I Drove Through The Worst Parts of East St. Louis, Illinois

Wow! This place is completely abandoned and an empty wasteland now!
In our last video, we visited St Louis, Missouri, and right now, we’re going to cross over the Mississippi River and head into Illinois. We’ll take the first exit, Barack Obama Highway, and head deep into East St. Louis, one of the most notoriously rundown and dangerous communities in America.
The day is Wednesday, December 18, 2019 at approximately 11:30 am.
The region has just received several inches of snowfall two days prior, but as you can see, today, the skies are bright. The air was crisp, and the snowfall made the area appear unusually charming, like makeup covering a bruise.
Like other rust belt cities in the midwest, East St Louis was once a bustling community, and at its peak, was home to 82,000 people. However, the economic decline has hit this city hard, and the population now numbers around 27,000, shrinking by more than two thirds.
It was once Illinois’ 4th largest city, and was an All American city as late as 1959. But that was a long time ago - 60 years in fact.
The problem here really began in the 1970s when the middle class moved out of the area, and the resulting failed tax base meant basic city services, including police and fire departments, had trouble operating.
Because of depopulation, East St Louis today has many abandoned properties and extensive urban blight. All over town are sections of "urban prairie" where vacant buildings were demolished and whole blocks have become overgrown with vegetation. We saw the same thing in Detroit.
We drove by one such home being razed to the ground. You can see it here.
Much of the land outside of the city remains undeveloped, bypassed by developers who chose more affluent suburban areas. That area is now farming. What’s left in city limits proper are widely scattered "inner city" neighborhoods, truck stops, adult venues, liquor stores and other blighted sections of town.
The racial makeup of East St Louis is 98% black, 1% white, and 1% other.
35% of the city lives below the poverty line, where family incomes average under $25,000 a year.
Crime wise, East St Louis is notorious among the midwest. The per capita homicide rate here is about 18 times the national average, and East St Louis has the highest murder rate of any city in the United States. Kids who grow up here are told to take cover in the bathtub when they hear gunfire. People don’t answer their doors after dark.
However, it was early in the day, and much of the trouble makers here were still indoors, perhaps daunted by the icy roads and cold weather.
We’ll drive through some of the worst sections of East St. Louis now.
East St. Louis wasn’t as bad as we thought it would be. Perhaps some of the blight was masked by the recent snowfall, and it appears as if more and more blighted neighborhoods have been demolished, possibly never to be rebuilt. In terms of dangerous members of the community, it would have been a different case had we driven through these areas at night.
As it stands, we’ve now reached the far northern limits of town, which is where urban blight meets farmland.
This channel talks about America, different states, education, travel, geography and what it's like to live in different places in America.
Business email: [e-mail]
Mappy: [e-mail]. He'll do his best to answer your questions and fan mail.

[@NickJohnson]

Here's my entire Unboxing America Series: kzbin.info/aero/PLq-_cmf3H6yqgM1vGG305six5T7dqGURF

[@youngAmazin1988]

I’m from Denver I met two brothers from East St. Louis they took care of me when I didn’t have shit I will always have love for them kwan and Mikey my bro’s for life ♥️

[@dmonsterlove]

Man we dont have the most out here, but we got big hearts. I'll never let somebody who ain't from around here to throw dirt on my hometown. Its room for improvements all over the world. But your boys sound like my type of people

[@dmonsterlove]

Say for instance you catch a flat tire. A stranger in the street will help you before your family will

[@W00skii]

Halloe 618 big truth💯

[@errorsofmodernism9715]

Do you ever visit them in prison?

[@unekefilmzz8726]

East Boogie is the place baby

[@frankbier1690]

I grew up here from 1956-1972, at one time it was a wonderful place, 1970 and it changed overnight, homes started emptying out and then would suddenly catch fire in the middle of the night. Arson for profit was a way of life, too bad if you’re home was next door and caught fire when someone torched the house next to yours. My home is gone, my grade school, Harding, is burned down, my junior high is burned down and the high school I went to has been converted to a prison. No going back home if you grew up in ESTL.

[@brunafiorentino5069]

Dieversity

[@timmyjones1921]

I knew one ladies home that caught fire ' she used to Insurance settlement to get her & her children out of East St.Louis Illinois & moved to Cape Girardeau Missouri . The Drug Cartels in South America made a Fortune on East St.Louis Illinois that is One Thing Was a Sure Bet for awhile .

[@RihannaIsIluminati]

Bruna Fiorentino Yes it was all because of black people, not successive economic downturns rocking an already vulnerable neighborhoods. Headass.

[@cradlingbrokenglass]

Some of the houses are beautiful. It’s a shame.

[@DavidCanada-hz9dq]

@@timmyjones1921 How did they (Drug Cartel)make a Fortune off E.St.Louis,lies lies and more lies ain't that kinda Money been in my City so go sit in a Corner some where they made a fortune off the whole Country if you ask Me!!🤣😂🤔🤦🏽🤷🏽

[@stlblair]

Try this same exact drive at 1am on a Saturday night - guaranteed, a little more excitement in the video.

[@jonathanhaines5342]

I was just thinking that

[@benwolf5264]

He thought of that I bet but was too scared

[@loganm8220]

@@benwolf5264 hell i get scared accidentally crossing the mlk bridge at noon

[@iworkout6912]

@@benwolf5264 Having traveled through these small cities like this, being a rep for McDonald's I had to visit them all to see if they passed inspection. One rule I always followed was not doing it at night and as mentioned especially Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday morning was the time I traveled around the city the most, and of course weekdays in the am when many were sleeping.

[@huf67]

I've been wanting to do the exact same thing for a while... I'm always up for an exciting drive !!

[@sierradenson1585]

I was homeless in east stl last year ( luckily I've managed to get clean, find a job and housing). The streets can over there can be terrifying to the average person. You can find any kind of trouble you can imagine there. It's a cesspool of drugs, murder and prostitution.

