KANSAS: Fading Rural Towns In A Forgotten Corner Of The State - Plus A Ghost Town In Oklahoma

[@johnrogers7846]

Sir I think you have touched a nerve with so many people with your amazing channel. Gas is $4 a gallon so its hard to even drive to the grocery store, let alone all over the U.S. Hitting these old towns off the beaten path is something most of us 60 somethings won't have a chance to do on a fixed income. In a time where most cities resemble Soddom and Gamorrah, these places remind us of when living in the U.S. was safe and fun. Your commentary and demeanor are perfect. Can't wait to see where we're going next.

[@bunnygaffney2765]

Exactly!! I'm 71 and I really look forward to these .it's places I always wanted to see but will never and places I've been that I totally enjoy seeing what they look like now

[@bgm2658]

I agree 👏

[@diane4549]

$4 a gallon? Where? I live in California and gas has been way more expensive than that. Around $6 a gallon or more at various times. My sister and I rarely go anywhere and if we do, we trip link!

[@johnrogers7846]

@@diane4549 Under 4 here in Mississippi, but our incomes are lower than you guys out west.

[@diane4549]

@@johnrogers7846 This is true, but on my SSA, I'm really not making it financially, as rent, utilities, groceries, clothing, gas and other necessities are outpacing my income. So irregardless of your argument, being broke is still being broke. I'm not getting as much money on SSA as you might think. This argument doesn't hold water against corporate greed!

[@judas2891]

Every time I hear Kansas, I think Dust In The Wind. Beautiful song.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I totally agree. Love that song.

[@ferguson8143]

Haha I think of superman and the Smallville series and wizard of oz

[@silvercyclone71]

Aside from being declared uninhabitable, Picher, OK had a bad F4 tornado in 2008 which is the reason most of the structures from the town are no longer there, as it left Picher almost completely demolished.

[@buffirice2265]

Luckily the town had been almost completely evacuated right before the tornado hit.

[@sunnyskye213]

"tornado alley"; affordable living

[@vinredhawk7294]

Was a wild town back then, I remember mountain oyster in Picher 😁😁😁

[@jaysmith179]

Crazy now folks are pushing electric cars. What is in the big bad batteries? Lead. I will stick with my gas 2012 Civic. The Civic is better for the environment.

[@paradoxstudios6639]

The tornado was intentionally sent to drive the rest of the inhabitants out.

[@tinasears610]

Another awesome video. I have a 12-year-old granddaughter, and due to medical issues, she is homeschooled. Today's Social Studies assignment was on rivers and their tributaries, so I decided to show her your video on Cairo, Illinois. She absolutely loved it. You are an amazing film maker and commentator. Your eye finds beauty that mine would simply pass over. I pray you never decide to lay your camera down.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, Tina, you're making me blush! Thank you for the very nice words. :)

[@bthomson]

This compliment is well deserved!

[@KB-hb1ub]

I remember taking 66 on my way back home from California, didn’t have any cash to pay the turnpike toll on 244, decided to go scenic for a bit. Sun was just starting to set at my back, was a nice summer night… those couple hours through OK, KS and into Joplin before I got back on 44 were the most relaxing hours of driving I’ve ever had. Something about that Midwest charm.

[@hannahr.n.5791]

I went to high school in Parsons because my parents moved there to buy a 1900 victorian home with a good land size. My parents are gone and I didn't think I would ever see Parsons again. But thanks to you I have. :)

[@bobbrown9158]

I think it's so cool that you give us a look at places many of us will never see. The road less followed is often some of the most amazing sites. Every town has its own unique story, very fascinating.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I totally agree.

[@filthyE]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Love this channel and agree with the commenter above. It's so interesting and fascinating to see all these interesting places vicariously through your travels. I also like the stories you tell about the places and the interesting backstories and historical facts you share. Keep up the great work, thanks again for the awesome and original content

[@themechaniacal1558]

I love little towns like Baxter and Galena. Having areas where we can preserve the past and have it on display in the present, reminding the future to respect and honor those who started the whole thing. Our history is so important.

[@LJones69]

Having lived in Southern California for over 40 years, and also having lived 3 years in Cherry Hill New Jersey and frequently going to Philadelphia and Manhattan New York, and now living in the Northeast part of Kansas, close to Manhattan Kansas, for the past 8 years, I’ll take Kansas in a heartbeat over living in California or New York …….

[@bthomson]

There are people for every corner of the world ( Even the Arctic!)

