LOUISIANA: Mysterious, Rarely Seen Towns Deep In Vampire Country

I visited these 3 Louisiana towns: Oil City, Vivian & Plain Dealing.
Joe's Instagram: / joeysroadtrip
Travel Vlog 277

[@johngibson7001]

Why is it called vampire country? ive never heard that before... and love your vids Joe. always informative and entertaining! keep up the good work!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It's tongue in cheek, referencing the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries novels as well as the "True Blood" HBO series. They take place in the fictional Louisiana town of Bon Temps, which is near Shreveport (which these real towns are also near).

[@Beardfamily247]

​@JoeandNicsRoadTrip oh wow that's cool never heard of that lol but I don't watch TV alot if it isn't the Saints!

[@subcitizen2012]

Not sure if or how it might relate to Anne Rice and interview w a vampire, although that took place partly in New Orleans.

[@IanCrouse]

Louisiana is the setting for many Vampire novels. Anne Rice, the renowned novelist, lives in New Orleans. My Blood Thorne series takes place in Thibodaux and New Orleans. South Louisiana has tons of supernatural lore.

[@lisalarouge6309]

Louisiana is just plain spooky. All that voodoo makes it seem like satan resides there.

[@peternyc]

The median household income number of $22K/year is much closer to what most Americans experience than what the media/government tells us. The working class of this country have had their incomes and wealth "sucked" out of them by the rentier portion of the capitalist class - those who extract wealth from collecting land rents and financial rents. Fantastic that you include this data in your video.

[@Maxine1630]

Well said!!!!

[@rangers7259]

As a Brit, I find these videos of small town America absolutely fascinating… love your channel..👏👏🇬🇧🇺🇸👍

[@TOCC50]

Living in the 1800’s was probably the best time to be alive

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!

[@rollitupmars]

@@TOCC50No it wasn’t not for us white Americans and especially not for black Americans or natives.

[@mqb5151]

Same here, from UK

[@TOCC50]

@@rollitupmars I’m not worried about them

[@jacquesvillien7624]

Lol. I work at that hospital in Vivian. I've been watching you on and off the pass few weeks/months. Crazy coincidence. @ 20:00, I can see- someone is in my spot as I had the day off. If you ever come back to the area- I'll treat y'all to lunch. Cheers!

[@ZMS777]

.......an invitation back to the lair......😮

[@malcolmr3]

To lunch or as lunch? 😂

[@auntmaryspals7978]

I appreciate people like you that take the time to film and put out these type of video. I'm retired and simply can't afford to travel, so watching your trips is a happy substitute. I love your voice by the way, very pleasant.

[@zoidmo3388]

Me too. Their channel is my therapeutic entertainment place to go. I learn so much.🥰

[@raymondfox4469]

I totally agree. Well said.

[@snowysnowyriver]

Same here! My travelling days are long behind me, so I really appreciate people like Joe and Nic who take us shut-ins along with them.

[@raymondfox4469]

here! here!

[@brendaowens2466]

That is so true..

[@JL-vq1gl]

Kentucky here. I tell ya: it makes me sad to see how very alike we are. Too many towns with no means to support their people. Too many people forced to move from towns where everyone looks out for each other to cities where no one gives a damn and will treat us like trash if we commit the sin of actually sounding like we come from the places we call home by people who never take the time to go there and see what they're missing and what they lost by living in a city. It's heartbreaking. So much lost and thrown away 😢

[@jeffhaynes8848]

Amen Jl

[@jeffhaynes8848]

You're so right jL❤

[@BertieWooster13]

It’s almost like a president in the 80s did away with all manner of regulations. Allowing companies to centralize and move to Mexico and China. Then the narrative was grow up and move. Be a nuclear family which means no community. Capitalism is destroying us.

[@GVF420-xxx]

I stumbled upon this video looking for something else. I'm 56 years old and was born and raised in Northwest Louisiana. As was my daddy and mama and my grandparents before them. We had a Benton address but it was much closer to Plain Dealing. I spent much of my childhood and adult life in or around Plain Dealing. I frequently visited Oil City and Vivian growing up as well. If you think it's rural now just imagine 40 or 50 years ago. And that's exactly why we were there and stayed there our entire lives. Bossier City is now rapidly expanding closer and closer to Benton and it really makes me sad because we love the remoteness and simplicity of rural living. I remember being a really small child and riding in the back of my grandpa's truck to Plain Dealing on the first of every month to do our shopping for food and necessities to last the entire month, or we hoped they would but they rarely did. But when you crossed the river on the Hosston bridge into Plain Dealing I'm not gonna lie it made me super emotional. It brought back so many memories of the times we spent under that bridge on the sandbar having the time of lives. It wasn't just that it made me so emotional. It was knowing you were about to enter Plain Dealing. I have so many beautiful and painful memories of that little town. My mind was flooded with some of the sweetest childhood memories and some of the most painful ones as well. From fishing on the sandbar, spending nights with my favorite aunt, shopping with my granny, to times when my grandbabies were really small or new born babies. I thought about all the time I spent with them there and how I rarely see them these days. Plain Dealing is also where we bury our dead so painful memories are there as well. It triggered so many profound emotions in me. It made me think about the best times of my life and the most painful times too. I thought about how long the people I loved most who made me who I am today have been gone away from me. I thought about how my grandbabies who are teenagers now are growing away from me too into adulthood. When I started watching this video I never considered that it would spark such a flood of profound emotion and memories that I haven't thought of in years. Memories I hold fast to, things I have forgotten, and things that I've tried desperately to forget because they hurt so much. But I just wanted to say thank you for making and posting this video. I'd like to ask you please, do you ever consider that these videos are so much more than just sharing some remote location to people who are tied to these locations by profound emotion and memories? This is my childhood, this is where my entire family is buried, this is where my grandbabies were new, this place is part of the reason I'm who I am today in some fashion or another. I don't know if you realize these videos can have such an emotionally profound impact to the right viewer. Again thank you because sometimes life gets so hard that we refuse to feel anything at all, and that's indeed where I've been for about a year and a half now since my girlfriend of 15 years died unexpectedly. I needed to feel something and this made me feel everything on the spectrum of emotions I might not want to feel but needed to desperately. I'm certainly gonna subscribe to your channel now. Again thank you for making me feel again, it was really hard but without question exactly what I needed.❤

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, thank you!

