What the hell happened to Cairo, Illinois? ,,(Civil Rights Ghost Town)

[SoCalDem]

http://www.visualnews.com/2010/11/30/cairo-illinois-picture/

Ever come across something so offbeat that you craved an answer to its existence, but no one could give it to you? Next time, try asking Reddit. After coming across the ghost town of Cairo, Illinois, with demolished streets and buildings that barely hinted at once housing townspeople, Reddit user inkslave was left with a head spinning with questions. After no success on Wikipedia, he turned to Reddit: What the hell happened to Cairo, Illinois?

[Atman]

1. Google Street View is fascinating.

The "town" appears to be just street after street of vacant buildings, but there is a Chevy dealership and a Chinese restaurant that still seem to be open. I wonder who their customers are? The guys that drive the Google Earth camera trucks?

[SoCalDem]

2. Gary, IN is very much like that too

:(

[eridani]

8. And East St Louis n/t

[hfojvt]

6. it still has 1500 people

but it once had 15,000. I find wiki to be very informative on that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo,_Illinois

A bit of a decline from 1920-1940, but no reason it could not bounce back during the prosperous 1945-1965 times. Instead it apparently tore itself apart with civil rights struggles, and is now about 80% abandoned.

[NoPasaran]

3. Fascinating thread on Reddit

Thanks for posting this

[SoCalDem]

7. I love "accidental finds" like this..

There is so much interesting stuff out there, it's fun to stumble upon things.. It's disheartening to know that things like this are probably not even taught to kids in school

[Texasgal]

4. A bit off topic here

but I have been giggling at the screen name on redd edit "tantric fart" :rofl:

Sorry...carry on!

[Historic NY]

5. A lot applies to other Americian cites also from the time too.