[@sjackson1739]

I lived in Manhattan in the 70's. Loved it there!

[@VegasRT500]

California is like living in awesomeness compared to any midwest state or Moscow Florida and Russian Texas. LOL!

[@ericfriendzoned1303]

@@VegasRT500 your trying way to hard to be edgy

[@Immortalis...]

@@VegasRT500 Um what? Did you have a stroke?

[@preppertrucker5736]

I bought a house in south East Kansas…. It’s actually quite peaceful for the most part…. After living in the big cities most of my life it’s a nice change 👍

[@preppertrucker5736]

@Jenkem Jones west of Pittsburg Ks about 30 miles…. Definitely beats the big city

[@zoidmo3388]

I love little towns that appear clean, quiet and old architectured well kept Church(s). Kansas appears to have quite a few. It's sooo cool ! Thx for having this Channel Joe & Nic. ♥

[@melissaberman8244]

Thank you for the trip down memory lane. I was born & raised in southeast Kansas. My family still owns several hundred acres of land there. ❤️🙌

[@jsauerii]

Fun fact no one mentions. They took that chat and dumped it along railroads instead of gravel for over a half century. They scattered that chat all across Kansas, OK, Mo and AR. People, myself included climbed those piles, slid down them, people ran 3 wheeler's, 4 wheeler's, 4X4's, quads and dune buggies on them for over a half a century.

[@quarterbackin3262]

As a life long resident of Kansas,Kansas City Kansas to be exact I very much enjoyed this video had a no idea of any of these places even existed. This was awesome!

[@BrotherKyler]

Thanks for highlighting my part of the world. There is some captivating history, and some really great folks around here. I live in a little town called Caney, about 20 minutes west of Coffeyville, on the Oklahoma state line.

[@scottduboise]

I grew up 3 miles away from Picher in Commerce ok (home town of Mickey Mantle). Many of my family members worked those mines until they closed in the early 70s. Most of the town of Picher is undermined several street have collapsed.

[@stevenclark2894]

appreciate all the TERRITORY you cover and report on

[@threeminuteshate]

I took a solo road trip out west from Arkansas a handful of years ago. Forbade myself from using any interstate highways. And took US and State highways through south central and southwest Kansas. I realize these area are a bit different from southeast Kansas. The way I felt out there traveling through these towns was unlike the feeling I’ve had anywhere else. Just vast openness and a sense of ease in the landscape and people. Everything slowed down bathed in the last hours of golden summer sunlight. I’ve herd multiple friends and acquaintances take similar routes and call it boring, but that’s nonsense. You have to approach it with a different mindset and you see real beauty and tranquility out there.

[@markb3786]

Driven through there numerous times and it feels like death. always happy to be back in civilization.

[@sheiladuvall7912]

Born and raised in Parsons, Dad worked for the MKT railroad for many years as did a lot of people. When the railroad left and moved to Denison, Texas, Parsons suffered. Glad you are doing a tour of SE Kansas. Sorry the Presbyterian Church is not surviving. I have cousins who still live in Parsons, The Smiths.

[@davidaronhalt2298]

Parsons was a fun place to be a kid in the 70s.

[@SKEptic-mg2dd]

Great series of "Road Less Traveled" videos. Since we like that sort of thing there is a great book that is devoted to nearby (a couple counties north) Chase County Kansas. Profound detail on the history, geography, sociology, and significance of one obscure Kansas county. It's called "PrairieErth, A Deep Map" (sic) by William Least Heat Moon. Always made me wonder what fascinating stories that any county anywhere would offer if someone just looked close enough.

[@melissaberman8244]

Cherryvale, KS ( abt. 20 miles from Parsons), was home of the “Bloody Benders.” A “family” of serial killers who mysteriously vanished in the 1870’s.

[@sandrapullins8644]

i grew up in SE Ks in a town called Coffeyville, known for the Dalton gang raid. This was a fun video to come across, i've been in all those towns you went to

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I visited Coffeeville in the video, BTW!

[@alexandralovesgoats3360]

Picher, Ok has a fascinating history ! I love Route 66. The preserved gas stations are really cool. Also loved Galena and Parsons. The church in Parsons was spectacular. Thank you for a great video!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Alexandra!