[@GVF420-xxx]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip you're so welcome and thank you! ❤️

[@pepsiman76661]

Nooooo I’m totally with what you saying. I will never forget Texas marlin Perry Waco that’s home

[@tdstellar5218]

What an amazing story! Thank you for sharing the way of life to make this video that much more special. I used to travel these parts going to Arkansas, and it was cool to remember those long drives with my Mother, who passed 20 years ago. Gave me some desperately needed good memories of her💖 I hope you unlocked your emotions and can heal the pain and enjoy the beautiful memories!

[@HappyDays_420]

Thank you for sharing.🧡

[@curtisphilumalee1447]

I actually drove down that highway about ten years ago from Texarkana to Shreveport and had to stop for gas. Pull up to a gas pump at an ole convenience store that still had the rolling numbers instead of the digital numbers. I yelled over to my daughter and told her to check it out. She’d had never seen one and chuckled. ( The land that time has forgotten. )

[@tysonsmartialarts]

There are still quite a few of what I call ‘primitive’ gas stations with the rolling numbers that are still operating in Louisiana.

[@Jaci0607]

There's a gas station like that in a town called Cotton Valley, LA. Confused the hell out of me because I didn't think something like that still existed. This was back in 2010.

[@curtisphilumalee1447]

It’s pretty wild. I miss them days where you could fill up a tank for less than ten dollars. Not only that you could stop on exactly on the dollar amount. As I said my youngest daughter had never seen one before and was quite amazed.

[@hendribrown7650]

I worked on Fort Polk, traveled from New Orleans maybe 5 years ago. They still have those.

[@genevagatts7219]

If Joe Biden gets back in office we’ll all be living on less ,unless we are in the elite class.

[@hamcp3]

Great to see these places. My mother grew up in Oil City and was married in the Methodist church you passed. While oil still flowed, the place was quite a bit more prosperous. We enjoyed many a summer vacation visiting my grandparents there. Thanks for the tour back in time!

[@brucemoore463]

I was born and raised in Vivian,Louisiana and left in 1982! The town was a thriving town back then in the 1960’s 70’s and very good place to raise a family! I finished high school there and my job with the railroad took me to other places! After my parents passed away I never go back up there! It started going down hill in the 2000’s -2010 when my parents were still living there! When my parents generation passed on ,the town wasn’t as good as it used to be! Most of my generation left for better jobs and opportunities!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Yep. Your story is what's happening to these towns. The kids are growing up and leaving, and the parents and grandparents that stay there are slowly dying off. You see it all over the country.

[@Bareknuckles182]

After Reagan signed the OPEC agreement, he put hundreds of small towns from Louisiana to Kansas outta work overnight. Now our heritage is dying.

[@ianbanner9292]

Viewing from England , I am rather surprised when you go through the poorer towns , that there is so little gardening /horticulture visible . Given the spacious lots and what is clearly forest soil , ideal conditions .

[@bakielh229]

If burgers and junk food came straight out of the ground, a lot of them would be gardening

[@tedzehnder961]

The people there are too lazy to plant a garden.Keep your eyes peeled for SAT dishes on ramshackled houses or in the yards.Some of it is due to lacking a decent education. There is government assistance and some public housing if people are truly disabled.Not having a two parent household (20% marriage rate) doesn`t bode well for a balanced upbringing.Not saying this is definitive but it doesn`t help if they don`t know who is there daddy.

[@nikolaslarson6891]

No hedges, no bushes, no flowers...

[@FabriceLEQUEUX]

NO I LA FRANCE NO ENGLAND

[@00loudog]

Yes everyone is too lazy to do that now but not too long ago a lot of people did everyone is usually in drugs or overweight the just push junk food to everyone now

[@cdeschrevel5341]

In a world full of annoying youtubers, Joe and Nic are the oasis of the good stuff! A perfect blend of information, humor and in general a down to earth vibe which is so unique nowadays. Keep up the good work!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Wow, thank you!

[@raymondfox4469]

I totally agree.

[@catherinealexandrian9927]

small towns like these in Louisiana seem to have high electric bills and bad water systems, also little grocery stores are sometimes the more expensive place to shop.

[@ronkay1573]

Seems like you have first-hand experience with these examples.

[@akejonsson2863]

Weak tax base makes for low quality infrastructure. And of course small stores lack economy of scale. There's a reason that Walmart started in the South. Definitely filled a need

[@suzanne296]

You know nothing wrong with living in these areas. Life is so hectic in a big city. Watching and enjoying.

[@Woketard]

Well, folks need to stop encouraging city dwellers to flee their cities...

[@rppope1006]

​@@Woketardit seems the nWo doesn't agree with you because your comment is shadow banned. In other words it's actually the rich folk who realized they don't want all their peasants to live near them because they know they are coming for their heads now. They want everyone out in no where so they can have the cities back. Make no mistake dem politians know they ruined the greatest cities in America, they are surprised themselves that Americans have not strung them up by the light poles 😂

[@davidroberson8030]

Man you can say that again it's better to be in a small town or out in the toolies like I am.