[@sonikariuki1884]

Congratulations on being clean! The road will not be easy, but the worst is behind you. Focus on what's ahead and you'll be fine. Lots of love♥️

[@lisafairclough8122]

Congrats & much love from England X

[@leoalbppri80]

But hey overcame that, and look at you now. God bless!

[@barbaratatton3855]

Best regards and blessings forward

[@payrpaynoattn809]

❤

[@lootwijk]

Thank you for documenting your trip. I once got lost for hours in East St. Louis in Streetview. There is something strange about urban blight, like the mind cannot process how a city can just start literally falling apart. Sure I live far away, but I think things do not have to go very far off before this can happen here too.

[@nondescriptbeing5944]

It's insane to learn that St. Louis went from almost 1 million to 300,000

[@williamhermann6635]

@@nondescriptbeing5944 Detroit is even worse. Went from 1.8 million at its peak to like 650k and still declining.

[@Modern_Nostalgia]

I can't explain it, but there's a strange feeling of fascination I get watching these videos. I often picture myself there...in one of those broken homes. To know the danger, yet still strangely attracted to it...to see the world through the eyes of whomever lives there.

[@NickJohnson]

i know right?

[@ThePropheticClock]

That's why we're all watching it

[@terryg995]

They call it ruin porn. It's your fascination with shuttered and abandoned places. I toured many such places. (From the old and now demolished meat-packing plants and shuttered factories) to the Packard plant in Detroit. Psychology Today says it has something to do with our views on life and death and how we interplay with them.

[@jimmyjakes1823]

It might interest you to know that the city of St. Louis has a program where they will sell you a dilapidated ghetto house for $1, as long as you commit to living there and fixing it up. There are literally thousands of authentic 19th and early 20th century homes available. Your ruin porn fantasies could become your everyday reality. Don't let your dreams be memes.

[@LightningMo3]

I know what you mean... I go there to doordash despite living 100 miles away in Rolla... There is that real sense of aww and danger when you are literally looking at some of the things shown in this video. Like I have videos of the same type of rundown areas all over St Louis, after doing all my exploring (god by the river is scary) I'm just shocked at people's desire to live in cities, to think people pay more to live there. It never gets old though, and it's fun how your senses develop, like you'll start realizing where you are, how dangerous the area really is, even though you've never been there, and there's always more to discover in a city that big. Maybe my favorite thing to do ( and this doesn't just apply to St Louis ) is to imagine what it must've been like when things were operating at peak performance. How bustling and fun the city-life must've felt with all the innovation and things to look forward to, but the more I think about that the more I realize how broken America became from the 60's decade and how St Louis might represent as well as anywhere, but it wasn't just a select few places that felt the ripples of that decade, it's the whole Country.

[@Xosidhe]

On a cross-country drive, my mom said she booked a hotel on St Louis. When we got there, it was in Ferguson, and it was super scary. There were groups of people roaming around and it felt like something was going to kick off at any minute.

[@us-unclesam6566]

This is what happens to a country that sells-out it workers and sends the jobs chasing cheap labor.

[@norbertop.niebres6320]

Not just in the United States, but also in Canada, Great Britain, and Europe.

[@discobaby9931]

Your right pal! Made in china. Corporate interest sold us out. God will Judge! 🇺🇸☝

[@jasonmiller4046]

now happening to Belleville Illinois

[@jdsdeesmoke7242]

US - Uncle Sam kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3vNp2d9Zc-das0

[@TheGodYouWishYouKnew]

US - Uncle Sam It is partially the fault of outrageous corporate taxes and thuggish labor unions.

[@gracegoss7994]

I grew up in East St Louis. It’s been a few years since I’ve visited. I have only great memories and positive experiences. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@NickJohnson]

Yay Grace!

[@valkoornightsinger9659]

I too grew up in East St. Louis, it was a very beautiful city in the 60's. Went to Hawthorne Elementary, got penny candy and two cent cones at Nieders Dairy, played in Jones Park. Now Granite City, IL is following the same path of decay.

[@joshualee-gs9yv]

preach!!!!! im from granite shitty!

[@FahimSalehi786]

I’m from Kabul Afghanistan. I’d love to drive in the rural areas of Afghanistan and make a video like this. But it is incredibly dangerous.

[@jeffcook5449]

Is this what the nice areas of Afghanistan look like

[@bkfresh7885]

Come to NY we can hang out

[@johnmarks714]

@@jeffcook5449 im curious too

[@justdrive5327]

Nah, East St. Louis is more dangerous than anything in Afghanistan. It's one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Top 3

[@justdrive5327]

If he could make a video in ESL. I'm sure you can make one in Afghanistan too

[@cannabliss6341]

Notice how when he started driving through the worst parts of town, he didn't stop at any stop signs. In this video, I saw the exact spot where one of my relatives was shot in the face at a stop sign. These places are NO JOKE

[@nycsongman9758]

Totally unrealistic: You truly need to drive by on a July evening; then you’ll get a real sampling of the local flora and fauna.

[@asseatinbob]

NYC Songman I agree, that’s why I prefer @charliebo313 ‘s vids. He drives through when the party is happening out in the streets and im like “man don’t go in there!!” If this guy drove through at night in the summer he’d either get jumped or the cops would pull him over for looking for drugs. Lol

[@nycsongman9758]

Okay; maybe not totally; my bad; you do get a feel for the bleakness, in this vid; and those two dudes crossing the street walked like cats that haunted my youth lol

[@nycsongman9758]

Duderonomy Smith “man don’t go in there!!”. LMAO . Perfect.

[@brendanwilson4876]

NYC Songman Haunted your youth? What do you mean?

[@nycsongman9758]

Brendan Wilson Local toughs with whom I crossed paths coming up. I wasn’t raised to throw punches first, and ask questions later, but these people (women, too) were. Lol. No room for much discussion with those bad, older cats. When I got out from around there, it saved my future.

