PINE BLUFF: The SHOCKING Condition Of This DYING City - 4th Highest Crime Rate In The Country 

I was born and raised in Pine Bluff until 1976 .It was a beautiful vibrant place when I left .But over the years whenever I go back to visit, I just want to cry.

One thing that I have noticed about all of Lord Spoda's videos is,..no matter how deserted or desolate any town is,......and no matter that there isn't a person or car to be seen in any direction,..he ALWAYS uses his turn signal. His driver's ed teacher taught him right.

It’s pretty sad seeing those empty businesses. Once upon a time, each of those was someone’s dream.

This is heartbreaking. Imagine in its heyday, a bustling vibrant town. People shopping downtown, neighborhood pride. Just sickening and tragic.

Fun fact: That shell of a building that you're standing in at the beginning of the video, collapsed and fell in the middle of the street and the debris stayed in the street for almost 2 years. They just barricaded that part of the road and left it.

I graduated high school in the late 70s and lived not far from PB. It was a grand town back then. My HS choir competed against Pine Bluff's but they pretty much set the standard at the time. There were lots of good families living in those gorgeous homes back then and kids from "out of town" used to drive to PB to go to the mall or catch a movie. I remember driving around looking at the beautiful neighborhoods. White flight happened at the beginning of the 80s-- not just in PB but other areas of South Arkansas, too. I don't know how this affected things or what the other factors were that allegedly caused the decay. I can't tell you how soul crushing it is to see it now.

Was born and raised in Pine Bluff. Still have family and friends that live there. Ever time I visit it breaks my heart to see how this city has went down hill. So many good and bad memories. The neighborhood I grew up in looks like a war zone. So many burnt and abandoned house's. Sad to to see.

Having been a lifelong resident of the Pine Bluff area I can truly testify that the town is a major dump! It has been on the decline since I graduated high school a little over 42 years ago and the decline has picked up steam in the last few years. No new industries have moved into the area. The only new thing in town is a casino and the city fathers are foolishly banking on tax revenue from it to rebuild the town. Things are so bad here, the local shopping mall and movie theaters have closed. If you want to see a movie or do some serious shopping you have to go to Little Rock! This used to be a fairly decent town to live in. I remember going shopping with my parents on Friday evenings. Not anymore. If you have any business in Pine Bluff, do it while the sun is still up and get home before sundown. If I had the means to do so, I would have left this town long ago and moved to another part of Arkansas that offers more. Nearly all my friends have left here but as stated earlier, I don't have the means to do so. This town is the pits!

Dying? Unfair! This was Sunday afternoon! During the week there are AT LEAST 5 or 6 more people throughout the thriving central business district, just wandering around in front of the boarded-up businesses, jabbering softly to themselves.

Thanks for the videos and I don’t think they’re ever too long. This is really interesting to watch. It’s so sad some of these little cities especially this one.

Years ago my daughter was given a job as an asst manager there just a few years out of high school. She would live on premises (we are between LR and Bryant) I was terrified, not happy but she was over 18. She lasted maybe a little over a year and gave notice to get out of there. Great job experience and enough life experience she knew when it was time to get out of Dodge.

Sgt. Barnes, who was my section sergeant in Germany 144th Signal Battalion (1966-67) was born there. Super nice fellow, even drove me to Frankford, when I was getting out of the Army.

This is happening pretty much everywhere. Rural cities and towns are population and work depleted, therefore have nothing to offer young families other than cheap real estate. Rural Canada at the moment looks to be fairing a bit better only because we are much less populated and this started a decade later for us. You can't give your property away in a small town and as the urban populations grow the housing has become too expensive for most. I have no idea what the answer is or if there even is one.

It was "dying" back in the 90s when I lived there. It's been dead as a door nail for 25+ yrs now. 😕

We live in NW Arkansas and have a saying about pine bluff..... Q: What's the three MOST Worthless Things in the World?! A: 1. A rubber crutch in a polio ward...... 2. A screen door on a submarine....... 3. A 'rent house' in PINE BLUFF ARK!!

The tall building at the 1 minute and the 27:58 minutemark is the old Saenger Theater. In the '50's and '60's, it was a really nice movie theater. The inside was so impressive with reds and blues and golds, and the ceiling was a masterpiece. Dance recitals were held there, but back in its heyday, it was one of the most luxurious theaters for all kinds of entertainment. It had quite a reputation, and there were some famous people who performed there. They have tried several times to raise money to restore it, but it is probably getting beyond repair now. Such a shame. The smaller movie theater to the right you mentioned was called the Center Theater, I think.