[@DD-ws6cu]

A lot of crime and poverty in these areas. There’s a reason people flee rural areas like these even though they are cheap.

[@bextar6365]

The majority of monthly income in these towns is from tax payers ...handed out by the Govt. @@DD-ws6cu

[@janinee6733]

First thing I noticed was how neat and clean the streets are in nearly any town/village, nearly no garbage and no graffiti. Interesting.

[@angelcitystudio]

No... All the trash is pile up in people's yards. Graffiti just indicates.... BLACK.... Not scary dude. Being a single mom, making less than 15K a year with no way out, ever, is something that would concern me more than graffiti. Racing to the bottom and proud of it!

[@chopperbillintexas5854]

That field with the oil equipment is full of what are called "pump jacks", which pump oil out of oil wells. Oil rigs are the tall towers used to drill/rework the wells. My Dad was an independent oil driller all his life, so I was immersed in the lingo. Great episode!

[@monicalynn7187]

Thank you for explaining that to us. I was about to annoy my husband and ask him what they were, but then I saw your comment. 😊

[@steveokula5762]

Aren't they also known as oil derricks?

[@chopperbillintexas5854]

@@steveokula5762 Yes they are! To be precise, the oil rig is the actual equipment within the derrick that “works” the well. The derrick is the tower. Very good! You pass!!! :-)

[@jakedeutscher]

From Alberta Canada here. We have so many oil wells in this province. Derricks and pump jacks everywhere. I work on abandoned oil wells sampling the soil for contaminants

[@lynny5510]

My husband was stationed at Ft. Polk LA in 1987. Our daughter was born there and we lived there until 1993. There was something different about LA. Some of it was very desolate but very spiritual and mystical as well. Before we moved onto post we lived in DeRidder and there was a older woman that lived next door to us who had lived there all her life. She was a descendant of slaves and she practiced voo doo. It was kind of scary but she was the nicest kindest woman I had ever met. She so many interesting stories to tell!!

[@use2bmrs828]

I’m from lake Charles, LA born & raised. I’m familiar with the cities you mentioned.

[@Brwneydgrl69]

My birth mother is from DeRidder Louisiana. And my grandfather worked at Ft. Polk as a cook.

[@lynny5510]

@@Brwneydgrl69 My son who is 38 now lived and worked in Lake Charles and while he was there he went back to Deridder and the house where we lived in is now gone and a police station is built there LOL. Everything had changed. All the houses are gone on the street where we lived. We lived on Stewart St. Maybe you are familiar with that.

[@lynny5510]

@@use2bmrs828 My son who is now 38 lived and worked in Lake Charles for several years. It's a small world.

[@sunjourney3723]

Do you happen to know the old woman's name and if she's still alive?

[@kdmccrite]

I'm an armchair traveler, so I really enjoy your videos. I wish that, along with the statistics,dollar stores, and cats, you could show and/or comment on the libraries in these little towns -- if they have them. Thank you. You're doing a great job!

[@ernestjohnson9564]

In Louisiana, most towns have bookmobiles (libraries on wheels) that comes from the parish seats. These rolling libraries have been around since the 1960's. Each parish (counties to you) has it's own state funded library systems.

[@amyflanagan2896]

I know Plain Dealing has a very nice library with a very good librarian. It is part of the Bossier Parish library system. I spent my summers and afternoons in that library reading everything I could get my hands on.

[@ernestjohnson9564]

Plain Dealing was large enough (in the past, not sure about now) to get funding for a small library through Bossier Parish. A small town near me has dropped in population so much they closed the branch library a few years back and now use bookmobiles. @@amyflanagan2896

[@mineplow1000]

I adore the prowling of back roads to discover such things as what you show here. It's a combination of sad beauty and stark depression that haunts these places in a way that you can't describe unless you see it first hand. Thank you, Sir.

[@stokesjoshua2007]

it blows me away how poor some parts of our country is. we went to harrahs casino in Cherokee. i could not believe how run down the town and surroundings were. but the casino looked great so glad we give our money to 3rd world countries when we have 3rd world towns in America screw politicians.

[@thx-wp2yp]

Just a bit of info. When a church shuts down, unless in cases of emergency, natural disaster, etc. Typically, every pastor, priest, deacon or whoever knows the rule is when the church no longer meets the first thing you do is take down the sign. The rule of thumb is, if the sign is still up, the church is still meeting. Of course you can find exceptions for one reason or another. Alot of the catholic churches here in NE Louisiana only meet once a month (or high holidays, etc.) depending on the circut of the available priests. There are more "catholics" than there are priests. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes rather than counties because of the church's influence in the beginning of the state.

[@independentthinker8930]

Old seed and feed stores are where I find some really cool old school things.

[@CajunYoda]

Stayed at Caddo Lake State Park last year and went to Vivian for “supplies” and was shocked to see an old school Wal Mart. Such a nostalgic feel with the same layout of all the Wal-Mart stores I remember as a kid.

[@grumpypicker]

Have you ever done a video just talking about weird or unusual interactions you’ve had with people in the towns you visit? I’d love to hear the stories!

[@nozzledrich]

He might want to forget about those interactions

[@Stoneygreat]

I bet he rarely ever get out of the vehicle🤣

[@nozzledrich]

@@Stoneygreat If he knows whats good for him he should stay in the vehicle, some of those Dem. run places are sketchy at best

[@Stoneygreat]

@@nozzledrich I know well.

[@jameschisala1482]

Are all the people indoors in these towns

[@DavidSmith-sb2ix]

I'd rather live in vampire country than one of the big cities. Much safer.