[@gordonbeard7840]

The best part of the video was seeing my old grade school still standing Attucks Elementary. Lived not far from there down the street from the old Illinois Power company. Some of my best times growing up here was living right across the street from the old Jackie Robinson Baseball field. Had several baseball diamonds there and anyone who lived here especially back in the day would remember this. Great place for us kids to hang out at and enjoy great baseball games, food & company. I miss the old times!!!

[@mrswhite49]

polock

[@aa64912]

We lived there until about the end of 1965. We lived mainly on north 13th not even a block off State Street. It was starting to get bad and that’s why we moved, first to Washington Park and then to Edwardsville. But it used to be a great place to live and I hate what’s happened to it. 😞

[@scwaty180]

My Grandparents and Mom grew up in the area. Did you know Richard, Jenny, or Nancy Johnson?

[@FoxNewsNewYork]

It's so sad that whites have to flee from the homes where generations grew up!

[@wandac042568]

I’m from ESL. It’s full of talented artists and helpful people. Crooked politicians and a messed up tax base destroyed it. But if you’re hungry, the people will feed you. If you’re cold, they will give you a coat. It’s a damn shame how the city has declined over the years.

[@painterken2542]

I lived there for awhile.. crazy how it's discribe as most dangerous..if not for the good folks that live there I'd been homeless and starved..if you got a pocket full of$ and your on the streets at night buying drugs....well of course...your gonna have troubles...if you ain't got no $ and not caught up in the drug game you find really good folks there.

[@niccoarcadia4179]

A family of visitors to my church are from ESL and they were such great people! If you see this comment Corey come back soon. Your presentation moved us!

[@ShenteriaChilds]

My former home town. It definitely has many abandoned buildings. The citizens have to know they can use their voices to make changes if they are willing to rise up and become more involved and engaged with everything going on around them. It saddens me to know how bad things have gotten in the city I grew up in. To know it was named the most dangerous city in America for several years is so sad. But the citizens are not involved enough to work on the positive changes that must happen. Complacency is real and it is hard to make changes when the people around you are in survival mode or don't want to use their voices to make things better.

[@jjohnsengraciesmom]

It is difficult. But you also need clout and money and connections. If a bunch of hollywood people with social media accounts wanted to go there and make change, I think things could happen.

[@ShenteriaChilds]

I understand what you are saying but that shouldn’t be the mindset they need to adopt. Getting someone from Hollywood with clout is a far stretch. Waiting around for someone to “save them” doesn’t work. The people themselves have their own voices that they MUST use. This happens in far too many black neighborhoods. Things go down over the years because not enough people are involved in trying to make it better. Too many want to be quiet with their heads down. That destroys the community along with all the crime happening. So those that don’t speak up are unfortunately passively allowing all the damage to happen and therefore adding to the problem. I don’t get why we have an image of being aggressive as a culture, yet when it comes to us being aggressive when it counts like speaking up for our communities, we sadly don’t. Voices need to be heard then when it matters most.

[@ShenteriaChilds]

Yes this is true. It simply starts with them educating themselves. So much of it is because most families are not involved with their community at all. When I grew up there my mom didn’t go to city council meetings, church was the main place we went to outside of school. With the internet being so accessible today, the young people and adults have to get on their phones and do research to find out how they can make their community better. Especially because it affects the younger generations coming up. I hate seeing so many black communities get to this point. The root of the cause is complacency. Most people don’t care to educate themselves. When I asked a number of people to come to a city council meeting with me, they said it wouldn’t matter. So they’d given up. I realized I couldn’t help fix that when I am outside of the community today (I live in Vegas) can’t help a place where the people there don’t want to help make it better themselves.

[@angellamyers9758]

I lived n the Roosevelt homes and 55th st as a kid

[@lclfav2]

You missed the most dangerous part. There's a housing project not too far from the BP station. If you end up down there at night you will most certainly get robbed. East St. Louis was where a lot of music and comedy happened. Red Foxx and Richard Pryor and Tina Turner. There's a ton of history there, it sucks to see it end up like this. There could be several case studies done about misuse of funds, ground pollution from big chemical companies and long term effects, and long term decay.

[@kcmaldonado3948]

It's in Illinois, you can be sure there is shadiness surrounding use of funds.

[@beesbees1669]

I live there and I take public transit sometimes. Night time in East St Louis isn’t as dangerous as you would initially think. But still, make sure you know where you’re going at night and always have some means of protection. It would’ve been nicer if you’d come during the summer. It’s always more quiet during the colder months. All in all, I love it here and I’m definitely giving back to East St Louis once I get my degree.

[@tomcosta9266]

yeah i never had any issues there neither....i used to have to go to Estl every day....the city new me...i was well known....id actually drive down MLK and they would all holler out my nickname....TomCat..lol....

[@georgemurphy2579]

Good for you Bee... Maybe an intelligent professional like yourself is being called by God to go back and do something worthwhile! All the best to you, and hats off to you for your positive attitude👩‍🎓💚🙏

[@keridefrancesco8571]

The summer looks completely diff, but still I would feel safer here than the North side. Maybe it's because I grew up on the East side. My mom worked in Washington Park. I actually get a little scared driving I-70 W now after 9 PM. I made the mistake of stopping for gas at the BP on Grand and 70 around 9:30 at night. Never, never again

[@mysteryandmeaning297]

I lived as kid on n82nd st

[@Dave-zl2ky]

resembles many mid-western cities that have grown tired

[@NickJohnson]

i know i visited another one that video is coming out Tuesday.

[@mplsridah]

Upper Midwest is pretty nice tho

[@badguy1481]

@@NickJohnson Try Rockford, Ill. NOW a "crime city" show place. 60 years ago...bright...sunny...clean! Now?

[@jmann8109]

Literally every city in Iowa... After the railroads died in the 90s, so did the towns.

