Anyone over 50 like me has to watch these videos of these old, abandoned downtowns and be nostalgic for those quieter, simpler times in America. You know, back in the 1930's, 40's and 50's. Getting dressed up to go downtown for shopping. The weekly meal in a restaurant while downtown and catching up with the neighbors. I think people back then were much more social and engaged in their community and their neighbors. As a kid in the 1970's, I knew all the neighborhood parents and kids. In most neighborhoods today, you only see your neighbors when the garage door opens when they leave or come home. If you're lucky, they might wave! People just don't seem to care about having relationships with neighbors or being involved in their community. And we wonder why there's an epidemic of loneliness in America today.
You can blame cell phones and social media. People now prefer to be on their phones all the time as opposed to actually talking and having conversation. I've been at a table where the people at the table are sending texts to each other rather than just talking! It's eerie and annoying. And yes, if we as a country actually started talking to each other rather than just using the Internet to demonize each other and only look at websites and blogs of people we agree with, we wouldn't have the degree of animosity towards each other that we do. It's sad.
You are 100% correct. Some of the best days of my life were when my parents would take me back to Texas to see family. It was way more fun than the city life in California where I grew up.
My grandfather Ruel Terry was rural postal carrier in Talpa in the 1920s to early 1960s.. The Brown Ranch was employer back in the day. My grandmother taught piano lessons in Talpa for many years, There were a lot of jack rabbits as I recall. Mesquite trees were every where. My great grand father settled in Fisk TX after Civil War. He ran a cotton gin in Fisk Me and my brother visithd him and he gave us his 1932 Chevrolet which he had bought brand new. Fond memories.
Probably you already know Joe, those pictures on the giant cross are the Stations of the Cross. When I was a kid on Good Friday we'd go to church and pray at each one in order. I noticed in that ghost town a lot of buildings were vandalized but the church was pristine, so maybe even that vandals are religious in that part of Texas.
My grandfather’s old shop is the old building across the highway. My grandparents lived in Talpa until they passed. Our family land is close by that goes back to the founding of Texas.
joe and Nic, I grew up 5 miles east of Rowena, farmed cotton , hauled cotton to the gins you saw that were closed. My grandmother knew the Parkers. (Bonnie;s family) Rowena in 1960 was busy even had a case tractor dealership. If you had kept going on the paved road as you approached the CHURCH you would have passed cemetary on the right , about 1 mile out of town going east towards hwy. 83 . I farmed that farm , it belonged to my grandparents and two other farms.which I farmed also. , a lot for a 20 year old man with no help. I left in 1988 and never looked back, lived in Pasco Washington for the past 32 years. I love it here. I think I made the right decision. I lived in Ballinger for 8 years been to the cross etc. Thankyou guys would have loved to have had a beer with you. Curt
Found your channel recently. As a native Houstonian, I see these small towns and think how different my life would be if I were to be born there instead of the big city. I remember going to Dime Box during my childhood whilst vacationing at a family friends farm property. Gives me perspective on what I want for the remainder of my life. This is great stuff.
Back in '65, I worked with a crew building fences, for Ranchers in this area of Texas... On weekends, I would go with my dad to San Angelo, stayed at Tina's Motel/Cafe, in the Mexican -side of town...I Saw the first Mustang ford, drive by, at San Angelo...Such memories!...Truly appreciate all your videos.
the best steak house in Texas (in the 1960s and 70s) was the Lowake Steak House and there was a bar. It sat in an open field SW of Rowena. It had a airplane landing strip across the road as many people flew in to eat. After a tragic accident the place off and on for a while with lawsuits and such. Now the place is in Rowena and still probably has top steaks.
i grew up in industrial dockland ,it was very run down as we transitioned from industry to our economy being dependent on students and call centers . my wife can put the washing out on the line with out fear of it being dirtier after she washed it once it air dried , it was always a concern for my mam . but i miss the sh,ttiness of it all ,the excitement of exploring abandoned buildings of being where i promised i would not go . this makes me long for it .I sometimes drive 15 miles up the road to go to town that is run down and I feel like I'm home. even miss the cold and the hunger , nostalgia can mess with your head .
I really find your work amazing. It's unbelievable that you could make what looks "boring and desolate" really entertaining and quite informative. Thank you so much for bringing these places to our attention.