[@87alock]

I bet the humidity in this area during the summer is terrible.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

It's pretty bad now!

[@Jdb74985]

I'm in SE Louisiana and here across the lake from New Orleans we have the opposite problem these towns in this video have. When we moved here from River Ridge (between Harrahan and Kenner) there was only a caution light at the intersection of Highway 190 and Highway 445. There was an old run down gas station, a small diner with a little area for candy bars etc, another small restaurant called Cooter Brown's (which is still here), a tire shop and a garage. You blinked and you passed it up. Since Katrina ppl been steadily moving up here. Now there's all kinds of places to eat, a grocery store, a Dollar General, a Walmart DC, and massive amounts of subdivisions. We live close to the Tangipahoa River which now floods so easy. In fact in 2016 it flooded twice, both times where i live a good square sized area was closed, you couldn't go in or out for about 3 days. My road got almost 5 ft of water the second flood that year. We stayed and even though we are way off the ground we still got a foot and a half of water that night. I miss the days when no one lived here tbh. Too much traffic stresses me out lol

[@carolkokx9638]

If I had 57000 a year income I would think I was rich

[@ValerieAnnHorn-Ross-mx4cv]

🇬🇧 He said the average house price was $57,000 But the average wage per household was $20,000, meaning each couple earned just $10,000 pa. Very very low income. Cheers 🇬🇧🙋

[@vajraloka1]

All these places could have manufacturing shops and factories, but the manufacturing got sent to Asia and South America. So probably most on disability, social security, or welfare.

[@Theywaswrong]

What was shocking was driving through SW Arkansas, then crossing into Louisiana on my way to Shreveport. The highways got MUCH worse (yeah I know some people won't believe it) and the number of abandoned buildings, shacks. It just looked like the State had given up on that corner, much the way Arkansas has given up on their Eastern delta region which is overwhelmingly agricultural now with a vanishing population. Same with SE Missouri.

[@Kathrynyoder-x2j]

That house you found for sale was just listed not long after you filmed this video for the price of 25,000. It is a cute 2 bedroom 1 bath built in 1950.

[@joephillips1937]

It would be nice to atleast see human beings when you go to these places I'm just curious how they look and dress 😮

[@chami6204]

Je suis française et j'apprécie beaucoup de voyager au travers de vos vidéos fort intéressantes. Je m'aperçois, que dans beaucoup d'etats américains, les maisons sont de plus en plus abandonnées notamment à Détroit où les américains ont dû fuirent. Espérons que les prochaines décennies seront meilleures. Bravo pour votre travail. Merci.❤😊

[@Crycpycraps]

I’ve never been here but from this video it looks like these towns would be really spooky at night time.

[@peggypasson8794]

In some places it's creepy in the daytime lol spooky

[@agnescolmana7916]

first time to visit your channel. Amazing how time stands still in some of these places you are touring. My mind goes crazy over videos like this. We have a flood of migrants coming over the border and tons of homeless people all over the country and for such towns like this wouldn't it be great if they just opened them up like people in the old west in a wagon train that had to create their present and forge a future. How would that work? Find a need and fill it. How would you make a town compelling enough for people to want to move there?

[@wilmaflagstaff2434]

Those machines are derricks AKA grasshoppers. And those tanks you saw are called knock-out tanks. it's where the oil goes and is held and processed before it goes to the big companies to end up in your tank and so forth. And I really love traveling with you.

[@nkyshaolin]

For the level of poverty in these towns there are an awful lot of really nice cars. Lots of $50k + trucks and one $60K Ford Bronco. Someone has some money there

[@akejonsson2863]

Three biggest lies in Lousisiana; I'm using protection, was just helping that sheep over the fence and my pickup is paid for

[@bunnyman6321]

​@@akejonsson2863 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@rikspector]

Here's a few thumbnails of these towns,. What is Oil City LA known for? The town is situated on the banks of Caddo Lake, a massive freshwater reservoir that is popular with anglers and families looking for a weekend getaway. As its name implies, Oil City was a boom town for the oil and gas industries in the early 20th century. Vivian is home to friendly people who simply want to enjoy a leisurely lifestyle. Our mild climate allows us to have many year-round activities. Among the activities are the Louisiana Redbud festival held the 3rd Saturday of March, the Black History Parade held the 3rd weekend in February, and the Annual Christmas Festival held the 1st Saturday of December every year in downtown Vivian. There are also excellent public and private facilities throughout the area for golfing, tennis, swimming, and boating. Hunters and fishermen will find plenty of land and waterways for their outdoor activities. Caddo Lake, Black Bayou, and the Red River are the center points of outdoor activities. Vivian was incorporated in 1898 as people moved from the former Caddo Lake port of Monterey and the surrounding lakes and woodlands to be near the railroad terminal built in the late 1800’s. Through its 121 year history, Vivian has witnessed the booms and busts of the oil business and been a local center for commerce, transportation, education, health care and manufacturing. With Caddo Lake, Black Bayou, and the Red River, and numerous large tracts of forest surrounding the Town, it is no wonder that pre-dawn weekend traffic may be busier than the more typical rush hours in larger areas, especially on opening days of deer and duck season. Newcomers are welcomed to a friendly, safe, small town atmosphere with affordable real estate, attractive neighborhoods, and good schools. It is a great place to work and raise a family, or retire and enjoy the numerous recreational opportunities. Plain Dealing: Prior to 1839, the United States government forcibly removed the Caddo Nation of Native Americans-longtime local inhabitants who had first settled the area over 1,000 years before Europeans' 16th-century arrival in mainland North America-from the area of Northern Louisiana that included the parcel that would later become the town of Plain Dealing.[4] In 1839, George Oglethorpe Gilmer and his son, James Blair Gilmer, bought 5,000 acres of this land-now described as a "vast, unsettled wilderness"-from the United States government, calling a portion of this acreage "Plain Dealing" after the family's Virginia plantation.[4][5] The "Plain Dealing" name became official when the town was formally chartered on April 24, 1890.[4]

[@Mark-z7r8y]

That was a great job you did explaining that areas history, you connected all the dots!!!!! GREAT JOB & I FOR ONE APPRECIATE YOUR SYNOPSIS!!!!!