[@dcornelious8080]

One question. Do white people think blacks kill a city or neighbor hood or lack of resource hold back why move out when they move in this country is fucked full of hatred unjust laws and economic prejudice

[@poetcomic1]

ESL had a rich vibrant mix of Slavs, Czechs, Polish, German etc. etc. neighborhoods, wonderful little bakeries, community churches and a man working could support a whole family. Gee, I wonder what happened to them.

[@diantart-ward6195]

Most of the homicides are gang related. Rivals ect... If u mind ur business and be respectful its relatively safe.

[@RemixedVoice]

Yeah, the gangs aren't going to kill some random tourist. I recommend bringing your own weed if you decide to visit though lmao

[@joshualee-gs9yv]

@@RemixedVoice lollllll i bought weed there thru a native estlousian he told me to wear my hat straight look down n not to them n its gucci ahahahahaha i did that n got what was mine

[@torquetrain8963]

Keep up the great work Nick. I always find your videos to be relaxing and calming , but very interesting. Something my family can watch. Thank you!

[@NickJohnson]

Oh wow cool! Sometimes I hope I don't make people too upset 😉 have a blessed rest of your week! 🙏

[@johnniespaulding9067]

I rode through East St Louis on a motorcycle once and I cried. I couldn't believe what I saw. But, the only good part was many of the residents were waving and smiling as we passed by. It gave a sense of hope

[@joesmith9216]

I don't doubt you were emotive, it's been dpopulated, looks freaky, I google mapped it, it's back to forest in most parts.

[@PhilipReeder]

Im from St. Louis. Honestly having been to East St. Louis, North St. Louis is much more dangerous than East St. Louis. There is just not that many people in ESL compared to St. Louis' north side. I used to be a armoured car driver. Never really worried too much on the east side North St. Louis? The radar was on 150 percent.

[@lesterdiamond6190]

Much respect to you doing that job. I live in a very wealthy city and I still turned down an invitation to drive a Brinks Truck.

[@phillhuddleston9445]

That's because it is now a ghost town, the ones that survived moved on to destroy new neighborhoods.

[@alyssamurphy7792]

I live in St. Louis. I agree I think north Stl is worse. I hate going down to like Kingshighway and Goodfellow at night lol

[@gatewaycritic1447]

I'm from ESTL & both sides are dangerous. Nobody from the North Side comes to the E Side unless it's close to a bridge or 255. And nobody from the E Side goes North Side unless you have family or business. Both sides put up numbers that proves you'll get ate up on either side if you get comfortable.

[@dnealy]

Cap

[@ThePyrosgirl77]

I really enjoy watching your videos, they are so relaxing! Listening to the music and imagining myself driving through there just for the view. For this reason I watch them over and over! We get a little bit of history and we get to see somewhere we've never traveled to. The music while you are driving is very soothing and relaxing. Thanks for these great videos! Keep them coming, and the music too.

[@mikegrandcolas6402]

Driving through there at 11:30am is not prime time. The local natives and drug dealers aren’t out of bed yet. The jungle doesn’t “get going” until about 11:00 PM.

[@mitebcool]

Its lucky these people clump together in certain areas, if they spread out more everything would be ruined

[@Rommie26]

Honestly not even that bad The homes are huge and at least they actually demolish old and run down buildings unlike Detroit, Baltimore, and philly St Louis has a lot of potential If a company like amazon opened a warehouse here I believe it would do wonders for the community

[@NickJohnson]

i just wonder if this community wants a job?

[@Rommie26]

Nick Johnson if it’s amazon or similar big company that has great benefits then anyone would want a job

[@dezerismith7529]

@@NickJohnson yeah there are lots of black people that want to work, I am sure even some of the world's worst trailer park people if shown the way, would try to get help, but some feel hopeless and have seen lots of hopelessness that they might feel lost in the toilet 🚽 town there in, if they build jobs they will comeeee, Wal-Mart anyone🤷🏾

[@fihzmb7840]

Nick Johnson please go to New Orleans and look at the history and maybe go to a saint game WHO DAT!!

[@tokyoescobar]

He not in the worst parts. Homes are not big

[@paul06660]

Really the place has improved in recent years since the city started demolishing rotted out buildings. Back in the 90's I was part of a traveling group and we took a wrong turn through there my god how rough the place looked back then. Also, the best time to experience the city at its truest is a weekend night in mid summer.

[@LahomaK]

LOL he's engaging in "St. Louis stops" at the stop signs :)

[@Tigerland1962]

looks pretty alright to me even wealthy, another example of spoilt Yanks over reacting as usual...

[@imnotoriousnate]

LahomaK facts! Lol

[@seungk8607]

@@Tigerland1962 its the murder rate in St.Louis. very little population and have a very high rate compared to other cities in America and the world

[@thewestpointrouteguy8611]

LOL..… yeah, I noticed that too....we call it a ';rolling stop'....keep 'er moving...never know when you may have to gun it at an intersection.

[@maxiver808]

Its called "the St. Louis roll". That's how we all drive in these parts! Hes trying to blend in.

[@bretthess6376]

Drive through ESL? Better you than me, pal. I took the infamous wrong turn going into St. Louis in 1990, and had to defend myself against armed robbers waiting for someone to stop at the stop sign. That was the last stop sign I stopped at in that place. The worst place I've ever been, and that includes North St. Louis, Detroit, L.A., South Chicago, and the Wards in New Orleans. Although the Wards were a close second, in the evening and at night.

[@awilliams4065]

Out city isn’t abandoned lol it had just recently snowed as you can see and people were not really out!! But we have had some great people come out of our city. Musicians, songwriters, track stars, nfl players the list goes on.... so don’t count our city out as a whole. We just still have a lot of work to do that’s all...(god bless)

[@NickJohnson]

Good points!

[@cradlingbrokenglass]

You’re city has a lot of potential. Some areas were beautiful. Hopefully, some type of renewal will happen. :) I was in STL last week, I really enjoyed it.