[@outlaw-xbuilds9126]

I can remember when we used to go to picher with the dune buggies

[@revsharkie]

My husband did two road trips not long ago, traveling the entire length of Route 66. So many cool things to see. He's got an eye for odd things others would overlook, and one place he visited, somewhere in AZ or NM, was an abandoned prison, where he photographed all kinds of drawings on cell walls. One of the tourist traps on 66 in Missouri is Uranus. It's essentially a lot of weird sci-fi kitsch coupled with a running pre-adolescent gag. It's not too far from Lake of the Ozarks.

[@itisonlyaplant]

If you do a google street view, you can see some decent well kept up households. I could only imagine how devesting it was for these people to be forced out of their homes

[@TheScsilveira]

My mother was from Columbus, KS, just to the north of Picher, OK, and we’d drive through it, in the 60s to early 80s, not long before the EPA cleared out the town. I remember one time, a rusted car chassis had been placed on top of a 30 foot flag pole, next to city hall. The best maintained building I saw on the main drag, in those years, was a funeral parlor. The huge chat piles, on and on, they went. I was a kid, from a wealthy city, and I was fascinated by these places. A mining town, after the mines close, is a dreadful thing.

[@imeldaraymundo3770]

Sr houses are more cheap here in the RGV close to the border and something interesting that in average we get snow ❄️ once every 20 years 😅😅 the weather is amazing here one day you turn on the ac and in two days you probably need the heater 😅😅😅😂😂 so as you see we have weather to accomplish every single citizen needs 👏👏👏 love your videos be safe you’ll

[@patriot9455]

The reason the poverty rate is so low in Baxter Springs is that many of the people work in the casino across the border in MO and in Joplin.

[@kirscolb]

Most of the buildings were not torn down as told in the video, but were destroyed by a tornado. Luckily it happened after much of the town had already been evacuated. My wife had family that lived there. Her uncles house was totally gone, nothing left but the concrete foundation. Excellent video.

[@keyup2626]

So very sad to see small town USA in rough shape. I love discovering these small towns the architecture is amazing.

[@ChadDidNothingWrong]

I was an environmental consultant way back and I did the math once.....Basically over 98% of our productivity is squandered by our government. And not by taxes, but mostly redundant regulation. That means we burn 50x more oil than we have to....in order to save the environment. And we are all 50x poorer than we should be. I calculated this by looking at our energy availability per person (I used "Calories" [kilocalories] to make it easier]) vs . Basically the fact that we are working more than an hour a week today despite having over 300x the energy availability to a person back then is what proves it.... The avg. 40 hour work week STILL required for the basics today would only add up if people were working avg. 120,000 hours per week back then....not 60.

[@jennylynn82173]

I’m in Kansas City! How fun to see you exploring Kansas towns! So cool!!! Thank you! 🥰

[@RepublicTX]

My daddy grew up just outside Baxter Springs and went to high school in Columbus. He was one of 10 siblings. The older ones grew up in Joplin and had a nice house with electricity and running water for a time, but Grandma didn't like the "big city." She put her foot down, Grandpa quit working the mines, and off the family went to scratching out a living in Baxter Springs, and life with no bathroom and a 2-seater outhouse. That thing always scared the liver out of me. How they raised a family in the Depression in that tiny 1 bedroom house with a tiny kitchen and sitting room blows my mind. With all the nearby mining activities, sulfur got into the well sometime in the 30's I think, but my grandparents still used it for everything and remained there until they died in the 1970's. I can still taste the green beans cooked in that sulfur water. Yikes! Seems I've heard that the Shawnee Tribe has been buying back the land in and around Picher and taking on a lot of the pollution remediation. They're also handling security and slowly pulling down remaining dangerous structures as money allows. It's quite a vision they have that will likely take generations, but will no doubt be speedier than the US Federal Government.

[@mikeashcraft4354]

Your memory of the sulfur taste in the water reminded me of the same in Hillsboro's water at my uncle's home. He has a cistern for rain in back yard

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the great comment.

[@AngelWest58]

This comment is as fascinating as the video itself

[@louisliu5638]

There is no a generous allowance of Federal money in both the USA and Canada as "First Nations" take back responsibility for their own lands.

[@53Betsy]

My Dad grew up in Carona. Had not electricity or running water and a coal stove....also a cistern for water. Every summer he would put a new catfish into the cistern to eat the wigigletails. My Great Uncle JImmy would call the water soup as they would have to strain the water before they could dring it. Later, my grandparents moved to Scammon so they could have running water and electricity. I do remember the rotten egg smell of the water when we visited them in the 50-70s. I'm planned a trip this May to Scammon to see the old house and then to Hosey Hill Cemetery to lay flowers on my family's.graves.