These videos of America are interesting, and I never would have thought they could be. Seeing some old rundown towns and sketchy cities is okay but what makes this channel, which has grown considerably since I started watching it a while ago, is Joe. Your narration is excellent. Your voice is easy to listen to, you have great commentary and you rarely diss a place, for example instead of saying "Look at that dump" you will say "Well, isn't that an interesting house". You have some fun facts and figures as well. Keep up the good work!
11:15 Those are Roman Catholic, the group of them are called the Stations of the Cross. They are on the side walls of every Catholic Church and are used in a prayer form where you walk from one to another and meditate on the events of the Crucifixion.
I've watched several videos of urban blight in cities like Detroit, Philly, and Baltimore. This makes the news on occasion. But very rarely you hear of rural blight. So thanks for documenting this.
Yes, Texas is full of them. Has more than any other state. There's so much contrast in Texas. Huge, fast growing modern cities surrounded by slowly dying to full-on tiny ghost towns.
This is amazing content. I love working and watching this stuff. Somehow watching deserted places is more interesting than the actual work that feeds me and my family, and that is only due to oversaturation with computer time :(
Great opening and great closing shots! I love looking at the ghost towns and the stuff people accumulate. Rowena is cool. I’d love to hang out in the brewery and restaurant. Clinton did a fantastic job with the decor. I’m glad the older folks have these gems to enjoy! Looking forward to more Texas.
The bar looks very much like an old pub you'd find in outback Australia. Texans seem pretty laid back, much like small town Australians. I'd love to visit rural Texas and have a beer or 12 with the locals.
Great Video, I am 50 and enjoy watching these videos and thinking of much more simpler times in America. These are still great places to see even if the population is low. There's something great about small communities with churches and families, businesses and civic organizations all working together to make their town what it is. I have enjoyed watching these videos as an American living overseas and look forward to getting back.
Love your channel! We have been watching for about 6 months now. We like that you've added the stops at establishments in the towns you visit. Hope you continue that!
I once lived in a knot in the road called Dixie, Oklahoma. It had a one room school house , had 18 students ( 1-8th )when I went there. It is now buried in Keystone Lake.
My husband and I love your videos! Thank you for sharing. Btw, I have family that lives and travels through Texas. It's great getting a peak into their life. God bless and stay safe
greetings from germany. this video really makes you melancholic. all these pastimes … people fading away … left alone … wanting to BE alone. brilliant👍🙏
This world is absolutely alien to me; from the flat ground, to the cacti, to the giant cross with the folk art crucifixion story and homemade memorials- wow. It seems so forgotten- bits of it just sitting there since the 70's or before... good episode.
What a great video about those magical little towns of the old great America! I'm the only female Greek truck driver, solo OTR 10 years now and I've bypassed several abandoned towns of old Route 66 and other roads of AZ, NM, TX, wherever there's a factory or corps facility that i might pick up a load. It saddens me to see empty dusted bakeries, barber's shops, cafes, bars, houses which used to be full of life, previously beautiful, always the "Main street" (it took me a while to realize that every single little tows used to have its "Main Street", a significant landmark still unique but common! Those places you showed us look interesting, I loved that church with the built in pictures of the trial and sacrifice of Jesus Christ (thank you for reading the titles for us), that brewery and the "old style" restaurant with the rusted car doors / entry to kitchen and the rich decoration! I would live there since I'm a loner..maybe after i retire...(7 more years trucking and I'll be ready) lol. Thank you both❤
It is sad to see these towns fade and crumble away. It is hard to believe these towns were one time busy places on Saturdays when everyone come to town to stock up on goods. I guess like everything it served it's place in time.
Another excellent video. Interesting that though these towns are semi-abandoned and going downhill there's very little rubbish in the streets. Towns can be run down but don't have to be dirty.
Very well filmed and thank you for the informative stories of the towns in these deep rural areas which not many of us will ever get to see. Keep on doing this great work guys, it will go down to history records some day.
This is one of your videos that I've enjoyed the most, because of the fascinating places mostly, but especially because of your talking with some of the equally fascinating inhabitants of these places. I'd really like to see more of you guys speaking with folks and showing some of the interiors of interesting buildings/houses you see along the way, if permitted to. As always, thank you for a great video, and Happy New Year to you both. Cheers from Australia!