[@awilliams4065]

Nick Johnson thank you. And hopefully our city will come together and make a change. But I don’t live in stl I live in estl We are Illinois across the river east of saint Louis We are only 89 blocks and that’s our whole city lol

[@ShenteriaChilds]

I grew up in East St. Louis and still have family that lives there. The main issue I found was that not enough of the citizens in the community are involved to make positive changes to the community. I watched it all decline growing up there, graduated from East Side in 2006. I went to a city council meeting there a couple years ago and not enough citizens were there to find out what is happening. I realize a lot of people are in survival mode but if they want the city to get better there has to be action involved to make it better. Otherwise the bad people will continue to destroy the city if the good people of the city don't use their voices and come together to make it better. Gentrification is definitely a possibility to renovate the city if the citizens there now refuse to do different.

[@nobodae3296]

Well those are the only ways out of the hood lol, sports or music

[@billlowe3016]

It can be dangerous that's true but don't forget that bad neighborhoods are usually filled with mostly good people

[@nobodae3296]

Good people at heart, but bad due to their upbringing

[@realtalk5931]

Wait what?

[@gayleswilley1677]

Yes indeed. I met some of them

[@nolackin4012]

Good people leave bad neighborhoods

[@BeatzByJones]

no lackin impossible when you don’t have the resources

[@SuV33358]

Im from Rochester NY, and i gotta say, Im so jealous of St Louis having that Gateway Arch.....it is so beautiful! You guys are lucky.

[@tramquynh2261]

Your hometown winter scene is so wonderful thank you

[@mattnewman12345]

The snow kind of hides the litter, a tell tale sign of violent places

[@justice4896]

GTFOH

[@capricorn8818]

I lived there for about 10 years... I moved to O'Fallon. I graduated from Lansdowne middle!!! Also went to ESTL Sr high. I love my city and will never forget where I came from.

[@juanitacooper9296]

Amen

[@georgemurphy2579]

Nick Johnson Subscribed and a thumbs up. Enjoyed the music as well! Thanks for taking the risk to do a great job!

[@NickJohnson]

George you have some catching up to do 😉

[@ericlamb172]

This reminds me, visually, with the homes and abandoned commercial areas, of my hometown of Kankakee, IL. Nick is crazy funny and right on the mark!!!

[@NickJohnson]

Did you see the danville one I did? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYPChaOEmN9-f9U

[@RoundenBrown]

I remember reading a story about a US Marine in Iraq from East STL; he said he felt safer in Iraq than he did back home in East STL.

[@aa64912]

Been reading the comments below. What happened to esl in general, two things, for years the syndicate ( Midwest mafia) ran st Clair county. They had a piece of everything but they kept the place clean and honestly safe. Buster Workman ran it. Then the stockyard moved to the south for cheaper labor, followed by the armor meat packing plant. The steel mills in granite city did the same thing except granite city steel, Japan bought it. Nestle and union starch moved out as well. None of these jobs went out of country just other parts of the country. Then gangs moved in and regular people left. Sure there was corruption. One mayor ran for re-election while in jail. Police were not getting paid so they started selling their radios out of their police cars. No one political party was to blame for the demise, a combination of negative events brought down my home town.

[@xhir2012]

Hey Walter! Do you live in the area? If so, will you help me clean up a section of East Saint Louis?

[@daneetheblkwidow9129]

Ty, your comment should also be pinned 🤨

[@hatzlmike1]

No ONE POLITICAL PARTY is to be blamed? LIAR!!!! DEMOCRATS COMMIES KILLED. RAPED IT FULL 10X OVER LIKE THEY DO WHILE THEIR AND THEN LEAVE. DEMOCRATS

[@hatzlmike1]

DEMOCRATS KILLED AND RAPED ALL OF IT BEGINNING TO END

[@hatzlmike1]

Walter is a lying democrat pro commy union propagandist much of the likes that killed this place. The demmcomm unions killed it and they did it in the “NEWS” by literally killing and raping the blacks and their culture top to bottom. No matter Tina Turner or otherwise….full democrat communists rape was in FULL EFFECT for the first time in History. Look now at LA, SF, Detroit, etc. Democrats comm rape union rape

[@steve41557]

Impressive how many of the remaining houses still look nice and well-cared for. And the city services like snow removal and trash collection are still working.

[@donaldgrant1639]

Your vids are awesome. I show all your videos to my family.

[@NickJohnson]

Hey Donald. I hope your family likes them too. Hope you guys learn stuff :)

[@donaldgrant1639]

@@NickJohnson Your the reason I like geography so much.

[@donaldgrant1639]

@@NickJohnson Who do you think will be the rep/dem candidates for president 2020?

[@larrypeiser7768]

A few years ago the alternator went out on our mini van as we crossed the bridge into St. Louis. Still get chills thinking about what if it went out 2-3 miles earlier.

[@DavidCanada-hz9dq]

You would've stayed your Scary ass in that Van and called a Tow Truck that's it thats all 😂😂🤷🏽🤦🏽

[@karlakenton7637]

@@DavidCanada-hz9dq I hate the picture people have painted of our city. They go by hear-say.

[@lonnieclemens8028]

One man's bad neighborhood is another man's mission field.

[@virgiliohernandez6886]

The scariest day of my life was when I drove accidentally into Gary IN... We were looking for a gas station in our way from Chicago IL to Noblesville IN... It feels like you are in Azkaban!! All your joy is sucked by the surrounding!!