[@jerrycummings2821]

You are always positive about everything - do not change. Keep up the good work.

[@jasonroberts9357]

Have you seen his Texarkana upload yet?

[@bthomson]

Positivity takes many forms.🤗

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Jerry.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I went into Texarkana ready to be positive. Unfortunately, the condition of the downtown area was shocking. I was genuinely surprised when I saw it.

[@jasonroberts9357]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I understand, keep up the great work brother!

[@phoenixstarr]

I love watching your videos with my son. I'm always asking him "hey did he upload yet?" Or he'll come to me and say "He uploaded!" Good times, keep on driving!👍

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

That is awesome, Scrollin"!! :)

[@denisesmith2745]

Of all the cars trips I have seen you take, besides Dodge City, I so wish I could have been in the car with you. Mentioned before that I am from Larned, Kansas near Dodge City. My family had a ranching and cattle corporation. My twin and I were Tri Delts at University of Kansas. We had a sorority sister from Galena, Baxter Springs and Parsons. You made me so happy today on this trip! Thank you so much! Off to Topeka next? My uncle was a Senator there for 17 years. Bob Dole used to come to dinner parties at my house is Larned. Thank you, thank you!!

[@bthomson]

Love this kind of personal comment!

[@denisesmith2745]

@@bthomson Thank you so much for enjoying it! That means a lot to me

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, Denise, you have some amazing experiences! Thank you for the comment.

[@denisesmith2745]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Thank you so much for replying! I get so much joy from following you on your travels.

[@ferguson8143]

Nice I'm from Great Bend KS

[@donnajackson1997]

need to go to Lawrence ks lots of history & get to the flint hills

[@TheSimba1960]

Many of the empty houses are absolutely huge. With utility costs rising higher and higher, added to the cost of maintaining such properties, it's no wonder so many people couldn't afford the upkeep in fading small town America

[@bobbykern6337]

I grew up in McCune. Many of my best friends were from Weir. Parsons was where we went when needed to “go to town”. I haven’t been home in a few years now. Thanks for this journey. Brought back a lot memories.

[@medamnnoid6220]

Great Video!!! The murals on the Old Poolhall in Galena, Ks. = Mtn. Dew / those murals I've been told are very old maybe 50 years but due to the way the bldg sits the weather hasn't been able to decay & fade it like most murals that age. I live in the bldg. across the street & if you ever get this way again feel free to stop by & I can show you so much more in Galena that will make it worth the trip. Blessings 2U and Ur's

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Cool, thank you for that. You can tell the Mountain Dew mural is very old because of the design. Fascinating little town, though. Lots of great, campy Americana there - my favorite thing to see.

[@medamnnoid6220]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip so much more to see here like the Old Court House that was also the Fire Station and Jail, the Museum is actually very interesting with many displays & even a few oddities, Story's of ghosts and hauntings are plentiful. The nature center at the City Park & the Cave would be an interesting video. So again I say if you get this way & have time contact me & I will arrange for a complete tour.

[@KendallFoster-w5b]

I live in cherryvale kansas and its a nice small town

[@hadassahl.cunningham2007]

I stumbled across this video and oh the memories it has brought back… I had family and friends in all of those towns many years ago and had visited them quite often…. Thank you for a trip down memory lane!!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Awesome!

[@suzannewing7574]

That part of Kansas is beautiful!!! Lovely people! Miss it!

[@beckymoyer]

Born and raised in SE KS. If only all those towns you showed could talk. A lot of history and memories.

[@revsharkie]

Where at? I'm from Coffeyville.

[@stevek4654]

Kansas seems like a hidden gem.

[@mikeschumacher9715]

That A/C unit on the house at 24:59 is impressive. That sized unit is usually for department stores. WOW!

[@rutger1963]

Interesting video, i love the bridge with the stop sign, in the middle of nowhere, whaha, awesome.

[@janellek21]

Yet another Lord Spoda video showing us the America that no one else in the world (and few Americans) ever sees. This is why I love this channel. I lived in South Carolina from ages 11-25, and South Carolina has plenty of neglected and even abandoned small towns and rural areas. Any chance you'll be heading that way anytime soon?