The movie theater has been closed since the early eighties. If I'm not mistaken, Bert's was a high end men's store back in the day. I moved there from Houston in 1979 and nearly died from culture shock. I got out as soon as I could and still hate the place with a passion.

Pine Bluff is head quarters to one of the most successful regional banks in America. The previous president tried for decades to revitalize the community and when he retired, he made them promise that they'd never move the headquarters. The respected that promise for as long as he lived. He recently died and I think the bank is in the process of giving up on PB. I don't fault them.

Pine Bluff is not Bluffing when it comes to crime and decline. 😬

It looks like a former war zone. Don't worry about the length of the videos. I could have watched you go up and down every single street.

My son was born in Pine Bluff in 1974. Town wasnt nothing like this. It's a shame. We lived out at Noble Lake and Grady Ark. Right off Arkansas levee on river

When the Army decided to BRAC Pine Bluff Arsenal, it literally killed the town of Pine Bluff.

41,253 inhabitants!? You could have fooled me. Where are they hiding? The place reminds me of Ray Bradbury's short story "The Town Where No-One Got Off". Or even Rod Serling's "Where Is Everybody?"

I feel like I am watching a piece of history of a dying country. How does one even begin the process to turn this around? It will take someone with great vision and determination to bring new life into this town.

I live in pine bluff it really is depressing it’s mostly crime the jails have more visitors than the city town does

"For Sale By Owner, Appointment Only" that had me cracking up, yeah I'm sure people are lining up to buy that place. Not to make light of this though, it's very sad to see what's happened to so many cities and towns like this that were once thriving and beautiful places.

In Indiana, I’ve always been told that Chicago, I’ll was the worse city for crime, drugs, & violence.

That theater is where I saw Jaws for the first 4 times, Star Wars for the first 5 times.

It's enough to make you want to cry.

My friends I met in college were ALL from PineBluff and it was a beautiful successful place!! They have a winderful school and many musicians came from there and went on to famous positions.

The reason for the abandoned buildings are due to capital flight!! No profits, no business, no jobs! No People! If we had a more inclusive economy, these building would be in use! Millions going to Ukraine could make a big difference in what you see here now!

Dan Bell came through PB several years ago and took video of the Pine Hotel (from the outside) as well as an abandoned motel elsewhere in town. His conclusion was the same as yours: Pine Bluff is a dangerous place to be.

Usually, high poverty turns to increased crime rate which in turn cause people to leave which reduces proper ty values, which decreases revenues from property tax which leads to lack of upkeep… like a vicious cycle

I used to go with a friend of mine to that old theater 1:13 (The Saenger) when we were in high school. My buddy figured out how to jump up and pull the fire escape down. We would take dates and go up on top of the rooftop. 😊

It has a Gary, IN feel to it

Although the city is depopulated and declining, some definite efforts to keep it properly maintained is seen. Who knows maybe in one decade it will make its way on the right track. I want to mention here it has beautiful abundant vegetation, plain landscape, fine old buildings, wide strait streets and other things I liked. The small crowd of socializing people added some hope to this sad narration.

The air of desolation is added too by the train noise.. imagine walking around there late at night and then hearing that train moan in the distance … almost a horror film setting .. what on earth happened to this place ?

The people that built and worked there are dead and gone. Their kids left for better jobs and newer places.

Very eerie vibes as you were walking around there. Post apocalyptic does come to mind.

I was born and raised their , and it is awful.

The next town over is called white hall. Yeah. Pine bluff did take in a lot of refugees from Katrina and most stayed.

You did some great footage. Is the crime rate high because such a low population? Is crime those individuals profession for income? Are we talkin thievery b&e or murders

I thought Pine Bluff downtown would be busy. I guess the I-530 bypass reduced downtown traffic. It's probably more busy by I-530.

Been there, I'm surprised that pine bluff is still even a town after years of declining since after the 2010s.

Sure isn't the same city portrayed in the PBS documentary about Pine Bluff made about 6 years ago which is also on You Tube.

Look and see WHO is the Mayor. Why isn't the officials DOING ANYTHING to save this town??.

ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A CITY THAT SOME ULTRA WEALTHY PEOPLE COULD LITERALLY HIDE OUT IN IF THEY LEFT THE OUTSIDE LOOKING DECADENT THE CREATIVE SPACE FOR THEMSELVES INSIDE THAT WAS FANTASTIC DAVID GRENIS BOULDER COLORADO USA

Place needs a run away bull dozer with drums of tnt strapped to the front of it.

…..could be sooooo beautiful and full o’ music and fun

Increasing population of low wage earners combined with increasing population of government assistance plus "white flight" causing a death spiral for the entire county.