[@tori9365]

😂😂 i experienced that when going to chicago we also stopped in gary to get some gas and food and couldn't believe how horrible it was and I've seen some rough areas in Cleveland before

[@NickJohnson]

Well folks I drove through Gary the other day and I'm putting a video up in a week so stay tuned for that 😉

[@tori9365]

@@NickJohnson haha awesome =)

[@evelyndurham8228]

Try driving through e. Chicago. You will breath a sigh of relief when you reach Gary

[@homelesshannah50]

@Drew K Gary is the SHITTIER one that's for sure

[@khingofswordz43]

I used to know this guy from St.Luis and he told me St Luis & East St Luis are 2 different areas. I was like wow......he begin to tell me East Saint Luis is the Hood & poverty stricken. Im looking right now of East St Luis and it looks cleaner & quieter than my city come to Philly look how some of us live and look at East St. Luis snd compare it together i would say East Saint Luis is a come up....lol i see clear blue skies, nice trees, well kept lawns, damn near no trash. No graffiti, no one hanging on the corners, nobody driving around music blasting, no crooked police patrolling....i still say St. Luis is a come up.

[@Whoofg]

Its a very small population of people here who do the crime. But they continue to do it. Many of the people there respect each other and are just tryna make it out

[@mardrecombs3448]

was fucking snowing what do you expect. You go there with that Philly talk you won't make it back home. I know that.

[@454bigblock7]

@@mardrecombs3448 actin tough online smh

[@joshualee-gs9yv]

@@454bigblock7 i think he means the snows slowed everything down cuz they dont wanna be out there... just saying... noone does...

[@emarm100]

The snow does make everything look nicer.

[@asemastertech721]

The snow makes it look clean. Amazing isn't it? It's like a miracle happened with just a few inches of snow applied.

[@nosyrosy]

Exactly

[@flaviojunior4218]

Happy New Year, Nick and Mappy family.

[@cocotaveras8975]

Flavio Junior Back at you Flavio!

[@NickJohnson]

Mappy's family says WHATS UP Flavio :)

[@flaviojunior4218]

@@cocotaveras8975 thanks! I wish you have a wonderful year.

[@africandreamsinhaze365]

A nice ride on a snowy day. Thanks Nick

[@leighbratton3896]

Boy our city is not abandoned at all! It’s snowy so ofc no one is gonna be driving around or walking. The aquarium is usually packed, arch, packed, city museum, packed, Ferris wheel, packed, zoo packed, art museum, packed, u see

[@89visionartistry89]

Those are all over the bridge though. ESL still isn’t abandoned but the population has decreased significantly it’s true.

[@deadhorse1391]

Really sad to see the old Spivey building. The only sky scraper built in East St. Louis built in the 1920s it was a beautiful classic building. Had expensive shops on the lower floors making it one of the first malls, then offices and at the top high end apartments Now look at it! Not worth the money to tear it down

[@maliyahbrown5385]

I hate when people don’t know nothing about the people or the city they just come by the city and just judge you think its so bad come and help us out then

[@wendyjenkins1559]

I know that's right family!!! Tell them!!🙏

[@metoo3821]

Help yourself, that's what other people have to do.

[@mragk4605]

Great video Nick. Thank you sir.

[@NickJohnson]

There's way more than that on here! And glad you liked it!

[@ceegee7487]

sooo did you stop by your mom house

[@africandreamsinhaze365]

I find this video and the music so relaxing! I just watch it over and over and over again!!!

[@NickJohnson]

Hey there. I have another channel you should sub to as well! kzbin.info/door/Y1W9MVJbzcvEgD2xATMWOg

[@TheShortyp29]

Fam people still live in peace I've lived here my whole life due to the government that oversees our city we are deprived so their pockets can grow

[@TheGodYouWishYouKnew]

Jai Ova Vote republican

[@wendyjenkins1559]

It's sad ...

[@terryg995]

That much is true. The political landscape is so corrupt going all the way back to when it was Ilinoistown. Even Jimmy Connors dad was a crook as the manager of the Eads toll bridge.

[@glennhendry8600]

Decline actually started in the 1960's the stockyards and manufacturing in the area declined. Even in the best of times during the best of times, the city had NO strong industry tax base. The stockyards was in National City, Alcoa was in Alorton, and chemical plants were in Monsanto Village (Now Sauget). City relied too much on property taxes from homes.

[@dennisp8625]

Houses look pretty nice from the outside and there are many open free spaces. Hard to imagine its such a dangerous place by the first looks of it. Big shoutout from Amsterdam! (much more packed n stacked but less dangerous)

[@ladyvalhalla7154]

My mother used to hang out at the Blue Note in the 50's. Chuck Berry and Ike and Tina Turner played there. Grandfather worked at Alton Southern RR. Born there in 1958. But grew up in Belleville. My Aunt used to live on St Louis Ave...

[@rononeal979]

My old man. Curtis soul dj back in the day. E.stl

[@QED_]

@Lady Valhalla: It's just a fact that people hate to admit: segregation had its advantages and a lot of great black neighborhoods throughout the country were destroyed by integration . . .

[@benstreet8945]

It's pretty amazing to see that when a town becomes derelict even the trees become ugly

[@terrietackett8964]

That’s due to the Chinese Elm disease that passed through America in the 1960’s to the 1980’s. It killed nearly 100 percent of the Elm trees. So, all you have left is these massive tree skeletons. 😩😩

[@454bigblock7]

That’s not the only Chinese thing that ruined ESTL lmao

[@johnratican3824]

@@454bigblock7 China white!

[@peebay3515]

So apparently when they made Escape from New York they had a producer go scouting for run down cities. As soon as they saw East St Louis, they knew they found the perfect spot to film a movie about a horrible city turned into a prison.

[@generalzod7959]

I like the escape from New York-esque background music 😄

[@bessietaylor2819]

I really enjoyed this video. Would love to see in the summertime.

[@jackson5116]

PSH! You're there during the day, go there at 11 PM at night!

[@bmjv77]

I used to live next door in Belleville. My wife would go to a beauty salon in East Boogie. I met some of the nicest people there. A friend in Belleville asked me if I was worried about being robbed or murdered. I told him that I've met plenty of assholes in Belleville but none yet in East St. Louis, so I felt ok.

