Grew up in the Kanawha "Chemical" Valley and know the Charleston area very well. What you're seeing are the results of a one industry (dead) economy (coal), prescription drug addiction, guns and meth. I read comments that claim the Charleston Town Center was to blame for the downfall... not exactly sure what that is all about because the CTC was a showplace back in the day and the streets were full of people even with a crowded mall. Sadly, the mall is nearly evaporated of stores, but the demise of Charleston and WV has everything to do with selling the state to out of state interests and bowing down to big coal. I was last in Charleston Dec. 28, 2023... it looked worse than this.
Greetings from Texas! I drive through West Virginia on my way to Virginia every so often. I think WV is a very nice state. I pass through Charleston on I-64, but maybe I will try to spend more time there the next time I go through. It looks like a clean, peaceful city. I must say that your state capitol is very striking with its golden dome....nice!!
All the shopping is out Corridor G if you went out that way you would see it streaming with people. The East End has Holmes I live on the East & The West has Holmes . The biggest population of the Kanawha valley is South Charleston, Dunbar, St Albans, Cross Lanes areas.
Hardly anyone lives downtown & it’s late (7 PM) so a lot already closed. In downtown you can safely walk the streets. There just isn’t anything to do other than go to a few bars, the one bookshop or the one remaining movie theatre. However there is a lot of activities in the summer, free concerts on the Levy. Cook offs and other activities and at least one annual cultural festival. It is peaceful and the people are the nicest you’ll ever meet. If you come for a visit forget the city & go out to the mountains or the new river gorge area for spectacular scenery.
West Virginia, including the capital city of Charleston have had a constant population decline since the 1970's. The coal Mines and steel industry which dominated West Virginia since the late 1800's hardly exist anymore. West Virginia has yet to recover economically. A beautiful state but one of the poorest states also.
This video was uploaded in july 2017. But its looks like there is fear of corona virus and noone comes out from home. Why in small cities ameican people do not come out of there houses to enjoy. How much develop clean and beautifull your cities are and you are limited to your office and home.
@@rd24life As apposed to where? Because I have live in a lot of other places. Big and small and Charleston isn't that bad in comparison to other places I have lived.
nah, I use to live here & my sister lived in Winston Salem NC & I been to Hackensack NJ plenty times.....it may appear that way to you on RU-vid video BUT in person completely boring....I'm from Norfolk/ Virginia beach Virginia & the year I lived here in west Virginia was mind boggling boring......its like 97% caucasian & only basic restaurants to eat at....nothing exciting ever happens here, a very no diverse old atmosphere in west Virginia
Didn't include the state capitol which is one of the most beautiful government plazas in the country. No real river scenes. Lots to see and do in Charleston. People are friendly and welcoming if you are respectful.
Yeah, could be really early on Saturday as well. I'm watching this video at the corner of Virginia and Court St and it's 1000 times busier than the video.
Most people drive cars to destinations because of lack of public transportation in most cities, and most cities being too spread out to walk somewhere. The only cities you'll see in the U.S. with pedestrians are NYC, maybe Chicago and LA. We have more of a car culture here in the U.S. The only city here with actual useful public transport is NYC. Plus most of America lives in Suburbs so yeah. That's what makes us so unique! Hope I answered it good enough for ya. Come visit the U.S. someday🇺🇸
@@user-mt5cm5xp2o thank you , I was Just curious . Here in Europe we love walk in the street and so for a european guy is strange to see this desert in the streets , but however I like so much usa but maybe I could have many difficult to become slave of the car for to go everywhere .
@@paolodonzella4736 I understand, going somewhere in a car all the time sucks. Think about it this way, most Europeans on average are skinnier than Americans because of your active lifestyle (walking everywhere). Cars will make you fat, plus when you add all of our "bad" food, you get obese lmao.
High crime rate, drug problems everywhere, poor economy, expensive parking. This city has lost more than half its population since 1950. They just have so little to offer. I hate having to go to Charleston anytime. Many cities and towns are experiencing the same issues so I realize this isn't an isolated community problem.
Jeremy Brown Not quite, but definitely took a downward turn when they put a shopping mall in back in the 80s. Don’t know when this was filmed but I worked in Charleston everyday from 2001 until 2014 and i’m wondering where all the traffic is in this video. What time of day was it filmed...it’s not as dead as this
Thank you for taking me with you on your trip on the streets of my hometown, Charleston, West Virginia. I was glad to see that most of the city hasn't changed. I moved to California in 1974. I try to return home every five years. I'm guessing that you made this post on a Sunday afternoon. That would account for the lack of pedestrian and street traffic. It was a great place to grow up. I really miss not having to fight traffic.
To much traffic during weekdays, drug infested city, crime. Some of the crime mysterys that the public don't know about. Pot holes need to be repaired. The list goes on.