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We will be heading to South Carolina within the next 3 months, Janelle! I will be exploring small towns there and we will be visiting the capital in Columbia. We're really looking forward to it! I'm a big fan of South Carolina. :)

[@janellek21]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Should be a great trip. I lived in Charleston, which is a great city, but comparing Charleston to the rest of South Carolina is a bit like like comparing Austin to the rest of Texas.

[@williamrobinson827]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Hopefully you'll have a chance to visit Ninety Six. An important Revolutionary War Battle was fought there. Ditto for Cowpens.

[@timezone8876]

Went through Galena on a 2018 Route 66 trip, most of these towns look really nice.

[@smokeyangelav]

I grew up in a mining town and though the mines were abandoned by then, the waste remained. We always climbed up on the chat which we called slag piles. It's sad that a town was wiped out like that. Mining towns have such rich histories as they attracted so many ethnicities.

[@PeaceLoveDolls]

Definitely have to go to Galena now to see the Cars display.

[@ranchobob48]

My grandparents lived in Joplin, so, naturally, I grew up riding around this area. Thanks for the look back. You know, Mickey Mantle grew up near Picher, in Quapaw and attended Commerce, OK High School.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

That's right! I'm saving the Micky Mantle house and Miami for a later video.

[@martinmcclain3446]

so looking forward to your Topeka trip, visiting the Capital building, you should still be able to go to the top of dome. Enjoy!

[@rosseganjr9402]

thanks for the great trip ! I enjoy learning about these old towns!

[@bthomson]

Me too.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the kind words, Ross!

[@bettygrumbein7320]

Oh, my goodness! I am a Kansas girl, moved away in childhood, and visit my roots yearly. You gave me a wonderful glimpse of places I have never been! Thank ypu so much!

[@johnsyler8580]

Thanks for a fascinating tour of southeast Kansas. I live in southwest Missouri and am looking forward to more tours.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I will be touring Joplin and the area around there soon. :)

[@AzzuraImmacolata-c6r]

Danke!

[@bobcole612]

If you come back through Parsons, you missed quite a few things. Across the street from the Presbyterian Church is the old Carnegie Library. Supplanted in the mid 70's as the municipal library, it is still used on occasion as a cultural and arts center. On the other side of town, St Patricks Catholic Church is undergoing a major roof repair and renovation. The movie Kodachrome was about a famous photographer, played by Ed Harris trying to get to Dwayne's Photo in Parsons to get his last rolls of Kodachrome film developed (Dwayne's was the last lab to process Kodachrome). Sadly, the film didn't even send a second unit to shoot in Parsons. In Chetopa, if you had driven just a little farther out Maple, you would have come to the Neosho River, a very popular fishing spot in the summer.

[@revsharkie]

During Urban Renewal the downtown streets in Parsons were mostly all closed to vehicle traffic. Urban Renewal was intended to help downtowns compete with strip malls and indoor shopping malls, and that's how they did it in Parsons. We quite literally never went downtown in Parsons, even though we were over there occasionally. Eventually they realized that had been a mistake and reopened the streets. Last summer the UP 4014 "Big Boy" steam locomotive made a stop in Parsons. We drove down to see it. We'd seen it when it was parked at Union Station in Kansas City the year before, but hadn't been able to see it run. Up at the intersection of highways 59 and 400, there's an interesting park with some limestone carvings. One is a giant head, and the other is the back of a turtle just poking out of the ground. They have something to do with Native American legends, I think.

[@bobcole612]

@@revsharkie I have video of the Big Boy pulling out of town. I shot it at the Appleton Ave crossing. I call the big giant head statue the Easter Island head. Out at the landfill, the remains of the Plaza awnings are piled up. When I lived in Denison, Texas (the other end of the KATY line), they tried that pedestrian Plaza, it lasted a few years before they realized how bad of an idea it was.

[@revsharkie]

@@bobcole612 Somebody took the pillars from the awnings they put up in Coffeyville to a spot between there and Independence, and built a house or something around them.

[@buckdashe2571]

My grandparents were longtime residents of Parsons, both having been born near Mound. My dad was born there in 1919. He and my grandfather planted trees all over the property they had which was located at 3000 Thornton, an address that no longer exists because it later became the site of the high school. Almost all of those trees were wiped out in the 2000 tornado. I had visited in 1998 and located the farmhouse they had moved to in the 1950s out near Lake Neosho (If I remember that name correctly.) When I was a kid in the 50s and 60s we visited every summer. We drove through last summer (2022) and located my grandparents gravesite and stayed in a local motel. It’s a nice town but definitely different that the pre-tornado town I remembered.