[@sungod5758]

Thank you

[@narcissisticstatisticmonst4390]

Why is this comment ignored smh thanks

[@pablotupone4190]

Probably you had Jimmy Connors as Neighbour in Belleville ( i think he still lives there), Jimmy is from East St Louis...maybe the most famous from there

[@andrewscott7816]

Is Belleville safe? Good schools?

[@bmjv77]

@@andrewscott7816 The west side is a bit rough, but the rest of the town is still pretty decent.

[@user-us6ce7me8k]

Lovely! Happy holidays! 🎇🎄🎆

[@stelloysl]

What are your thoughts on the Town of North Charleston, South Carolina. I’ve wanted to move but i’ve not too informed to make an opinion

[@PlayerOneUp]

In Sóviet Russia. The criminals don’t come out at night. The night comes out of the criminals.

[@NickJohnson]

sounds like fun!

[@noresmith0125]

Born n raise in East Saint n u just didnt come to the right weather if u wanna "see" people. Not everyone who walk in the streets are thugs or gangstas or criminals💯

[@noresmith0125]

Btw if u rode past 13th & Missouri Ave., that girl that on the billboard................ thats MEEEEEEE!!!!!😄💕💯

[@dirtysanchez4753]

Yes and Sylvia Russia the criminals come out with red hair and the president of the United States exactly

[@valimback5109]

🙃🙃

[@dreammerchant4442]

It's like a giant west side of Chicago.. The West side has its stricken areas but there's God fearing Christian working class ppl who live and raise there kids there. I grew up in the West side of chgo from 1965 till 1988. And I'm one who have not succumbed to gang drug violence. I pray for chgo and st.louis both..LORD BLESS US ALL..

[@georgemurphy2579]

I'm with you...too bad for these great cities' demise.

[@tramquynh2261]

Thank you for the beautiful scenery of the winter 🐓

[@briansage9388]

Great video. I like how your camara moves around while driving. Nobody else does that.

[@DeltaLou]

Too bad you didn't drive in North St Louis. That's a far more dangerous place than East St.

[@NickJohnson]

That's what I heard. I was on a time schedule. I'll be back in StL again. Is that your hood? We can meet up!

[@ginoharley5257]

Nick Johnson I’m from east St. Louis you shoulda hit me up before this I respect you for this video dog thanks for shedding some light on my xitt

[@PhilipReeder]

You're right. Been to ESL, never really worried too much. Being a "mighty whitey" on the St. Louis north side, risky.

[@phillhuddleston9445]

Only because East. St. Louis is halfway a ghost town, not many people left there, after destroying the city them moved on to destroy new and better places.

[@homelesshannah50]

@@phillhuddleston9445 So true

[@vaithym7072]

Hey nick and mappy. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020😀😀😀😀😀😃😃😃😃

[@cocotaveras8975]

Vaithy M Back at you Vaithy!

[@NickJohnson]

Vaithy Mappy says he hopes all your 2020 dreams come true!

[@vaithym7072]

@@NickJohnson thank you mappy😃

[@mychaelpierce8049]

You did a real nice job with this video! Txs

[@NickJohnson]

I appreciate that!

[@kathycraig5273]

I grew up in Alorton, Il a suburb of E. St. Louis. Spent a lot of time shopping in E. St. Louis, going to the Majestic Theater. Was a great place to grow up.

[@fishinginindiana1904]

I lived here from birth until eight years old. As a young boy I witnessed and experienced violence on a level most people don’t see in a lifetime. True story.

[@terryg995]

What project did you live in?

[@fishinginindiana1904]

I lived at 617 n 84th street it was a duplex close too edgemont school

[@Ruannnnnnnn]

Ya need to see Rio de Janeiro slums

[@jaktil9246]

There is a guy named yash qaraah on spreaker he talks about east st Louis i hear its worst then Chicago that it is one of the worst places to live

[@axiomaddict]

There must be millions of square miles throughout the US that is open space like this. When I consider the homeless situation in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley (my city), Miami, even in Alaska! I have serious doubts about our country’s problem-solving skills. We have so many resources, and so little political will. Hand-wringing is a waste of time...

[@NickJohnson]

Yes yes yes

[@michelewalburn4376]

Many of those homeless fled places like this

[@virtuosityll7116]

& I'm still looking for the "dangerous" people?

[@kike337]

Renaye Brown the problem its the drugs,,, drugs are destroying USA 🇺🇸

[@anthonydiomede4818]

Your missing one city of homelessness. NYC. HUGE PROBLEM. WITH A LAME DUCK MAYOR

[@stalkinghorse883]

I was in East St Louis in the 90's. The thing I remember is railroad tracks and railroad yards everywhere.

[@DurandMj]

We are originally from there, we went back in '68 , left in '73, it was quite an experience, haven't been back since!

[@NickJohnson]

It's quite alarming the vastness of the blight

[@wawalker1]

I would have liked to see more of State St. and the East end like Edgemont, French Village, Loisel Village and Signal Hill. I lived on N. 38th. Then in Edgemont on N. 80th and State. I was most familiar with Edgemont and my family owned a bookstore there. I lived in E. St. Louis from birth to 10 years old when, then nearby Caseyville.

[@PAULY-P]

Thanks for sharing Nick. Hope you have good roadside assistance and carry some sort of protection if you ever break down. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to have slightly tinted windows on the sides but that may interfere with recording. Have a good day😎

[@NickJohnson]

i do in the back :)

[@artycat0811]

East St. Louis built in area called the bottoms, a flood plain and the city was actually raised up above the flood level, ala Chicago.

[@craigroberts6439]

Nice video and narration...well written too.

[@zenodee]

I live in south city STL. me and my boys go over East for 2 reasons - they got the 24/7 nightclubs like Pops, mens club like Bottoms Up. East STL is not as bad as it seems but with it being less than 100k or 50k residents, the amount of crime per capita is what gives the incredibly bad image. Both STL and east STL can be dangerous at any time but at the same time I have been here my 23 years faced no pressure what so ever it aint what you do its how you do it.

