My big takeaway from all your videos is: The superiority of brick as a building material. Of all the decaying buildings you’ve viewed, the bricks hang on til the very end.
i am not sure why these fascinate me like they do, but i am hooked. Over Thanksgiving i got my mom hooked too. There are so many places in the US that i will never see, or travel to. The both of you do and show these places to us all. God bless and safe travels!
I agree it's incredibly sad I just want it to stop as the decline is too fast.... Sending you and yours a very happy Christmas and a more prosperous new year.... From a small town in Warwickshire, England
Its fascinating how the weather affects surroundings. Videos where the sky is blue and the sun is bright the decay is absolutely beautiful. But in the overcast weather it takes on a whole other feeling.
That’s what I came to say. Someone lobbied like heck to get that park upgraded. Someone thought, if we make this a nice place to live, people will stay. The work was done, but there just weren’t enough people to use it. I feel bad for people who try so hard to save these small towns, only to have their efforts go to waste.
This is the comment I was looking for because I had the same sentiment. When it was open and tended to it was probably a great place to relax and have fun. Such a shame.
Although I can understand the demise of these towns it hurts to remember them at their best. In college I had many friends from this area and visited in their homes often. I don't know of any who returned home to live. I'm pushing 80 so my good memories are from a long time ago. Thanks, Joe. If not for you, I would have no idea of the current situation up there.
I grew up in this area (next county over). I'm 64 and even when I was younger, there wasn't much there but maybe some fishing, canoeing and camping along the rivers/creeks. I loved it!
How quickly the policies of WallStreet conglomerates devastated our nation. Their CEO’s should be forced to live in these towns on minimum state wage, all over this nation.
@@EricT3769all about jobs in the end. Small towns have the disadvantage of not having many available jobs for younger people. So, they move out to the cities or bigger towns while these small towns are just populated with the retirees. When they die so does the small town.
My memories of Southern Bama are really good. Hitchhiking in the rain, catchin a ride with a group of 18 year old ladies that were the most wholesome of all the south. And they were very glad to meet someone who liked them. Be well.
The only town shown I've actually visited (drove through, actually) is Castleberry, which is on U.S. Highway 31 (formerly the main highway in the region; since supplanted by Interstate 65). US-31 is still fairly utilized by local traffic and those heading to the Florida beach areas between Pensacola Bay and Fort Walton Beach. The old merchant area shown in Castleberry is on a side street (Cleveland Ave.) west of US-31. What commerce there is in Castleberry is along US-31, with the ubiquitous Dollar General store, a convenience store/gas station, and a few other small businesses. The metropolis of Evergreen (pop.: ~ 4,000) is about a 15-minutes drive away. Frisco City, Repton, and Castleberry are simply old cotton/logging towns, like hundreds of others in this region. Mechanization and increased corporate ownership of lands, both resulting in decreased employment/business opportunities, are the main causes of the population decline of the area. As one poster noted, if any young person leaves - for school, military, whatever - they are not likely to return.
Well I live like 3mins from that downtown area, I'm a Produce manager at a local piggly Wiggly my wife works for Epa as a Federal contractor but have to drive to Pensacola,FL, we do all sorts of things far as hobbies, hiking,biking, Anytime Fitness about 20mins away, it's a pretty laid back town here in Frisco City,Al
Frisco City had a population of 1,124 in 2023, but that city seemed to really be keeping up with the city maintenance. Lots of abandoned buildings. Thanks for this great tour!
There used to be a great show called Life After People, which basically showed what would happen to man-made objects over time if humans disappeared. So many of these places remind me of that show, especially that new-looking playground at the end.
I live in Frisco City. This video was shared with me and oddly enough I remember the vehicle coming down my street. The only grocery store burned September 2024. It was behind and to the left of the police station. The fire department is also right across the street but they weren’t able to save the store. It was known for the lunch specials and was always full between 10:30 and 1. There is a Dollar General but most of the shopping and restaurants is at least 15 minutes away. I moved back after retiring to help my aging parent. This is a very quiet and boring town. Thanks for stopping by.
One sad site in Repton was the writing on the door frame next to the Cottage Reality. The sign was fairly new and it said: " Today is a good day to shop local." Unfortunately, I had to ask myself."Where?" Maybe there is a nice farmer's market tucked away somewhere.
Another interesting and educational video, thank you Joe and Nic, I love seeing parts of the US I will never get to see. I hate the part where Joe says “ that’s the end of this video “ darn!
Very interesting video, Joe. I've lived in southeast Alabama for 24 years and l haven't heard of any of these three towns....but the are very small and rural....l really enjoy these small town videos. If you ever make it to Enterprise l would love to meet you and Nicole. Again, thanks for taking us along on your road trip! 😊💞
@ktspirit1 I've messaged him about the little towns here like Enterprise, Opp, Andalusia, and even Dothan . I forgot to mention the Boll Weevil monument! Maybe he'll see this and Google it. I would really love for him to come here. I actually got Nick Johnson to come to Enterprise and Sylacaga.I think Joe would like our little downtown though.
