Before & After - Cairo, Illinois 4K 

Great video, as always, Morgan. It is sad when a town withers away. The movie on the marque at the Gem came out in 1951 so you had the timing correct. I love to read old postcards and the one you chose for the tunnel scene left me wanting to know more of the back story! It was cool to 'visit' with your Grandmother! Are you in any of the photos on the wall or table?

Cairo is an example of a city where you get what you ask for. Now, we know the political narrative that racism destroyed Cairo. No, people moved away from the riots, and they moved away en masse. In certain areas or certain cities, this could be a slow trickle like Detroit, where in the 60s, pretty much people slowly, slowly left. And then once we get into the 70s, it gained momentum, and by the 80s, everyone's getting out of town. Now, Cairo, Cairo is one of those cities where it was more or less a big town. It didn't have much going for it in terms of size, so people could more easily leave. In Illinois, we have many other towns like this, but not as bad as Cairo. We all sit down and talk about how it was so bad that people had left, but this is again what happens when you have black people rioting, making excuses, and there's no solution to tackle the actual problem. And of course, we're seeing this in many other cities and towns. We're currently seeing this in cities like Portland, where very quickly, the city is being abandoned. Stores are leaving. I mean, why are you going to want to stay in a city or a town that allows looting? And people don't realize this, but history repeats itself. Here in Chicago, I live in the ghetto. I've lived in the South Side ghetto. I live on the West Side ghetto. When there was a white flight, my family didn't move. And one thing that shocks people when they do come into these areas, especially 20 years ago before Walmart and Target came into the picture, was most of the industries are really stores. Even mom and pop stores closed down because of the massive looting and crime, violent crime. You can't go to a McDonald's, a White Castle, or even a KFC without seeing bulletproof glass. And then, you can't just simply grab your food from the other person. No, it's a rolling window where they actually have to roll your food through another bulletproof glass so no one can stick their hand in. But yet, we do nothing about the problem. Now, 20 years ago, Walmart and Target made their way into Chicago, into these areas, and for 20 years, they made no profit because of the massive looting and rioting. I mean, some of the workers, for example, in the Chatham area, made videos showing students after getting out of school just completely rioting and taking and looting, and then were shocked that all these Walmarts and Targets have closed down in these areas. People keep saying, well, you have insurance. Okay, so the insurance rates are going to go up, and eventually, insurers are going to not cover you. For example, in California now, you're seeing big insurance carriers leaving the state, or they're choosing not to cover new clients because of the rampant crime. The people who currently still live there are not victims. They're the cause of the problem. And acting like victims and pretending to be victims, they're not doing anything. Honestly, I hope everyone in Cairo can stay in Cairo. Because if they were to bulldoze the town, all that's going to do is they're going to end up moving them freely into other areas in Illinois. And they will destroy that area too. And sadly, there are going to be people who don't move because their parents are tolerant, like my parents. And then those children, like me, will have to go through torture. Because hey, you're white. So we're going to go ahead and torture you, steal from you, and change your life for the worse. Why? Because of racism. And then, of course, all the people who flee in a white flight, those children, those teenagers who will become adults in the safety of their gated community will preach tolerance and tell people to stay. Yet, these are the same people who fled. And believe me, the moment someone comes into their gated community, they protest or they end up leaving and having a white flight. They're hypocrites.

I was born in that hospital in 1957. Used to be Saint Mary’s. I haven’t lived there since I was 8. I have many good memories of Cairo growing up. My family had a coal and trucking business there. Very sad about the town but I’m still proud to be from there. Glad to hear they got a grocery store. Hopefully someday the town will make a comeback.

