Cairo, Illinois in 2024 (A Tour and Update on the Endangered Buildings)

[@DavidTaylor-n1z]

Cairo used to be the gate to the od west. Ater that passed on the St. Louis, MO. Cairo was mentioned in the moviesseries Gunsmoke, staring James Arness aa Matt Dillion.

[@johndersham1]

I have been going through Cairo, traveling from Nashville to Columbia, Missouri since 1972. I have photographed it on every trip. In 2007 I took the last pictures of downtown prior to the 2011 flood that seemed to take out the primary main streets of downtown. In 2007 only a biker bar was open but all the buildings were there, abandoned and deteriorating.

[@HighSierraDawn]

Old homes with arched windows and brick paved streets make my aging heart go pitty pat. 😍

[@Keithdotson]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Mine too!

[@mitymous1]

Found your first Cairo video, immediately subscribed, and am delighted to see this intriguing update. Great work!

[@Keithdotson]

Welcome and thank you!

[@emmamorgan7171]

It was one of your earlier videos of Cairo that I first watched and resulted in me subscribing to your channel. I also ended up researching about Cairo's history, the busy streets, the trams, the lovely homes etc. A time and way of life long gone now, sadly. Thanks for the update on a town I'll never visit but through you and your wonderful photographs, feel blessed to now know. Thanks guys. :)

[@Keithdotson]

I’m glad you’re still here watching! The town had so much potential.

[@tammiesawake]

my Mom was born there, her Mom passed right after childbirth. My Aunt lived in Metropolis & my adoptive Grandma in Karnak. I remember going there as child to go shopping 😂 My how it’s changed in all these years 🤯

[@KNS1996DFS]

8:42 That's the U.S. Court House and Post Office. This one fascinates me because, looking at photos of other post offices in the area, I would guess that Cairo delivers the mail to all of Alexander County and perhaps Pulaski County as well. Alexander County's population declined from 8,200 in 2010 to 5,200 in 2020. Since I'm a postal worker myself, and my office just underwent an inspection with an eye to possibly eliminate routes, I wonder what would happen to an office where the population is in free fall.

[@Keithdotson]

Unfortunately reduced services are certainly a fact of life for these folks I’m sure! Thanks for the insight on that

[@SimonLeung-l2b]

Abandoned places and ghost towns is what sets this channel apart and did I mention great photography, as well? I really enjoy your work, Keith.

[@Keithdotson]

Thanks so much Simon! Nice hearing from you again!

[@lorrik.7341]

I agree. It is an eerie feeling being there, but I'm so glad that my husband and I stopped there this past March. For such a small town, there seemed to be a lot of history to see. I'm with you, that old mosaic tile work and Gem marquis are something else. Great pics and video!

[@Keithdotson]

Did you get any good photographs while you were there?

[@lorrik.7341]

@Keithdotson Not really. I think I was so amazed at what I saw that I didn't really get any. I did get a pic of the Catholic Church, that big old sign and an insurance building that had no walls, just insulation and wiring.

[@ustekinumab-n5h]

Cairo is missing out on the tourist trade by not promoting itself as a living ghost town. Historical markers should be placed at all buildings and vacant lots, showing what the buildings there looked like in their heyday. There is too much guessing now as to what buildings were. People would come if there was information available.

[@Keithdotson]

That is funny because I have had such similar thoughts about Cairo and a few other places! Local restaurants and BnBs could do very well too. Embrace the decay and sell it as an attraction

[@chriscard6544]

wow lovely town with beautiful lampposts. A town for a movie. You have now a great series for a show or a book

[@Keithdotson]

Yes a town for a movie! It feels like being on a movie set when you’re there. But for an apocalypse film.

[@chriscard6544]

@@Keithdotson ahaha yes

[@toine1915]

HI, Keith and Teena. This video is fun to watch especially because you've been there once. I recognized the tiled floor at the entrance of one of the buildings. It's also interesting to see how Mother Nature takes everything back as soon as she gets the chance. And those are also nice pictures to take. The street lighting is super beautiful, you don't see these lampposts anywhere else. Once again, I enjoyed watching this video, friend. Warm greetings from the Netherlands, Antoine. PS. Don't forget to say hi to, Teena.

[@Keithdotson]

Thanks Antoine! Yes Mother Nature had her eye on this place. I read it’s surrounded by a levee wall to keep the Ohio River from completely swallowing it. Nice to hear from you! I will definitely let Teena know! Take care my friend

[@gfunktuba1]

The smith building demolition video is posted on their city FB page. Tragic that place was condemned

[@Keithdotson]

Oh wow -- so the deed is done. Thanks for letting me know! I will go watch that video

[@DavidTaylor-n1z]

My greatgranndmother Elizibeith Holshoiser Miler ived in a log cabin behind the Alexabder Ccounty Chourthouse in Cairo, Illinois. Elizabeth knew the herbs of the woods and it it said she had the knowledge to pick and use them to use them for cooring for clothing. She also tended the Mt. Pisgah church to which to attended with great zeal. She lived to be 97 yeaers old and passed away when I was but 7 years old. She mmoved to Union County and maybe moved to lower Jackson County Iinois. Sincerey, Stephen Ray miler, BS, AS, Retired.