[@rikspector]

@@Mark-z7r8y thanks lts good to add some extra info Because even dying towns have Great pasts to share

[@rikspector]

@@Mark-z7r8y You are very welcome , sometimes it’s hard for the people making these vlogs to add details, but these small dying towns deserve a. Look at their pasts.

[@bunnyman6321]

Interesting stuff

[@rikspector]

@@bunnyman6321 Thank you They don’t always have time to Fill out the comments, so sometimes I add stuff. I usually keep them short But these towns had a lot to offer.😊

[@epit123]

how do you make ends meet with 10k a year?, just the rent would absorb that

[@JJJBRICE]

Everytime Lord Spoda mentions A House Is Returning To Nature it reminds me of the house my grandfather lived in for many years in Eden NC . Every visit I make to that town the old house continues to return to nature more and more . If these old houses could talk and tell their past it would be amazing .

[@n.speezly1467]

Lotta houses like that in Ahoskie NC too, it’s sad but kind of beautiful at the same time

[@Rocdag]

What I like best about your videos is the comments and stories that people post. You could write a book about each one. The encyclopedia of lost towns.

[@katherinekrawczyk9431]

103 Georgia st is no longer on the market. These areas are so sad. I bet they're simple friendly people. I grew up in poor neighborhoods and my memories of the people are friendly people. All though I grew up the first ten years of my life in Cedartown Ga. My memories are sweet. I went back to Cedartown and didn't recognize the place it has built up so much. Areas like these towns in Louisiana send me imagining what they looked like back in the day when the town was new. Another awesome video. Look forward to your next adventure. You guys stay safe. God bless.

[@stevedavis6879]

Always fascinated by these towns in the states. I'm in the uk and there is also a lot of places like this in the north of england.

[@stevedavis6879]

Are you not local to these communities anymore?

[@political_discourse_news6373]

I could watch hours upon our upon hours of this type of video. It is so soothing to me. Please tell me everything.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!!

[@Curtiz2008]

The Walmart probably serves the entire county. That and Dollar General look like the only retail stores there.

[@Idk-gy5gs]

we don’t have counties in Louisiana, we have parishes

[@americanrn125]

This area once THRIVED, even up until a few years ago… now you see what’s become of my home state. These are the homes of hardworking people, doing whatever it takes to survive. It’s a shame that people who have worked hard their entire life have lost everything thanks to years of America last policies.

[@petucker548]

Some of those abandoned oil rigs aren’t really abandoned. After it becomes economically unfeasible to have them pumping, you will often find a local person who will tap them for their last bit of oil. They put a small gasoline powered pump down the hole and let it run and suck up the oil until they fill a barrel. Usually they come by once a day to make sure that the gas pump still has enough gasoline to run. Depending on the price of oil, you can make a decent living doing this.

[@jd7089]

This town of Vivian,La brings back sad memories when I drove from New Orleans to Vivian in 2018 or 2019 (4 hour drive) to a good friend’s funeral. It’s a beautiful small town, but poverty is really evident.

[@Jaci0607]

I did some digging, and Carrie Martin closed down back in 2021 with an enrollment of under 200 students. Plain Dealing High school built an elementary wing, so that's where the Pre-K through Fifth Grade students ended up. Also, during segregation, it was a school for black children and the school was named after black educator Carrie Martin. Anyway, interesting video. I live in Northwest Louisiana, so I found it fascinating, watching you drive through the same towns I've driven through. Throughout the state, you're going to see these nearly dead towns, especially the ones that had a huge economic boon fifty plus years ago, but now it has nothing. It's depressing as hell.

[@lynnestamey7272]

Oil rigs in yards is not that uncommon. My grandmother had a oil pump on her land and it paid enough to pay for her utilities.

[@carolynsilvers9999]

Lots of mac and cheese and boxed noodles for such low income. Very sad as children's developing bodies and brains need nutrition. 😢

[@cajunlady4893]

My grandchild was a very picky eater. He would mostly eat mac /cheese and ramen noodles and drink chocolate milk from toddler until his teens. He is in gifted and talented classes. And tops. He has a very high IQ.

[@mekon1971]

That house is going for $30,000. A town like Vivian would be a reasonable choice for someone wanting to retire on the cheap. Could buy a home in this town outright, some medical and shopping locally, city an hour away, good one. Those are called Oil Pumpjack's.