[@melissaberman8244]

Catfish capital. 😄

[@carolynsilvers9999]

Baxter Springs has lovely residential streets.would have been a nice drive around.

[@jimsusko7625]

We love your videos... One thought for you... you give a lot of interesting statistics but one other one to provide... what drives the economy... where are people employed?

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

That info can be tough to find in the small towns, but I'll give a try. :)

[@jimsusko7625]

@Lord Spoda Thanks... as an example... my son and I visited a town here in NJ called Bivalve, NJ. It was a real boomtown as, you guessed it, the oyster capital of the east coast. In the 50's it was hit by a blight that killed much of the oysters. The business and the town collapsed. When visiting their small museum, I asked... "So what drives the economy here, where do people work?" The answer... "There are a few prisons around here." This is why I brought this up. Some of the towns you visit are shrinking, so I wondered... like Bivalve... the people that still live in these towns... where do they work. Did the companies or industries that employed the residents move or close? Anyway, sorry if I rambled a bit there. Keep up the great job you're doing. We look forward to all your new videos

[@jmurry6695]

I enjoy the positive tone of your voice. Thank u. Regarding St. Bridget's Catholic Church. Bet it was open for visitors any time of the day

[@bobbybaldeagle702]

I use to travel the back roads some years back on my motorcycle... I loved going through the small towns. So small towns were not to happy having a biker passing through their tow... LOL...

[@lesisbest11]

3.29 for gas is GOOD! Thanks for the ride! Ya gotta love them old homes, and wonder how they did that so easily back then when to build something like those would cost millions in this day.

[@amandasnailtasticnails9657]

The city opened up the Main Street in the late 1990’s early 2000’s to open up the business there. My dad painted one of these houses in Parsons.

[@johnhalstead5938]

I grew up in Parsons during my Jr. High School days. We lived on Broadway, east of the downtown area. Thanks for the memory.

[@mikeschumacher9715]

HAHA never fail to disappoint? Think about that a minute. Would love to find more on those bigger homes. Interesting as an architecture guy.

[@arlenbell4376]

Maybe you look into finding the mayors or older residents in these towns and interning them briefly about the history. It might add a little “color” to the video. You could spend a little more time on each town and not cover so many in each video. I really enjoy you videos - Mattar was great!

[@eric.2272]

I’m from SE Kansas as well. Born and raised there, still have family there and I still love it there. Don’t get back as much as I used to. But I miss it there.

[@BucksMom218]

You mentioned one town looked like a place to retire- there was nothing there- no services, no urgent cares, no transportation, no hospital, no people to hire to help aging populations. Regardless of the state, aging retired population needs more than younger people…sadly growing old is not for the weak, and is expensive. Im liking your videos! Thanks! 😎

[@billwilson3609]

Some states are helping small cities and towns to become retirement communities by encouraging medical clinics to set up shop there once the population increases.

[@billwilson3609]

Some states are helping small cities and towns to become retirement communities by encouraging medical clinics to set up shop there once the population increases.

[@pbegich4235]

Watching your video and commentary, I was downright flabbergasted to hear you use the word "commenters"....BRAVO! For once in my life I've finally found somebody else who noticed that there is no such verb as "commentate"! Your video was interesting but it's your outstanding grasp of the English language that made my day! Keep up the good work! Pete from Prescott

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, thank you, Pete. :)

[@darrellsaunders4267]

Drive under the speed limit in Oswego...

[@lawrenceharp6396]

@ 30:18 I think that was the big Sinclair setup that went up for sale pretty cheap not too long ago. It even had some little cottages that went along with it. I think it is great that you are doing this especially with the statistics /home values. It could be really helpful to those looking for an actually affordable place to retire. Aloha !

[@dalecrosby8751]

Carneiro KS is an almost ghost town - population of about 5 - about 30 miles west of Salina. Not much left there - Mushroom Rock State Park, most of the town is gone.

[@sheryld1957]

I went to the Wizard of Oz site in Liberal Kansas and enjoyed that except that it was in the wind path of a slaughter house. I will try the one you visited on my next trip to Kansas in the spring.

[@russelldavis4938]

This is one of my favorite areas. The Joplin area is one of the most affordable in America. I live in Texas and have been playing a trip for years but haven't been able to afford it. As John said, this video is quite valuable to me.

[@spaceghost8995]

As a truck driver I have had the priviledge of seeing most of these places firsthand. It changes you.