[@schwenda3727]

Heard in recent years, South City has been getting out of hand crimewise... hopefully it's just older people crying about drug addicts or something petty of that nature. But on the other hand, I bought my current car at a dealer on Kingshighway and test drove EVERYTHING months before and that dealership was THE ONLY place I've seen where they literally have one gallon of gas in the tank of the car you're testing. Not only that but if someone who has been working in that immediate area has stories, then it may not be exaggerated at all.

[@zenodee]

@@schwenda3727 a spade is a spade. Its dangerous everywhere but especially here, I have to carry my Ruger with me at all times now.

[@garrettwright6466]

Shoutout from the Shells EDIT: this post is hammer on the pin. Move smart and it doesn’t matter wya

[@asimhusain8087]

@@zenodee how is estl food? I bet it's great any good farmers markets?

[@strfltcmnd.9925]

Bars and pawn shops always thrive in these neighborhoods.

[@heatherpagles5383]

My mom grew up just east of there in Collinsville. She used to take the bus to East St. Louis to work at the hospital.

[@RyanisRude]

I drove through St Louis last year. But I stayed on the high way. Seeing the arches was pretty awesome!

[@andrewwoulfe6579]

you are a brave man. As a local I do not drive through East St. Louis. It is avoided at all costs

[@stephaniedouglas9510]

I have been doing home visits for 20 years in Estl and never had a problem. I use common sense and go during daylight hours and communicate with my clients who always want me safe.

[@Itsjettondon05]

It’s good to try and avoid it during the night that’s when you could catch a stray bullet but during the day it’s normally pretty tame

[@JESUSISMYLORD36]

Thanks for sharing and I’m glad you didn’t drive around night or late afternoon because you can get hurt .. i’m an black -American and I would never try to hang out at night too scary. i hope you had a nice holiday and be safe.

[@traceyburris9930]

Fake asses. Id be scared in your neighborhood

[@officialkiva_]

brokfangirl84 well I’m from East Saint Louis & I’m sure nothing would have happened !

[@tokyoescobar]

Where he drove he not getting hurt.

[@craigjorgensen4637]

I once took a shortcut on my way to the Oakland Airport. It was on a Saturday night. Freeway traffic was blocked due to an accident so I cut through a not so nice part of Oakland. I had a tire blow out as I crossed San Pablo Ave. not good! A NASCAR team couldnt have changed it any faster than I did! I was getting eyeballed but I wasn’t messed with. Be careful!

[@jeffha4057]

The high school has an awesome football team. That's all I got.

[@cheroddagod5759]

Jeff Ha Alton High Beat them :).

[@saves1462]

Louis Bratton they went undefeated so how?

[@khaotic8]

We also have great track runners, basketball players, and musicians!

[@DavidCanada-hz9dq]

@@cheroddagod5759 When did that happen ass wipe We Won the State Championship get your facts right!!🤷🏽🤦🏽

[@anthonymontague5445]

And good Chinese food

[@julianshepherd2038]

This might sound crazy but we regenerated our cities in Europe and keep using them for 100s of years.

[@gj1234567899999]

It sounds crazy but our cities are almost all controlled by this party called Democrats. They are universally incompetent. It’s crazy because these cities keep electing democrats who run these cities into the ground and people keep voting for them.

[@dandrejames4221]

As a Canadian watching this it's so sad to see some parts of America that look like this, I've been to Detroit and Buffalo and it's depressing, something needs to be done about the declining population in the rust belt. Your government needs to spend more on public services. Great video. 👍💯

[@tammybrown4901]

Absolutley they do

[@FoxNewsNewYork]

Democratic cities!

[@gaddiusmaximus3648]

@@FoxNewsNewYork yeah it’s those pesky democrats. Better not stop in the wrong part of town or you’ll run into those democrats. Just last week some hooded democrat robbed a liquor store.

[@rosaritamaria4414]

Government is not the answer. It’s the problem. Ponder that for a hot second, and this could be solved by we the people in half a decade.

[@CadenBB8]

@@rosaritamaria4414 the people know the issues better then the government. Let them have the power to fix what needs to be fixed

[@bayareakid4775]

Amazing to see hardly anybody walking the streets or kids playing in the snow. Very depressing. Hope it finds its way back somehow.

[@mikekeeler6362]

They need jobs in that area there are none

[@Biraneverson21]

I use to visit East St.louis every summer I when I was a kid to see my grandparents and family. It's a second home to me, to many great memories.

[@terryg995]

So did I. I played Khoury league. I remember getting patched up at Gateway Hospital.

[@STScott-qo4pw]

All the vacant lots - are the foundations still there and full of demolition debris or was everything pulled out and away? Also who owns all the vacant lots? Average cost?

[@SpokaneGirl85]

I find these places depressing. It reminds me of Detroit, Gary, IN, and other places I have seen online. I also noticed an old vacant building that appears to be a school? At least they have a Walgreens and a McDonalds. I was wondering if they had any shopping places. I also wonder what else they had there like did they have any shopping centers or even a mall? Everything looked so desolate but felt happy to see someone out walking.

[@nancybode6159]

I wish the larger vacant areas could be cleared and repurposed as rental land for growing crops or raising organic produce. These are things that people need and can be sold locally for a lower price than produce shipped in. Also, having the Mississippi River nearby makes access to grain transport by barge less expensive since it doesn't have to be trucked as far.

[@chrisb.7787]

Money. Someone has to purchase all those lots and demolish the buildings. Land in illinois is over priced and the labor cost would be considerable. It would take atleast 60 years of farming to pay for the land and then many more to make a profit. If it takes more than a lifetime to get roi no one will ever do it.

[@asimhusain8087]

You do realize present generations don't want to work in the fields in the mud

[@nancybode6159]

@@asimhusain8087 They will if they're hungry enough.

[@macwester591]

Dude, I gotta ask what songs you used in this video... one of them really caught my attention! Shazam couldn’t find it.