[@ValerieAnnHorn-Ross-mx4cv]

🇬🇧 Also a Brit watching your interesting tour of out the way places in Louisiana ( incidently my daughter is named Louisiana Charlotte!). We in the UK are in a horrible recession at present & food & house prices are astronomical! But at least our wages, at least mine, just about cope I make £45,000pa & although im a professional in the mental care area, im not as well paid as others in my position get paid in the south, London areas. I live in the far North East of Britain. Our local house prices are around £250,000 on average. I bought my house in the 1980s for £30,000 its now worth £385,000! Rediculous! I feel sad that good people in these places with low crime rates, single parents live in such restricted circumstances. So much land attached to properties, they should grow their own vegetables & fruit. It would save money & eke out a staple diet with more variety. Thank you for this look into another world! We need to be grateful for what we have & remember those less fortunate. Peace & Good Cheer 🇬🇧🙋

[@FigsFrogPrince]

Welcome to my neighborhood😂 lots of cotton & corn grown here, a humongous solar farm going in too. One prominent farmer here told me he's fine with being paid big bucks for his land use. Abandoned oil & gas wells are everywhere as you saw, 4,300 + orphaned statewide😢

[@drillbittreed10]

Those are not oil rigs they are called pump jacks or as locals call them "money makers"

[@1951Roy]

Your Dad or grand dad was a Roustabout. Roustabouts work at oil fields and off-shore rigs on a variety of tasks to keep the oil flowing and operations safe. They assemble and disassemble pipes, pumps, and engines; load and unload trucks; search out leaks and repair equipment.

[@KittKatt542]

Great selection, but the equipment you mentioned are not rigs - they are pump jacks.

[@deehoward2351]

Driving through these small towns is nice on the weekends for a day trip. We did this when I was a child. The only thing is , you have to be careful of your speed. Some of these small towns are speed traps( That's how they get revenue.) The people are usually friendly and you see a lot of interesting things.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

You're right!

[@laurarojas8490]

More chance Joe gets fined for curb crawling speeds

[@truckingandtraveling]

I'm from Mississippi now living in Kansas. I've been thinking about moving back South. I'm trying to decide whether it's going to be back in Mississippi or Louisiana. I need to get back to country living.

[@bunnyman6321]

Did you move back south?

[@truckingandtraveling]

@@bunnyman6321 no, not yet. I need to get some things in order before I do.

[@bunnyman6321]

@@truckingandtraveling May you have much success

[@gatorgogo2742]

That house for sale in Vivian is part of a package of 9 rental properties. The assessment value of that house in $15,877. 2br, 1 bath 903 sq. ft. I read every True Bood book and even went to New Orleans to meet the author at a book signing. She is cute as a bug and so much fun! Thanks, Joe. Be careful in Cancun. About 30 years ago a friend and I got caught in a civil uprising on the way back to the airport and were held at gunpoint by teens wielding aks! We weren't held long and made our plane. LOL Just another adventure for 2 old ladies! Keep the videos rolling! 💙

[@flexiblestrategist9922]

$15.000?? You couldn't get a detached garage that fits one car for that up here in NJ!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Interesting.

[@TD_YT066]

My property taxes per year are more than that in Austin TX for a 1500ft^2 3Br2Ba built in '64.

[@cnb1243]

@@flexiblestrategist9922 15k in New Jersey gets you absolutely nothing. Rent here for a 2 bedroom is about 2200 a month smh

[@kristenglenn7026]

Oh I’ve been waiting for you to do this area of Louisiana! I feel so pulled to this state & all southern states for some reason

[@rebelwolf4023]

What part of this video was supposed to be vampiric? This video shouldn’t say, “Vampire Country” it should say, “A Look At Louisiana’s Abandoned Towns”. This video just explained town stats, why is this “vampire country”?

[@deadlysquirrel5560]

I lived in Vivian in the early 1980's. I was told that the Walmart was one of the first ones built, maybe that's why it is smaller than usual.

[@usmcmos0317]

Thanks for another great informative video. Due to circumstances and illness haven’t been able to watch. And now that’s over at least for a while I see I have some good ones to see especially the upcoming ones in my beloved Texas. Thanks keep traveling I’ll keep watching

[@lisamoncrieff5512]

Hey guys! Another great video as always! Looked up the house for sale at 301 Georgia Street and it is off the market now as of Sept 17/23 - don't know why as it doesn't indicate that it sold. However, it has been on the market several times in the past, starting in 2008. When is was active though, asking price was $30,000. No inside pics but the house was built in 1950 and has 2 bdrms, 1 bath, 848 square feet and lot is 7,013 sq ft. Thanks for another interesting video xoxo

[@Battleneter]

cheers, I was trying to build the motivation to Google :P

[@kokomo74149]

We are considered subtropical in most of the state. I can grow things from Asia, Latin America, even Australia's subtropic area. So yeah the state is pretty green. The greenery literally grows faster than we can keep up. Lol Ps. Thanks for getting the names right. Being the only French state, we have some hard to figure out and pronounce names.

[@jeannieschannel3597]

Yes. I was very impressed with his pronunciation of the names. Great job.

[@billstill1794]

...and here I thought vampire country was in Transylvania, home of Dracula's castle, deep in the mountains of Romania! 😨 This area looks more like a somewhat swampy version of the Texas hamlets that the swervy gang and Jon creep through! Thank you for that stupid barrel game ad @10:55 - I had fun blowing them all away before they shot me! Bring on the vampires - they might be hiding out in Vivian! I hear they treat quite a few vampire bite victims in that hospital. ....ahh, the Red River flowing with blood on Friday the 13th - we're getting closer - they walk behind you! Damn, no vampires - I would have been satisfied to see Polk Salad Annie! NOTE: Yes, that school in Plain Dealing is now abandoned - all the students are now bussed to the brand-new Bram Stoker Memorial School Complex.

[@tomfuelery2905]

There is a Transylvania Louisiana, but it's on the other side of the state.