Very good video about Cairo. I attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale during my collegiate days from 1988 to 1992. During my four years at SIU, I was easily in Cairo at least once a week, it being only 50 miles south of Carbondale, as I was dating a girl who lived by St. Mary's Park in the town. (She was a classmate of mine at SIU) Cairo at that time was maybe 2 and a half times larger in population of what it is today. I recall it having around 4200 residents in early 1988. At least the road signs on US 51 planted on both ends of the town said that. There were two full-service grocery stores then, (Wonder Market and Piggly Wiggly), a Sonic Drive-in, a KFC, a bank, Elias Brothers variety store (similar to a small Walmart), Amtrak and Greyhound service, Harper's and Mack's restaurants, and a couple independent pharmacies. The general area around the Magnolia Manor and Riverlore mansions on Washington Avenue reminded me more of St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans than a place in an Illinois river city. One could pretty much obtain the basic living needs (and more) in Cairo during my college days, without having to drive to Cape Girardeau or Anna. I personally haven't been in Cairo since I graduated in 1992, though I am fully aware of how it exists today. I've seen several recent videos on You Tube documenting the current state of Cairo, and it is saddening for me to see, due to my connection to it. Cairo wasn't the grand place it could have been during my college years, but it was never as desolate then as it is now. It does give me some hope to see that a grocery store did open in 2023. I wish for better times for Cairo. If it could ever turn itself around, and take advantage of its central location and its location at the confluence of two major rivers, along with its weather more resembling of the Deep South than what most think of what Illinois' weather can be, it might finally return to being a place people will want to invest in once again.

I remember driving through Cairo in 1975 before I 57 was built on the way to Alabama. My friend and I stopped at a store to buy some food there and the people there had a southern drawl. It is a shame what happened to that town. I appreciated watching your grandmother reminisce about her childhood and that she and her friends were very serious about their education.

My fathers family lived there in the depression era , and most of his family lived there. They left in the 50’s, my great grandfather worked on the Central Illinois Railroad! They all lived together in a 2 story house. They loved it there, my grandma married a man from Carbondale, and her sister married a man from Mounds. Their names were James L and Lula Johnson, and Paul Harbolt, Carl Eicher. I heard about it my whole childhood!

I used to drive through Cairo on regular basis. Such a sadness there. However, I still think that there is hope still that it could raised from the ashes and thrive once again if circumstances were changed.

Really well done video. I have driven through the town several times and I have watched A number of RU-vid videos on it. Yours is outstanding.

This was so very well done. I learned more about Cairo from this one video of yours than all the others combined about Cairo here on YT.👍 I live a few hours north in Illinois... Champaign Urbana. You did a wonderful job, so glad I watched this.

Solid presentation. Thank you.

Great documentary. Driving from Georgia to Colorado in 2021, I swerved left at Paducah to see Cairo, the town of Twain and Grant. Shocked to see what a ghost town it appeared to be. I told a friend it is the saddest town in America. It is cool to stand on the point that is the Ohio on the left and the Mississippi on the right.

It's easy to forget that Illinois stretches really far south! I would say Cairo is much more a Southern town despite being in Illinois.

Very interesting video and great interview with your lovey Mother. Thanks to you both.

Awesome stuff! I have always been fascinated by Cairo Illinois. Great to see others who have an interest in geography/history.

My mother and a lot of her family are from Cairo. Been there many times. Haven't been back in almost a decade now. Sad to see it in this state..... Many fond memories of visiting there as a kid.

You did an incredible job aligning the old and new photos.

I've passed through the city since the 60's. I watched change over the years. It was a thriving city in the 70's.

Great video. I was born in Cape Girardeau Missouri but lived in the rural area outside of Cairo Illinois. I attended Head Start in Cairo, attended social functions & church services with family and friends in Cairo. I worked in the Cairo area and enjoyed every moment. I still have MANY friends and relatives in the area. Even though I moved away 20 years ago there's a special place in my heart for Cairo and the surrounding area. 💙 Thank you for posting this video 😊

You should interview my Mom. She grew up around the same time of your grandmother. As a kid we moved from Cairo in 1970. I'm 55 now.

I heard the haunting David Ackles song "Road to Cairo" back in 1968 and never knew it was about this town.

I loved this video about the history of Cairo and the interview with Mary was fantastic. It's so nice to see and hear a Cairo native tell about her experiences growing up there. The history of Cairo definitely needs to be told. I always hated the main reasons for its decline. So sad. Yet, it would be wonderful if it could survive and even thrive again--and going forward, I would certainly hope the racial problems the Black population faced (or still faces) could be eliminated.

You did an outstanding job on this video.