Last time I was in Pine Bluff was in early 2000. The downtown then was very nice, so sad to see. There were some closed buildings then (like the Pines Hotel), but no where near as bad as now.

Hi I just wanted to give a shout out to you I watch your videos a lot you really give such a great perspective and have a lot of surprising facts to add. I watch your videos all the time!

Don't see any Graffiti. Guess even the people that do that left too! Wouldn't mind having a look at the County Court House tower clock. I am in the clock repair business for 53 years now ! Have done several of these ....

And the way Arkingsaw is set up with property taxes, those buildings are probably owned by the state or city now. I hate the property tax system. It makes people cut their losses, leave, try to start over. I say that because they cut their losses, they left, and they are somewhere else starting over. Yay property taxes !!!

So sad to see, some of these buildings looks absolutely gorgeous if you ignore the surroundings.

Those who cannot be criticized publicly, will be criticized privately anyway.

I don’t know what income your numbers include but factor in the government benefits and the total incomes are higher. BTW you’re a brave man to walk the street’s of Pine Bluff.

I enjoy your videos. Hopefully when you tour through these rough areas you're locked and loaded.

This reminds me of "Pine Bluff Variant" X-Files episode. There is/was chemical weapons storage site somewhere near the city.

That town looks creepy

The average home price of 173K is crazy. I looked on realtor sites and it is basically 90% shacks for less than 75K and is skewed by really nice houses for 400K. There are no normal neighborhoods. I looked up my towns average and it is 84K. You could drive around my town of 20K people all day and not see more than 3 abandoned homes.

This town looks 👀 like ‘The Day After’.

I live in little rock. Pine bluff is dead for sure, but from what you shot of it, it was clean..

With all businesse closing. Bad investment. No jobs...no money

Crime moved in and the money moved out.

I thought the city of Stoke-on-Trent in the UK was bad (see The Wandering Turnip) however this is something else. Almost a complete ghost town. I've been shocked by many of your videos on the decay and poverty of some of the rural towns in the USA. And not just in the South either.

Hello, very excellent videos, also from not so great cities in the USA. 👍😲👀 I live in Germany and such a cityscape would be unimaginable here. In East Germany (former GDR) we also had some problems with decaying buildings - but there was never a particularly high crime rate or serious social problems. We have solved these problems in 30 years. Every time someone in our "political right-wing bullies" "babbles around a bit, everything would be so bad in Germany", I show them these videos. That works wonders! You can't even imagine something that crass in Berlin-Marzahn and this district of Berlin is considered "completely crass" in Germany. And then nocturnal shootings - my dear slider! This is really hard rock!😨

I was born in Pine Bluff. My grandmother who is 98 still lives in her same home. She has a little patch of paradise and poverty and crime have grown in around her. Gun shots from every direction at night when we stay there. She still picks up everyone elses trash on her street. My grandfather was Jim Willis. .He and Mr. Reed designed many of the buildings in that town. I was once a beautiful place. I cry everytime I visit. It's heartbreaking.

You asked, can the city be saved? My concern is can the country be saved. I've watched a lot of your videos and there's a lot of Gary's in our country. Makes a person wonder, what's really going on?

Doesn't have to be this way folks, cowardice and stupidity does not have to win. Evil to thrives when good people do nothing .

Funny I couldn't image spending $173,000 for a home and considering that cheap. No wonder the country is falling apart and millions of people can't afford a home. I won't tell you how much I spent on my home but it was considerably less. I am glad I am older and not a young person just starting out.

I am rather shocked by the lack of people, either walking or driving.

You act surprised that all these small shops have closed. How can they compete with Wal Mart, Sams, Cosco, E-Bay, Amazon, and governments that tax and regulate business out.

I think it's funny that they have new sidewalks and plantings and brick crosswalks in front of largely abandoned buildings. I've seen this in a couple of your videos on declining cities. It's as if the local governments have no idea how to stop the economic decline and figure "let's spruce up the streetscape and that will fix things." It's kind of like putting a fresh coat of paint on the barn after all your livestock ran away.