[@LemmyK72]

Man , where's all the people in the towns? That's what makes them creepy . It's like post apocalyptic looking. Thanks for sharing the video. It's very cool seeing places in the country, that I'll never get to see in person. 👍

[@bunnyman6321]

😂😂

[@catlover614]

A great video, as always, and so interesting. These old country towns are endlessly fascinating. It's funny that we are watching a video about Vampire Country, a few days after Halloween !! Good timing ! Thanks very much, Joe and Nic, I always enjoy your videos !🥰

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Right! :)

[@danielstone4134]

Just found your channel I really like it! I’m not gonna call any names but the real vampire has the initials of DG, they’re in every small town in the US, preying on the poor and the elderly. Everything they sell is is way overpriced and genetically modified and their shelf prices are almost always gonna be different than what’s on your receipt. That needed to be said…

[@juliey5328]

Hi Joe ! Loving your adventures , some of the areas are actually nice . Have you ever encountered any violence while your driving around these areas . Alot of the areas look very sketchy and scary . You are brave . Stay safe ! ❤

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Not yet! :)

[@juliey5328]

Great to hear ! 😊

[@catherineleigh9000]

@@JoeandNicsRoadTripGod watches over is why

[@robertpewsey8931]

Hi Jo and Rick, just watched this and Subscribed. It's fascinating, seeing real America. I live in Suffolk England, an amazed at how derelict most of America seem to be. Where are the all the people in these little "towns" about the size of the average village in the UK. I would love to visit the places you go to, but they all look like they should have a resident serial killer. Absolutely fascinating viewing. Thanks for sharing.

[@susanhartling-l1c]

This towns seem very clean. I haven't seen one homeless person loiting around.

[@calistafalcontail]

I havent seen any living person at all...this is depressing.

[@disturbedtiger7568]

That's because Vampires got them

[@skygirlview8236]

As of 12/28/23 they are asking 25K for the house on Georgia

[@michaelstuckey6236]

I was raised in Plain Dealing. Currently living in Oil City. Ive never heard Sportsmans Paradise refered to as Vampire Country.😅

[@michaelhargrove5930]

Except maybe when in Transylvania,Louisiana near Lake Providence in east carrol parrish.🤣

[@PamIAmChronicles]

Native Houstonian here, living up in Missouri these days. My family is from deep east Texas and these backroads really look like home to me. Thanks

[@Yawndave]

Vampire Country...sounds like a good name for a Goth bluegrass band 🙂 Trivia tidbit: the "oil rigs" have various names including pumpjacks, nodding donkeys, pumping units, horsehead pumps, beam pumps, sucker rod pumps, grasshopper pumps, thirsty birds, and jack pumps. In the oil fields of central California there used to be bunch of painted/decorated pumps that was called the "Iron Zoo". The R.C Baker Museum in Coalinga (worth a visit) used to sell a set of postcards with all the different oil pump creatures.

[@allanduvall7431]

Can't believe his grandpa didn't tell him that😊

[@ES-mc3cc]

Poor people have kids they can't afford. The kids get used to that kind of life and do the same thing. A never-ending cycle of poverty.

[@janefinley-english1051]

Piggly Wiggly reminds me of “Driving Miss Daisy”! I didn’t know they still existed. Great video. ♥️✌🏽

[@keithgordon4153]

There is a PW on Athens, TX and throughout East TX.

[@keithgordon4153]

I love PW. The one in Athens has a cool butcher.

[@moony4559]

i grew up and still live near vivian. it has gone downhill in 30 years. the bayou lafourche country club you passed is 1/2 mile where i grew up. its a bar for blacks now. back in the day it was divided between black and whites. its my dads old watering hole. it used to be called tiny's bar. tiny was a very fat man. the dam you drove over at hosston is where me and my dad used to fish. the area was booming in the 30's to 80's. oil. sad to see it going downhill. but i think its better than some place like houston.

[@thomasallen3818]

The “oil rig” is called a Pump Jack. They are used to pump oil from the ground after the rig has finished drilling the well.

[@jezek7358]

Check out a small town in South West Arkansas called Foreman. It is about 45 minute from Texarkana. It has population of about 971. I am originally from there myself. Also, there is another town in Arkansas called Murfreesboro it has a population of 1,451. located maybe 2 hours South West from Little Rock. That town has the only diamond mine in the United States. The mine is a state park and is open to the public.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We have visited Murfreesboro and visited the mine! The video is on the channel. I will look into Foreman. :)

[@zoidmo3388]

This vid had some of my fav things to see /hear in small towns. A caboose, vintage style bridge, lovely church bells, regular sized homes although sad evidence if poverty. No Norman Rockwell downtown but hey!!! they have a Country Club! LOL . Awesome vid Joe. Thank You so much. 🥰

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you!!!

[@TheErilaz]

It's interesting to watch, I'm from Norway and visible powerty like this is not so usual. Sadly we also have buildings that nobody lives in on the country side, and they are decaying.

[@drjcox99]

My Mother's family lived in Plain Dealing in the late 1800s and believe some are still in the area. Many buried in the local area

[@SabrinaMoten]

My maternal great grandmother was born in Plain Dealin! When I saw your thumbnail, I hoped you would pick it because of it’s unique name. Thanks for your videos. And if someone hasn’t answered, those are pumping units. I live in oil country in California.

[@IanCrouse]

I am from Thibodaux, deep south Louisiana, but my Aunt and Uncle lived in Hosston after he retired from the Airforce in the '70s. We spent many days fishing that shallow bridge near Caddo Lake. Brought back many memories... I wish you went into Hosston. But I'm sure it's gone.

[@antonboldsword3770]

I know a girl that was a Hoss from the people that Hosston is named for. Well, she's in her late 40's now and lives in DeRidder, but her people went not far away to outside of Magnolia, Arkansas.

[@joeanthony9162]

Joe, if you want a weird small little town, try Lufkin, in East Texas. It's very close to the Louisiana borderline. I moved there in July, felt extremely uncomfortable there and moved back to the city in Houston.