[@kdavis1492]

Parsons has a Jr College and a state hospital and training center. That one neat building is a church. The narrowness of the Rainbow Bridge is about the width of almost all US 66 back in the old days, outside of cities. lots of rural areas, you can still see where around World War II, highways were rebuilt 100 feet or so from the original road. Many times to straighten a bad curve. Chetopa was home to Chetopa Twill Pants. A type of kakckis. H D Lee bought them. Later closed the factory. Best building & home architecture is Atchison.

[@tmc1564]

Boy I'm 1.5 min into it and I'm not compelled to change it u do an excellent job enjoying it buddy your rockin it and thank you !!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thanks 👍

[@Somebodysnoone553]

You are in my neck of the woods!!!! ❤ grew up in Picher and live a stones throw away now in SE KS! The homes still standing in Picher were owned by the government. They were low income housing. They use them now for K9 training or so I heard. The Quapaw Tribe bought all of that area including the school. I love seeing this!

[@kylebarton778]

I wish you hit independence. It's a really cool little town a bit southeast if your trip. SEK born and raised.

[@masterx11a]

I grew up in Baxter springs for 25 years. Used to climb to the top of rainbow bridge as a kid

[@DrugTalkTV]

Very familiar with this area and used to drive through Picher once in a while on my way from KC to Tulsa. It is an interesting and empty part of the state, but a fun drive..

[@joeyk3134]

The house straight ahead on the hill at 13:36 was my great great grandfather's house when he first moved from Ireland to Canada and down through the US before stopping in Galena. I went and saw it in January last year so I was the last male of that line to set foot on that hill.

[@greg4161]

Terrific series of vids . Don't need to spend thousands of dollars exploring the many interesting small towns when I can view from the comfort of my sofa on my 60 in screen

[@mrapache10]

I was raised in Kansas about 5 miles north and west of Picher,Oklahoma. We used to go ride 3 wheelers on the chat piles back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. It was a blast. I work in Baxter and live in Columbus.

[@michaelmyers3892]

Little small towns throughout parts of Kansas are some of the best places to get some good hamburgers and french fries as well as a quick glimpse into the past of the ones wild and crazy Kansas yes outlaws roam freely and Kansas was a stopping point for a lot of people going to California and other places I have yet to finish all of Kansas but there's a lot of to do places on my list and I live here in Kansas

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Totally agree.

[@MidWestErb]

You were close to Oswego. In that town they have a mansion that was bought at the World's Fair. They shipped it piece by piece, but assembled it backwards.

[@kevinr5187]

The towns are old, but well kept, not much trash.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Absolutely.

[@patriot9455]

Of all the service and truck roads that started and ended in areas served by route 66, this is the only section still using "66" as part of their identification.

[@garybryant6148]

Another excellent video thank you be safe

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Gary!

[@rcbailey2581]

Back when I was in my 20's we use to ride dune buggies and dirt bikes on the Chat piles.

[@peanutcircuit]

I just subscribed to your channel. I find all the places you have shown us to be fascinating! I've always wanted to explore these small towns that have so much history. Thank you for taking us along!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for watching!!

[@glasslinger]

Problem with most of those small towns is no hospital service, no lumber company, no super market, no clothing stores, no---no---no---- So you are doomed to a lot of driving to the nearest large city to get what you need. And if you have a fire, well.....

[@flamem9260]

Great video! I love watching your videos of towns off the beaten path. I live in SE Kansas and it's a pleasure to see my neck of the woods in your videos. Although you didn't get to my hometown of Fredonia, which holds its own personal charm and history, I know the surrounding towns seen here on your video. A couple great towns to visit next time is Coffeyville and Cherryvale. Coffeyville holds a lot of history with the Dalton Gang and they even do a reenactment of the Dalton Gang's Raid around October 5th. Another cool site in Coffeyville is the Brown Mansion. Not too far from Coffeyville is Cherryvale, the home of Vivian Vance (Ethel Mertz from "I Love Lucy"). Then just a little east of Cherryvale is the site of the Bloody Benders. Nothing is left of the Bender home, but I believe there is still a historical marker up near the site.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the tips. I'm doing states by sections, so I will be visiting Fredonia and Cherryvale, most likely within the next 4 months.

[@dh9295]

Wow. Awesome video. I know a few people from Baxter. Met them back in the 90s. Summer and Lisa. If you ever see this. Hello.

