My name is Keith Dotson and I'm a working fine art photographer who specializes in black and white landscapes, cityscapes, abstractions, and anything else that catches my eye. I sell prints all over the world, and my work has been featured in movies and TV shows like Grey's Anatomy.
This channel serves as my notes from the field, with videos of the places and things that I find beautiful, and which inspire me to make photographs. My interests are art, history, the environment, and travel.
My grandfather was from the Smith family , one of the original families in Jellico. My dad grew up there and my brother and I visited regularly for our entire childhood. It was a wonderful place back then in the 60’s. My grandparents had a beautiful home on fifth street that has disappeared , I’m assuming it must have burned down. I would love to know for sure . My grandfather was president of one of the banks there . I’m so sad to see how it has been destroyed now , I haven’t been in 40 years and I think I would be so sad to go visit now. Thank you for video.
Cairo is missing out on the tourist trade by not promoting itself as a living ghost town. Historical markers should be placed at all buildings and vacant lots, showing what the buildings there looked like in their heyday. There is too much guessing now as to what buildings were. People would come if there was information available.
That is funny because I have had such similar thoughts about Cairo and a few other places! Local restaurants and BnBs could do very well too. Embrace the decay and sell it as an attraction
Being located at the junction of the Ohio & Mississippi Rivers, Cairo could have been a major city like Memphis or St Louis, but it is on very low flood prone land. In fact it is completely surrounded by levies and has that cool flood door that you drive through north of the town on Highway 51
I agree. It is an eerie feeling being there, but I'm so glad that my husband and I stopped there this past March. For such a small town, there seemed to be a lot of history to see. I'm with you, that old mosaic tile work and Gem marquis are something else. Great pics and video!
@Keithdotson Not really. I think I was so amazed at what I saw that I didn't really get any. I did get a pic of the Catholic Church, that big old sign and an insurance building that had no walls, just insulation and wiring.
I think I recall your earlier video where you talked about and shot that tile floor. It's interesting that Cairo is within 2 to 3 hours of some major cities like Nashville, Memphis, St. Louis and Indianapolis, you'd think that with the waterfront it should have the potential to be developed and get a piece of that economic pie. I was wondering how you were going to compose shots of that housing project building. I get really annoyed trying to decide how to chose what lines should be the straight ones with some structures! LOL! Wish this place was closer to me, I'd love to visit it. BTW, I was wondering where you were the past two days with all of the crazy flooding in North Carolina and Tennessee. Glad you guys are safe! Have a great weekend.
8:42 That's the U.S. Court House and Post Office. This one fascinates me because, looking at photos of other post offices in the area, I would guess that Cairo delivers the mail to all of Alexander County and perhaps Pulaski County as well. Alexander County's population declined from 8,200 in 2010 to 5,200 in 2020. Since I'm a postal worker myself, and my office just underwent an inspection with an eye to possibly eliminate routes, I wonder what would happen to an office where the population is in free fall.
It was one of your earlier videos of Cairo that I first watched and resulted in me subscribing to your channel. I also ended up researching about Cairo's history, the busy streets, the trams, the lovely homes etc. A time and way of life long gone now, sadly. Thanks for the update on a town I'll never visit but through you and your wonderful photographs, feel blessed to now know. Thanks guys. :)
HI, Keith and Teena. This video is fun to watch especially because you've been there once. I recognized the tiled floor at the entrance of one of the buildings. It's also interesting to see how Mother Nature takes everything back as soon as she gets the chance. And those are also nice pictures to take. The street lighting is super beautiful, you don't see these lampposts anywhere else. Once again, I enjoyed watching this video, friend. Warm greetings from the Netherlands, Antoine. PS. Don't forget to say hi to, Teena.
Thanks Antoine! Yes Mother Nature had her eye on this place. I read it’s surrounded by a levee wall to keep the Ohio River from completely swallowing it. Nice to hear from you! I will definitely let Teena know! Take care my friend
Hey Keith. I hope you are well. Thx for these reviews it’s very inspiring. Your pic is still doing honours to my article on Svalinn Art. Again thx for your support 😊
The patterns in the clouds are absolutely breathtaking and are captured so brilliantly in your photos. Makes you feel in awe of the fearsome beauty we are blessed to witness at times. Hope you both stayed dry! 😊
Yes we have pretty bad buildings in town as you have shown wish you would have filmed more of the beautiful homes we have in this town and shown how around noon time it is very busy this town lived off coal money for many years it’s not happening now for sure but I will say one great place to live and it’s starting to grow some now getting grants to fix buildings town is in better financial shape than it’s been for years hospital is reopening so there’s little update on jellico
Would you happen to know what happened to the house at 211 fifth street ? It was my grandparents home and it’s gone now , I’m wondering if it burned down. It was a beautiful brick craftsman .
I do not think our great Jerry Clower was from Yazoo city, Ms he talked about Yazoo city but i think he was from Liberty, Ms in amite county he used to always speak of the town being his hometown. Goggle up his information. He was always one my favorite performers.