I am a 76 year old boomer that grew up in Shreveport, went to LSU in Baton Rouge and traveled through Arkansas on both the KCS train in the 60's and by both car and motor cycle between Shreveport and Kansas City. I also drove Route 66 back in the 60s and drove from Wisconsin to Mississippi to visit my grandparents grave 16 years ago. I have drive pretty much all over the U.S.A. mostly in the 60s and 70's. After finishing college in 72, I went to work for the oil companies overseas until I retired at 67, since I was in construction like pipelines, refineries, tank farms, I would working in a country between 3 and 4 years to finish the work and only get back to the U.S.A. for a 6 week vacation a year. That gave me a distinct view of America that most American did not see since the changes happened were slow. So I was noticing the decline of America right after the Vietnam when I returned in 69. First America's jobs started leaving and more foreign products were showing up on the roads and on the shelves at the shopping malls. Large building stopped being built and highways started getting potholes and bridges being closed. As my friends went to Woodstock or Canada, I did a one year back pack tour of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia spending most of that year in Thailand. Thailand was a very beautiful country but not developed, once outside of one of the 3 major cities there was no electricity, road at best were only two lanes and most Thai people were farmers or worked for the government for $1,00 a day. Traffic in Bangkok was jammed but with bicycles, motorcycles and buses packed with people hanging out of the doors. But it was still a beautiful country with thousands of miles of beaches and mountains. Finishing college and working in Saudi Arabia, Libya to Sumatra I finally got a job in Thailand in 1995 and was shocked, Thailand was a modern country almost over night. Hundreds of international companies were moving in and building factories, highways were now 4,6 and 8 lanes. New 2 story home subdivisions were and are still being built all over the country. The motorcycle are now new Toyotas, BMWs, Mercedes, buses are now elevated sky trains and subways. Shopping malls the size of abandon small cities in America. Today all of Asia are booming Indonesia, Singapore , Cambodia, India and naturally China is advancing. I retired 9 years ago and live in Thailand with my wife and son, I get American television and when I see American government leaders get up on TV and say that "America is the riches most powerful country in the world", I have to laugh. But then what can he say and get you to vote for him and keep stay in office. "Sorry folks I screwed up the country but that should not stop you from voting for me again".

AKA Crime Bluff. Where a lot of the high school graduates cannot successfully fill out a job application or pass a drug test. That casino is only going to drain the locals' finances more.

I was born and raised in Pine Bluff and left in the early nineties after college. I visit often and I own a home there. There are tons of stories (good and bad) that I could tell about many of the downtown buildings. The original courthouse burned down in the mid 70s and was rebuilt. The column façade around the front door is the only part of the original building that remains. The old Pines Hotel closed in 1968 and the inside was beautiful. It was infamous due to Nazi POWs being allowed to stay there in the 1940s whenever POW camps in the state became overcrowded. Black citizens including vets could only enter through back doors of this building to work but could not stay there. The bottom floor on the corner housed Gordon's Jewelers. The God's Hospital building housed the old Henry Marx clothing store. It sold tons of men's and women's clothes. Burt's closed many years ago and was a premier clothing store for men. The Masonic Temple building was once the largest African American owned building in the state. I could go on and on.

I've grown up and lived in Northwest Arkansas, more mountainous (and affluent on average) part of the state, but my family always used to pass through Pine Bluff and southeast Arkansas via US65 on our way to visit family in SE Louisiana. It always amazed me how different the two halves of the state are. We would drive through dying, crumbling towns in the middle of the delta and I'd wonder how this was even the same state as where I live. Of course each of those towns had brand new police cars staked out to catch people "speeding" through.

Be careful! Even when I was young Pine Bluff was a bit scary d/t the crime. And it has a paper mill that stinks all the way to Little Rock at night!

I have a doctor in Pine Bluff and was there yesterday. I'm not crazy about being at either one, LOL but after watching this video, we decided to drive around a little. You are right on point stating what it looks like. It is sad that any town would go down such as this. We live about an hour and half from there in a rural area as well. The whole DELTA, as it's called, has died. So sad. Love your videos!

Thanks for the video - sometimes I think "I would be 'carrying' if walking in this town" when watching your videos! Retired now in Louisiana, my job involved many meetings in Pine Bluff between 1990 and 2014. I had heard even back then that PB was in decline, but this video was still shocking. I wanted to stop watching, but it was like a gruesome highway wreck that you can't help slowing down to stare at! When I see the new sidewalks in front of empty buildings my first thought is: "Yep, they got all that federal money, planted a few plants, poured some concrete, but how much did they put in their pockets!" How many politicians sold out to bring that city to its knees!

I have family that live in Pine Bluff, and I lived in the area for a few years during the late 2000s and early 2010s. I visited again a few months ago and it's pitiful seeing what has happened to the place. I went to the mall in 2011 and now it's burnt down, shame that all Pine Bluff has now is a money-sucking casino. I hope the place can be revived someday as it has rich history, but as of now the Crime Bluff jokes are well deserved.

My Grandma was from Little Rock and came to California on her own when she was 18. My grandfather is from Pine Bluff and ended up in California after he got out of the military. Somehow they met. It's almost like they knew their towns would end up like this. They went on road trips with my Mom and Uncle, but never went back to Arkansas. Being from California, I would absolutely love to move to a sleepy small town after my retirement and also drive around the US. Sir, you are living my dream 😭

You sounded terribly nervous being out on foot, and I must say I felt very worried for you. The menace of those deserted streets was palpable even on a video.