[@Keithdotson]

She sounds like a fascinating woman! Can you imagine what stories she could have told?

[@jeffgraham2986]

It seems that the silence is deafening.

[@morpheus3190]

Cairo is a scary place. We used to stop there for lunch downtown when I was a kid. It has been a dying town for 100 years. The restaurant was on the Main Street and had to be 100 + years old. It had high ceilings covered in tin squares and big brass ceiling fans that hung down from the ceilings. We stopped going there when they had the riots. At one time it was the most populous town in IL. River

[@jessicaahrweiler57]

Its is absolutely insane to me seeing the downtown disappear on google maps. From a major downtown to nothing. Need to go see this town one day.

[@Keithdotson]

It does seem to be changing rapidly now!

[@scottnielsen1553]

Being located at the junction of the Ohio & Mississippi Rivers, Cairo could have been a major city like Memphis or St Louis, but it is on very low flood prone land. In fact it is completely surrounded by levies and has that cool flood door that you drive through north of the town on Highway 51

[@Keithdotson]

I just recently read that about the town being surrounded by levies! That is really interesting!

[@charliejg]

I think I recall your earlier video where you talked about and shot that tile floor. It's interesting that Cairo is within 2 to 3 hours of some major cities like Nashville, Memphis, St. Louis and Indianapolis, you'd think that with the waterfront it should have the potential to be developed and get a piece of that economic pie. I was wondering how you were going to compose shots of that housing project building. I get really annoyed trying to decide how to chose what lines should be the straight ones with some structures! LOL! Wish this place was closer to me, I'd love to visit it. BTW, I was wondering where you were the past two days with all of the crazy flooding in North Carolina and Tennessee. Glad you guys are safe! Have a great weekend.

[@Keithdotson]

Thanks Charlie!!! Regarding the weather, we were fortunate to be on the safe side. East of us is literally washing away. A lot of loss over there

[@charliejg]

@@Keithdotson Yeah, I watched some video...sad.

[@johnhill6794]

It's sad to see such a nice building go to waste. To see all the abandoned places proves that the world population is actually decreasing.

[@jasonmiller4046]

when you don't have something you work for you don't care for what you have

[@jonnsmith180]

Do not let the location fool you. While to (dead) town in in Southern Illinois the lifestyle is much more akin to "southern living and culture" of Kentucky. Offering a beautiful view of the Mississippi River there is little else in this area of note. Sadly, it is a dying backwater town that cannot hold onto the younger generations necessary to maintain any life, vibrancy and future. "Living here is like living in Kentucky...they just haven't moved the border that far North".

[@tenllell8325]

These types of videos about Cairo are now numerous and redundant. All seem to film or takes picture of the old movie theater even though it has been done many times previously. Would be nice if one ended with some encouraging news, such as the new grocery store or the 30 new duplexes that are being built, etc. I guess none will, just keep showing pictures and film the former Hosptial over and over.

[@erickort1987]

i heard the town folk dont pronounce it it like cairo egypt...they look at ya mean like if you do

[@Keithdotson]

I pronounced it like that in an early video from my first visit there and trust me I heard about it 😂

[@fdx997]

As someone has lived in the area, the great exodus started in the 90s It seem like. The city really shot itself in the foot with its police force. If they ever thought about tourism, they definitely ruined it at that time. It got to the point people would go to Kentucky to avoid Alexander County going to Missouri just because of Cairo The state of Illinois even had to pass law. The local towns could not patrol the interstates. I remember right before the law was passed. You couldn’t drive a half mile of I 57 without a Cairo cop sitting there. And you could see it in the median. There was no grass left. It was just tire tracks everywhere from cops flipping around to give people tickets so most people in southern Illinois got smart and avoided Cairo like it had the plague But here’s the funny part seem like every week and abandoned house or building was getting burned down by arson. The running joke was you could go into town burn down City Hall screw the mayors wife but as long as you didn’t speed on 57 you’re OK. lost a lot of buildings at that time too due to arson

[@simonbagel]

My friend grew up there. He said it was like Mayberry. But then the rioting.People left to escape the on going violence. The Feds should have stepped in to quell the violence that overwhelmed the tiny police force. Didn't happen and the people were defenseless.The only option was to leave. Proving in yet another American town that demographics is destiny.

[@johnhill6794]

Destroy the past and you're left without future.

[@karenhaire5451]

I understand many slaves were relocated around the Civil War era by the Union.

[@machine260292]

Needs Haitian "newcomers"