[@josefunez397]

Beautiful channel you have mister!! Inspire me to travel And gives choices to open mind!!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thanks, Jose!

[@brooksorlando4881]

Hey man, really enjoy the videos. I didn't like other channels who over-edited and did a bunch of jump cuts showing these places..you're letting it roll and shooting what you see. Keep doing that style.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for noticing that. I dislike the jump cuts as well, which is why I adopted this style. I want my viewers to have time to get a good look at the places I visit. 👍😀

[@brooksorlando4881]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Yeah exactly. It's s great how it feels like you're right there walking or driving through in real time. Def gives you a better vibe of how the city really is. I'm planning a road trip and wanna hit similar spots..so it's helpful to have some background.

[@tmccorkill42]

I lived in Baxter Springs from 1948-1950. Our house was on US 66 and the Rainbow Bridge you showed was visible from our front yard. US 66 wa s two lane road and we would sit on the embankment in front and watch the vehicles pass. Auto Carriers then carried four (and some five) cars from the distribution center or manufacturer to dealers throughout the area. Hope you can go a to Independence, Kansas some time. Sinclair Oil was headquartered there Thanks for the memories.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

That's really cool! Yes, we will be going to Independence.

[@tweetspie]

Yes that was an impressive church.

[@RitaSueYoung-zx2me]

It is eerie driving through Pitcher. The Rascal Flats guys are from there. I would go by there when l went to Kansas City. I was there when there was people and when there were none.

[@BrunieStudios]

I would love to do what you are doing…..but will never be able to, ….., , it is important to know the land, to help us place ourselves in the scheme of things, thank you So much for your time, energy, we appreciate you. I love your videos.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you for the kind words, Brunie.

[@josefhyatt2780]

My family's from Pittsburg. I've traveled through these towns all my life, headed to Pittsburg from Dallas.

[@mechi8969]

Been to Parsons several times... I am from Coffeyville.. It's definitely on the verge of becoming a ghost town

[@revsharkie]

Don't want to get too political here, but a big part of the problem in Coffeyville is that they won't stop re-fighting old battles. There are people on the Facebook pages still fighting over Urban Renewal and Memorial Hall, and for years you couldn't get a school bond issue passed because folks were still mad that they didn't match the bricks to the old building when they built the new gym. They COULDN'T match them, because the original bricks were from the local brick plants, which were closed by the time the new gym went in.

[@mechi8969]

I moved years ago ago.. My uncle was chief of police.. And my aunt was a city commissioner...... I grew up on the Eastside.. Everything I remember. Every landmark is gone.... As far as I van concerned Coffeyville is just as dead as my family and friends laying in Restlawn

[@phillipivy9780]

@@mechi8969 my uncle chief of police too back in 70s and 80s

[@revsharkie]

@@phillipivy9780 I think I vaguely remember him. My grandpa owned Kwik Stop, where they made fried chicken that was so good KFC couldn't get a foothold there as long as Kwik Stop was in operation. So many people would come get buckets of Kwik Chick or salads from the deli for church dinners, and hastily dump them into their own serving dishes in an attempt to make them appear homemade. Nobody was fooled, of course, because nearly everyone had done the same thing at some time or other!

[@phillipivy9780]

@@revsharkie the Hulsey name is familiar. Was there a cafeteria also?

[@TheMushroom246]

thank you so much for your time on bringing parts of America to me in Wales u.k. always wanted to live there but that dream has long passed .very greatful for your time ...thumbs up to im a gamer also i got all fallout games plus far cry . great games i m always playing them but not till after 7.00 pm ... take care and thanks again

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Cool, Brian! Glad you're watching. BTW, I'm doing my second Witcher 3 run through now, and then Far Cry after that. :)

[@kansaskitty4083]

"your going the wrong way...! (Oh...he's drunk! How would he know where we're going...! lol) Darn...! I was hoping you would come up to where I live, in Pittsburg, Kansas! Very interesting stuff that you presented in regards to the small towns I am near. Thank you!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I will be doing Pittsburg soon. I'm going to start there and work my way north along the Missouri border.

[@kansaskitty4083]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Thank you....! cant wait to see it!

[@tmccorkill42]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Looking forward to that. so many interesting places along the US 69 and US 71 (I-29) corridor.

[@RitaSueYoung-zx2me]

We used to bowl in Tournaments in Pittsburgh late 70's early 80's. Always had a good time.

[@cathybumgarner3579]

Pitcher was popular for dirt bikers Eons ago.