Constant reminders of the past's injustices are a good way to keep people mired in the past as grievances and grudges do nothing to help prevent future conflict. Cairo is a great example of how that works...and doesn't.

This video is awesome and very informative, I always wondered what happened

Hey great video I was born in 1947 at the then saint Mary's hospital this video is very good lived right behind s h e m w e l l s barbecue my dad owned Mobil gas station right a cross the street I had many friends in Cairo later at mound city so sad to see all buildings torn down, we left Cairo in 1962 moved to bay area in northern California in San Lorenzo, I just wish I knew where some of my friends were its been s o long, anyway your video was very good thanks

Very well done.

at 2:18, I see a 1950 ford, and the movie "I'll see you in my dreams" on the theatre marquee. That movie was released in 1951. That pretty much dates the photo.

Drove trough Cairo last year when returning from Columbus Ohio and we could tell that it was a thriving city at some time. I went through training in the Navy at the Naval Training center at Memphis in 1966 & 67 and remember hearing stories from recruits that went through basic at Great Lakes about being warned to avoid Cairo if they were driving from the Chicago area to Memphis. I went through basic at San Diego and traveled to Memphis by way of bus and came from the west. Was it that dangerous in the mid to late 60s? Like the video, thanks for the information.

an ancestor in the 122 nd of Illinois died in the hospital there of a sickness in the civil war. great summary!

Driven that place hundreds of time but flood waters and the industry that didn't want Ciaro to survive four great rivers but man hasn't ever brought life back to that part of the river .

This Town is the saddest town to drive through you just dont feel safe it is a very finny feeling when you go there at one time it had traffic light they removed all of them no reason to stop

Wow!very informative!

Thank you, Morgan.

I find this video very educational and a very saucy

always thought this place was super interesting, wish i could visit

I was born in the small town in Missouri that was just a few miles from Cairo , Wyatt mo in 1957

It is a shame that they just didn’t let the city flood in 2011. Instead they flooded out hard working farmers further south. And it was the same time that someone was trying to burn the damn city down one building at a time. And I disagree, some history should just be erased and Cairo is a great example.

Is there any update on the government stepping in to add a lot of jobs by reopening a port?

Great video

Just found your video. I have an ambitious project and I really want Cairo to be the place for the Project. I gave you a like a sub. Do you have anymore content on Cairo?

This is a good video and was positive you didnt talk about Anna Illinois and the two city negative history

It's pronounce like the Egyptian City it was named after,, because of a location on the river But after the race riot's with police department to protect the business owners from the looting. Lawlessness was the order of the day, , ‼️ the Cartels moved in and Everyone left, ‼️

Thanks for pronouncing the name Cairo correctly

Personally i think this video gave cairo Illinois justice, ive been to many small towns and this is the most depressing right above Gallup New Mexico 😂

Very nice. It's a fantastic place , but it forgothen

Respectfully, you should get an editor to review your scripts. The pacing is a bit slow, also. Good video overall, though. I’d give it a B+.

Interestingly the streetlamps are still there. Still just standing around.

Cairo, Georgia:🥰 Cairo, Illinois:☠

Just cruised through. Counted about 8 churches and 6 of them were destroyed. What a S-hole town

Failed to mention the economic hardhips caused by the state of Illinois having high taxes, elevated insurance premiums. Significantly cheaper to do business in bordering states. Businesses started moving out in the 1950's. When the business leaves the community doesn't really realize it until taxes are due and no one to pay them. The community has preobably already spent then money before the taxes were due. This same kind of decline has happened to all Illinois border cities.

Care-oh

Bring in the migrants over there let them set up shop, open up business and give them a opportunity

Racism is absolutely the biggest challenge facing America today along with the rise of fascism in the Republican Party.

Israel also claims ownership of the Holy land when it belongs to Jesus Christ.

This is some racist bs hate that town

This is what happens to democrat towns.

Blacks live there no hope u have to work for a living

Always the race stuff: can't give it a break for a minute, can you?

This is a place they need to Exile criminals in Chicago and those who do moving and financial crimes and they should be forced to live in Cairo for 34 years before being allowed to come back to the relatives in Chicago