The WHITAKERS which I am a part of owned land there under plantation owner Daniel Whitaker! I'm A black man whose father was born there on a share cropper farm. My father was the youngest of 9 children. My grandfather was black my Grandmother was black and Seminole.
The Black Hills of SD is a very special place. Took my first photos there in 1973 and that area never seems to change. Nice work. William Henry Jackson would have been pleased I am sure.
I love watching clouds, and SoDak never disappoints. My grandfather and all of his siblings were born in Scenic. Small world that you stopped there. Great video and pictures, you two!!
Wow! What a beautiful dirt road at the beginning!! It just begs you to explore. The extreme flatness of the land makes the sky so epic looking. I was surprise at how alone you were out there. Usually I would expect a parade of storm chaser vehicles with that type of storm . Many what a view you had over that terrain. I love the intensity of the light in storm conditions. It looks so amazing breaking the dark clouds. Incredible footage Keith. Thanks for sharing!!
Hello, friends. Have you discovered a new hobby? Chasing storms. What skies there alone give me butterflies in my stomach. That you dare to take on this dangerous job. But it does not only provide beautiful video images, the photos are also delicious. There are still people who dare to live in those areas knowing these are the risks. The village you drove through looks as if the storm had ravaged it. This image is typical of this area. The photos look excellent, buddy. But the video work along the way is also of top quality. Hats off to both of you. Thank you for this exciting video. Here I have seen things that do not occur here. But you never know what will happen in the future now that the climate is under so much pressure. Take good care of each other because together you are an enrichment for RU-vid. Antoine.
Thanks Antoine! Nice to see your comments coming through on here! I won’t lie - I was nervous about that weather but Teena loved every minute. She is a lover of thunderstorms. Having grown up in Texas, I’ve seen plenty of Ty of tornadoes and don’t care to drive my car right into the path of one
It is so much fun when you can just drive around and look...there are so many old structures just dying to be captured for posterity on film and digitally. Glad to see what you do and inspire so many, including me, to go out and do the same. Keep it up and stay safe !
The military school closed in 2014, I think, or earlier. The dorms were used to house Alcorn State University students--might still be. Rumor has it that some Indian man bought the property and plans to re open another school there, but I wouldn't go to court and swear on it.
Coke was a dime in the 1960's when I was growing up in Detroit. Funny how you can still buy a coke for a dime if you have the right dime-a pre 1965 90% silver dime.
The biggest annoyance today when trying to shoot older buildings is those pesky electricity supply lines! LOL! I was trying to shoot an old Quaker Meeting site yesterday and was getting very frustrated trying to avoid them. But, I guess that is part of the current state of the sites. I often wonder what led to the color decisions for painting buildings. I often think it was the cheapest choice. Wow.... did you shoot any photos of that burned out truck? Jeez.... Thanks for taking us along!
Yeah power lines are the bane of my photography work! And power tools are the bane of my video work! 😂 I didn’t photograph that burned truck but I saw two burned vehicles on that day in Alabama which makes me wonder what’s going on over there
Just came across this video, I've done a lot of ancestry digging and found I had great great uncle that owned a store around that area, don't have a exact location but it was in old jefferson, other kin was buried in Waller Cemetery at the edge of now percy priest lake and the Corp of engineers moved their graves near Smyrna
@@Keithdotson the Corp. used to have a historian, I was told that had all the info about the moves. I was told he retired, and was not replaced as of yet ???
I like the stones that the building was made from. And those arched windows!! The rock retaining wall on the creek banks was very nice, too. Can you tell that I'm a rockhound? Did I see a large bird perched inside that building near the ceiling? Seeing the inside of that old train was great.
Hello, Keith and Teena. Another great video with beautiful photos and video work. Sorry for this short response but I had surgery on my hand yesterday. Problems with the tendons in my left index finger. But everything will be fine again like with all the other problems I have experienced. And I wanted to ask so many questions about the beautiful trains. I enjoyed watching this video very much. Antoine.
Your video is an inspiration to me. My channel is fairly young, but I am not. I have visited Bartow before, and met the host at the Museum, a fine gentleman named Hubert Jordan. I have a visit set to interview him, and record some of his favorite stories about things in the museum. I believe he is the only reason the museum exists today, and at his age, I don't know for how much longer. Thank you for showing the town of Bartow as it is. Your work is great. Thank you.
Tennessee forgets Jellico is even there until taxes are due. My Daughter was born in the hospital there back in the 90's, it was a wonderful little hospital then. Greed and mismanagement has essentially killed it off.
The photo you made a story for…. I have an ending for it. …And their dog ate the corner of the photo😅. I loved your pictures! My 80+ year old neighbor gave me an old photo album of her family . Ever hear of the Hatfields and the McCoys? The pictures are of the McCoys! Very old pics in a. Very old album. Many are in those folder picture frames.