[@bassman6635]

Lufkin Texas is not a small little town 34,000 people live there

[@sawmillguy9706]

Been to Lufkin a couple times, didn't get that vibe at all.

[@Steve-ow4jt]

Another amazing video. Seeing all the oil pumps there is a small taste of what we see everyday here in Oklahoma. Especially the town I live in, Cushing, which is labeled the pipeline crossroads of the world having a tank farm for every major oil producer. It wouldn't be so bad if all the abandoned sites weren't left behind to become eyesores. Will watch for the next wonderful video. Until then stay safe and God bless. Steve in Oklahoma

[@nancydolan7581]

Thank you for the tour! Being a curious creature, I looked up the house at 301 Georgia (in Vivian). As of today, 7/3/24, it is listed for $29,000 and still for sale. It has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and was built in 1950. Now we know. :)

[@WaskiSquirrel]

Without doing research, I wonder if that school was abandoned? Or, a lot of smaller schools in the south have gone to a 4-day school week as a cost-savings measure. It could be that this was their off day.

[@Beardfamily247]

Joe please tell me, how on earth do you steer straight when filming left or right. I'd be filming the train depot one second the next I would be wiping out a mailbox and driving through someones yard. 😂 PLEASE EXPLAIN 😂

[@edlee2336]

😂😂😂😂

[@Beardfamily247]

@@edlee2336 😂

[@Kittydoc90]

According to google, Carrie Martin Elementary School is still functioning, serving 142 or 186 students (depending on the source) in grades 1st through 5th. It did look awfully quiet, however.

[@Meggzilla]

Read the Sookie Stack house books. You will not be disappointed.

[@jimjustice581]

Well done, sir. Thanks for the view of small town Louisiana.

[@Witchfoot.Incorporated]

I’m searching for a small town to move to the outskirts of, in an old house. Watching your content is so helpful

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Check out these Mississippi towns - very low cost of living, low crime, all the services you need. You might like them for what you're looking for. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoDEf6WAfdqGgK8

[@bewew8156]

Very nice to see another part of America! Being from the Netherlands I ask myself: the villages shown are very poor but the cars are huge and many times do not look that old. How is that possible?

[@russm4677]

Many people here in the US buy cars WAAAY out of their practical price range. Pretty much any lender here says this to be true. A pickup runs between 65-80k for a BASE 4wd model. People here are car poor... it's really sad to see. Fun fact... many self made millionares here in the US buy affordable cars as their daily drivers. Think Honda and Toyata type sedans and crossovers. Many of those big SUVs and trucks you see that are shiny and new are driven by people who literally can't afford them. It's maddening. I live near Oil City in Shreveport LA... the amount of lifted shiny trucks and SUVs parked in government housing or in front of broken down trailer parks is astounding.

[@bewew8156]

That leaves me with the question how it is possible they can get a loan in the first place. In the Netherlands it is impossible to get a loan with that kind of income. And there exists a register with all loans you have so that banks and persons taking loans are protected.

[@russm4677]

@bewew8156 yeah that doesn't exist here. You can really pretty much get a loan for anything... it's up to the consumer really. You would find financial smarts to be at a minimum here though

[@bewew8156]

​@@russm4677 So their cars are more expensive then their houses. But why is paying for health insurance such a big deal then? The banks do not seem to care about getting the money back.

[@Donald-Putin]

Keen observation! It's a cultural thing here that men buy trucks far out of their price range as a status symbol. We joke about it all the time. They live in a mouse infested trailer, but drive an F250 with a lift kit and aftermarket tires that's 3x the value of the trailer. Never take it off-road, or pull anything, it's simply a local status symbol. It's quite ridiculous. I used to drive a small car and was very out of place, like something was wrong, lol.

[@LitaKing-e4h]

I spent most of my life in Louisiana, growing up in the "toe" of the boot. It's a state with lots to offer and the people are the best. Appreciate your perspective and love your videos!

[@catherineleigh9000]

It’s funny that I lived in both north Louisiana and south Louisiana and we think it should be 2 different states. Totally different mentality. Should be North Louisiana and South Louisiana. Might have something to do with the Bible Belt being more in mid and north Louisiana 🤔 Y’all are awesome and so appreciated❤

[@christa3224]

I was born and raised in south Louisiana. South Louisiana is heavily catholic with strong french heritage (Cajun/Creole). North Louisiana is more Protestant and much less French influenced.

[@amberrose4320]

i lived in southern lousiana for a few years. never been to northern louisiana. how are they different?

[@rogeranderson5578]

⁠@@amberrose4320I live in Central Louisiana and Christa is correct. A few miles below me and to the Southwest is considered Cajun Country where French Canadiens were expelled from Canada’s Acadia region and settled in Southwest Louisiana in the mid 1700’s. Southeast Louisiana as you probably know is heavily influenced from the French explorers and that influence can be seen everywhere! From Central Louisiana up to the Arkansas border is totally different. Much more Protestant and resembles Louisiana’s border states culturally and geographically. There are exceptions of course like Natchitoches which is the oldest town in the Louisiana Purchase but I’m just providing a general response.

[@MrBlackHimself]

WISH I W0ULD HAVE MET Y0U GUY'S...I'M 0VER 300 YEARS 0LD AND L0VE T0 BITE...

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

So very sad to see once thriving small American towns now lying almost dead. Small towns made America.

[@mikeashcraft4354]

A lot of those towns existed for the oil below. Wasn't a need to diversify the income base. Been in the Piney Woods since '81 & have experienced at least eight boom/bust oilfield cycles.

[@teciagreen7718]

I happened upon this channel this week and so glad I did. JOe's voice is like a smooth radio announcer! I can work and listen along. Keep up the great work!