Thank you for sharing your tour of Pine Bluff. I can tell it was once a beautiful city. When I see cities like Pine Bluff (and there are many others) I wonder to myself if things would have turned out differently if so many of our jobs had not been shipped overseas. I'm not trying to blame anybody or anything. It's just sad the way some of our cities/towns are falling apart.

I drove through this town and the small towns around it in 1992. Rural Arkansas was a mess back then. I drove through boarded up towns in the middle of nowhere but there were people milling around in the streets literally doing nothing. Population of these towns were 200, 100 people. No stores open. It looked like something from a Mad Max movie

Man you gotta be brave wandering around Pine Bluff alone like that. That whole place is dangerous

Thank you for showing the real America. Be safe out there!

When businesses and homes start putting iron bars over their windows that is a sure sign of a city in decay.

I am not sure how to even respond to this. Pictures are worth a 1,000 words. However, accurate current information on a city trying to repair building by building & a city plan with funding is essential. Doing a Sunday walk in many downtown areas there is no activity. You walked passed several open businesses that could have benefited your publicity as we are the ones here trying to make a difference. We moved here 6 years ago. I own Uptown Salon, BURTS (which hosts events), The Community Theater (which opens in November) as well as other property. We could use your support. You did not walk over & talk to anyone at Pop’s barbershop that had a crown who would have been happy to visit with you. Many other murals you could have shown. Also a new library on Main, New Art Center on Main, new aquatics center a few blocks off Main, Regional Park, the new Saracen Casino, and the new street scape from 4th to Barraque. Next to the Engraving shop are two amazing new places, Indigo Blue Coffee Shop that serves meals & has jazz nights, MS Margaret’s which serves meals & she makes amazing cakes & cupcakes, Virtuous Diva’s Boutique, law offices, title company, CPA office & Colonial Steak house open with no mention. We have UAPB & SEARK. If your goal was to showcase the worst of Pine Bluff congratulations because you did it. I see nothing but opportunities where you see blight. I hope you can come back in 5 years when have more businesses open & we can visit about out progress.

Pine Bluff at one time was a really active city, especially back in early-mid 90s. Now, population is declining like crazy; no jobs, and recently closed down the mall a few years back.

I have watched many of your videos and I wish to say I enjoy that no matter the shape of a town or neighborhood, you manage to point out something unique and even beautiful. Thank you. I was born and raised in Virginia and believe there is always some sort of charm wherever we go. I enjoy channels that have a positive vibe and I find it in yours. Thanks for researching facts about the areas and lifestyles of your visits too. I appreciate your efforts to be entertaining and informative.

I lived in Pine Bluff in 1953-55, 6th and 7th grade for me. it was a beautiful model American city. Rode my bike to school every day no problem. It's an absolute disgrace what's happened to the city. The criminal thugs-druggies came in and took over. Too bad law enforcement couldn't get on top of it for the good citizens of Pine Bluff.

I was born and raised in Pine Bluff. I left about 25 years ago, but still have family in town. The condition of the town is disgraceful. When I was in high school, our band would march down Main Street during the parades and people would be standing four and five deep from the Sunbeam Bread sign to the courthouse. There were tons of small businesses and decent jobs and the mall was always packed. Even then, the town had its share of problems, but nothing like today. Most of the small businesses are gone, a lot of industries have relocated, and the schools are abysmal. The superintendent of the Pine Bluff School District is trying to make changes, but she's getting pushback from those in the community that don't want to make the hard choices. I don't think the town will ever come back. Most of the people with drive and ambition have already left.

I'm 65, and it's really sad to see what has happened to this country.

I checked the demographics to see why it was so dangerous…

Thank you for your informative videos. Have you considered stopping to interview residents if the opportunity arises? Getting their comments would be well worth it.

Love watching your videos and this one is quiet unbelievable. Looks like this city has just died and is beyond saving. Considering the number of people homeless in cities like Portland why can't these buildings be turned into housing and programs be instituted to get them off drugs and rehabilitated. Might work or might not but this city needs something to stop it from dying altogether.

The old courthouse & some of the downtown looks nice! I love old buildings & think about how neat it would be, to be able to go inside and photograph architectural details, woodwork, old fixtures, thinks like that. Thanks for taking these side trips, I’m a 24/7 caregiver & RU-vid is my way of traveling these days!

I live 90 miles from there. I never go there. I would suggest you get out before dark.