr8lpta]

Wow, you are doing a great service. Thank you so very much

[@danc.2457]

Same prefab steel houses were built in a neighborhood in MD called Harundale , same reason , for GI's. ... I've worked on a few of them , they have problems but people have tried to keep them up ... I guess tearing them down and rebuilding a modern wood frame structure is financially out of the question for those who own them now , they are some of the least initial cost houses to buy , but still way overpriced for what they are ... rotting and rusting steel , bad plumbing , no insulation , older wiring and fuse panals , the steel structure made for high condensation which causes rust , mold , and constant water/moisture buildup inside the walls and attics ... they had single glaze crank out steel casement windows , we're all build on slabs , no basements ... basically a disposable house , nightmare , but like I said new owner after new owner as they changed hands poured $$$ into them anyway to combat the problems but it's like putting a bandaid on a auto accident trauma victim ...

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Interesting. Thank you for the info.

[@danc.2457]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip ... yeah , I was just watching some of your videos and the "GI steel houses" you mentioned snagged my memory ... my family on my Mom's side are all from WVa. , Mom was born 1920 the 1st born of 12 children , Clarksburg WVa. area , Harrison Co. , Wolf Summit ... my Dad was born 1900 ... my Mom's lineage in WVa. begins back in the mid-1700's , the oldest Cottrill (last name) by birth/death records and grave stone that we could follow by direct decendancy to present day generation ... my Grandfather (Mom's dad) passed away age 95 , and at the time of his passing there were 105 decedents from him , children , grandchildren , great grand children , great great grandchildren , etc. ...

[@lj10r]

love the video, I just so happened to watch it because it popped up on recommended. I am a supervisor for Pepsi over delivery and Monday I had a driver to call me and say he pulled off the road and got stuck in Coffeeville. That Mt Dew truck was my driver and I had no idea that's how he got stuck. interesting to know what he was doing.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

That is amazing. I have to say, it was weird how it was parked. There was enough room to just pull off onto the shoulder. It was a strange sight, seeing it backed into the trees like that.

[@haydent1000]

You'll get that in them small towns.

[@carolparmenter8017]

By the kim

[@cherrysmart3500]

Damn! This is one heck of a coincidence!! 😂😂

[@masonhoward8487]

Very neat video thank you for your care in older Alabama towns.

[@jennywilson9731]

Thanks for sharing those small towns an the life being lived there...beautiful country side all around, too bad that a lot of those little house get let go..." Safe travels "🌼

[@shanew.williams]

Nice. Maybe some time you could come do a video in North Alabama,far different topography that actually has some beautiful mountains & valley's. Interesting "change of pace" from the flatlands of southwest & southeast USA.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We will absolutely be visiting north east Alabama soon, before next summer. Also Mobile. Really looking forward to it.

[@shanew.williams]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip We'd love to have you. Just remember,Mobile isn't that far from where this vid was shot (south Ala.). Come up NORTH. We're at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. Totally different terrain from where you've shown so far.

[@liliancheboi7641]

I love your videos from rural southern states especially Alabama 😍 ❤ watching from kenya Africa

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Awesome! 😀👍

[@omw9965]

Found this channel by accident, but I'm glad I did, loved the way you show the towns how they are, was very glad to see you have more videos, I'm going to get some coffee and see the rest, thanks for your time to show the world your videos. Subscribed.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Awesome! Glad you're here.

[@zerxilk8169]

3 cheers for keeping your houses nice.

[@rajeevdeshpande7666]

Hi Lord Spoda Thanks for this surprise gift! The title of the video is little disturbing if we see the true rural beauty of the countryside here. The red and yellow soil at many places add to the beauty of the surroundings. Post Office in Coffeeville is so cool. I wonder if it is functional. The videography is so matching with the picturesque rural Alabama that you can make at least 10 posters out of this video! No doubt I will once again go through this piece leisurely. It is a wonderful day spent in these peaceful rural small towns with you. My sincere thanks.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Great comment, Rajeev. Thank you for that.

[@sullenstudent48]

You are a Gentleman and a Scholar. Good work

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I'll take those! :)

[@dopeMike_]

Sounds Australian.

[@jennylynn82173]

This is such an interesting leg of your journey! The Lustron homes are really neat to see! Thank you! 😊

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Jennifer!!!

[@tinaricketts1526]

I absolutely love this video. I enjoyed every second of it. It's awesome to see how others live and how a town changes over the years. I was being raised in Pittsburgh Pa and when I turned 13 we moved to a small coal mining town. It was quite the change for me but till this day I love the laid back way.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, thank you, Tina!! :)

[@michaelnoble5921]

Hello Tina Ricketts how are you doing today and your family!

[@tjohn4398]

It's really interesting, in the buildings that are in the process of collapse, to see how they were built. When they built something back in the day, it lasted a good long time.