That cross is amazing! In the UK it would have been graffitied within a couple of days, and all the pictures etc stolen or smashed. Soon after, the cross would be dismantled during the night by metal thieves. The police would not even bother investigating any damage or theft. Actually, it would never have been built : local government would have banned it because it would have been "divisive".
@@coldlyanalytical1351 it's everywhere. you got me with that one. it's unsightly and dangerous. one reason there are fewer dtectorists over here is they have to sift through so much junk. they find beer tabs all day and there is nothing truly _old_.
@@Jerelios 100s of miles? That's the size of the whole of England! Around 60 million people in the country the size of Ohio. It we drop a piece of scrap metal here it will bounce of someone's toe! An abandoned car will block the whole of our traffic system.
Great show Joe, score card , 2 cats , 4 dogs 3 towns , 2 breweries, and Christmas decorations on the utility poles ! Finally the first Flux Capacitor in a bar ? See you next time !
In reference to that last town that you visited, with approximately 200 people and the majority are over 65, the medium income would be higher due to their pensions. The zero percent of child poverty is due to the very low percentage of children that reside there.
I love your videos, and though these locations are some of the more interesting, the locations like these give me give me a panic attack. I lived in Texas 22 years and I had to drive and see a lot of it. On top of seeing the relative despair of these windswept and sun bleached places and their bones exposed, a lot of old painful memories stir. Texas is a broken promise in a lot of ways, and not just for myself.
I love the fun facts you add to some of your videos. I’ve learned a lot about these towns from your research. It’s comforting hearing you speak. Great job and thank you for your work. Safe travels!
Thanks for another great video! Documenting all of your visits is really an important public service. Love it when you interact with local people making the stories even better!
I was surprised to see the large cross in a rural area of Texas. I was doubly surprised that you were the only ones there. Seems like that would be a big tourist draw. Thanks for sharing a part of Texas with me that I haven't seen. Sincerely, Jim Thornton
That’s interesting that the Stations of the Cross would be out in the middle of nowhere and not in a Catholic Church. It looks like a well cared for area, though. Love all your videos!
Man, it is sad seeing those small towns diminish and fade away, but I did spot some really cool cars sitting around rotting away looking for a chance at restoration.
Joe, you are one brave-ass dude. If I were in your place and I saw a life-sized disheveled blonde-haired doll looking like a dead person all slumped over that couch I would have run back to Dallas in fright!
Out-of-place high tech antenna masts such as that near the closed brewery can be interesting. They can be an indication of - err - interesting government structures or facilities.
A fantastic video ! I love exploring these "ghost towns", always fascinating. The Catholic Church in Rowena is beautiful. The restaurant in the old filling station is awesome ! I love the atmosphere, and it's great when they re-purpose old buildings, and retain the original style. Your food looked delicious, too !! I love the fancy menu, lol ! Thanks so much, Joe and Nic, I really enjoyed this !😊💗
Another great video as always. I absolutely love the nostalgia of the all but forgotten small towns and the unique places you can find in them. I will definitely be watching for the San Antonio video. I spent all four of my high school years there going to John Jay High School between 88 and 92 when I graduated and we moved to Oklahoma. Downtown was my favorite place with the Riverwalk and the brick streets. Wishing you safe travels and until next time stay safe and God bless. Steve in Oklahoma
I love your videos! Im actually near Terrell Tx and im looking to live in a smaller community with more land and less traffic. I love the small town of Rowena, seems like a close knit town. Love that diner, very eclectic i would go crazy just looking at everything very nice setup.
Just found your site yesterday and enjoy so much as I have been in Fort Sumner, Taiban , Melrose. And my husband lived in Borger for a short time!! I was raised in west Texas so you were close when you were close in San Angelo! Raised out of Big Spring Thanks for riding the back roads!
The Building in Talpa with the phone number on the window is sold. Many other people thought to call the gentleman who owns it. He is a really nice guy. Your video has blessed him!
I spent a couple of years in Ballnger many years ago, so all those towns are familiar to me. Especially that cross. Some nostalgia there. Rowena always makes me think of Bonnie Parker.
day by day i am getting in love with soil of america .especially california ,and texas is my favourite states ,and then florida ,seattle ,oregon ,virginia and kentucky . if i would have a chance to live life there against barter myself ,i would prefer to live in california or texas .