I grew up on a farm near a town like these. The little town had a hardware store, auto mechanics and a full service gas station or two. It had a tiny grocery store, doctor office and dentist. It had clothing stores and general merchandise stores. And then came big box stores, not there mind you, but 30 minutes to an hour away with more things to buy and shop for. Big box stores and for some of us, UPS and FedEx and finally the nail in the coffin Amazon, killed off all of them slowly one by one, the shop owners retired, passed away or sold out. Nothing is left in my little downtown now. What ties some of this together? Roads, yes, what we all clamor for from our government, better roads. Well these better, faster roads allow us to quickly reach big stores an hour away no problem. Cheap gas makes it even better of a deal. and believe it, people want to shop for the cheapest prices, no doubt. At what final cost though? My grandfather was a store owner, he owned the store and property next to it. He worked till he was too old and sick to work any more and sold it. A few years later it sat abandoned and finally burned down by vandals.
Even in these decayed, unused downtowns, you sometimes see glimpses of someone trying. Grinch Christmas posters hung on abandoned buildings. Christmas greens hung from hooks on posts of structures barely able to stand. A bright new trash can next to tables to sit and have a cup of coffee. But who ever does? God bless the person who makes the effort in the face of almost insurmountable odds.
I’m very familiar with these towns you shown. Repton is between Evergreen and Monroeville. Castleberry is between Evergreen and Brewton. Frisco City isn’t far from Monroeville either. You tend to see a lot of these small towns when you drive trucks and deliver in the area regularly.
Interesting small towns! Please make your way to Douglas Coffee County GA. Hurricane Helene almost wiped us off the map but you will be pleasantly surprised at Downtown Douglas. Happy travels!
Oh my goodness. These are my favorite. Love some of the surrounding areas. Very green. Where I live, it's dry and dusty. Seeing your videos makes me happy. Thank you so much.
Fantastic as always, you really capture the atmosphere in your videos of small and lonely towns. I felt sad seeing that playground not used for what seems like years and the equipment still looked in good condition. Looking forward to more videos, thank you again Joe and Nic for taking us away with you.
Joe/Nic, I am just throwing this out there as an idea: Australia is my favorite country after USA. I enjoyed my visit there. There are so many beautiful towns to tour there. Maybe as a possibility, do some videos of the towns in that country.
Australia doesn't have the decay like the US has. There are some small towns that have been deserted in the past but they are generally in the outback. The scale of decay in the US is off the scale. I blame the politicians and wealthy business owners for the carnage.
@@gregpies1649 Agreed. I mean there are some really really decaying Aboriginal settlements there though. But overall probably not the decay of US. I love Australia. My wife and I are thinking of doing longer stays there, like bed and breakfast stays for a few months at a time, while keeping our home here in Florida.
This reminds me of a tungsten rapid I used to log on in rural town of Spinewood. From there you could re enlist the stern gates and collar incredibles over a reason lake.
When you peeked in the old hardware store in Reptin, there was an orange Union garden tool rack. We have that exact same thing in our garage. My brother-in-law picked it up at a flea market
Great video. Noticed a lot of greenery still with the trees and shrubs compared to this winter @@@@hole I’m in right now. LoL. Never been to any of these places. But I bet they were something in their day. Poverty not nearly as bad as I would have thought. Not a lot of money but low cost of living probly equals out. Lot of treasures in all these old buildings you show me from everywhere, being a flea market junkie I can’t help but notice. One other thing I’ve noticed is cloudy gloomy wet weather seems to always give a more depressing look to these places already in decline just my thoughts. Great job Joe as usual love the stats and the neighborhood drive throughs. Looking forward to the next one. Safe travels my friend, keep filming and I’ll keep watching
Hi Joe! My family and I watch your videos often. Mobile is our home town, there are definitely some dying cities, Prichard being on of them, it used be a thriving town. We enjoy watching your Bama videos.
Absolutely uncanny! The silent main street full of ghosts. 'Beautiful decay' as you so poetically put it! Where do residents go to shop? Is it all out-of-town superstores, etc? In Britain there'd be one Pakistani guy with a shop on the corner selling everything from cornflakes to chainsaws! 😎
Family in area shops small local towns, like Brewton, Andalusia, Atmore. Amazing how cool they are to drive 45-90 min down the road to Mobile or Pensacola for many major services..
The brick building toward the beginning with the glass doors still intact was surprising. I would expect all the glass to be gone not just the windows lol. We're currently working on our dream trip of 48 states in 48 weeks and your videos are awesome inspiration!
Really enjoy your program. When you show the map, if you leave the previous location displayed, you could show us your route. I would find that interesting.
Enjoyed the video, as always. I wonder how people can live there , it's so lonley. You don't see much people around, but there's usually always a church. Sometimes the decay is incredible.
The roads in the first 2 towns were well maintained but they let everything else go. The stuff in the park looked new. What a shame 2 leave it 2 over grow. Hi 2 Nicole and u guys stay safe out there.
The park in the last town looked like it had fairly new equipment. It's almost like shortly after it was installed, they fired the guy in charge of caring for it to cut payroll most likely. Such a sad scene. If I lived there, I would care for it for the sake of the kids in the town. Little kids don't understand why there is a park, but they can't play there. Truly heart wrenching.
I'm genuinely curious about that park being closed. Mowing grass isn't exactly the expensive part of a town's budget. I wonder if it's on top of toxic dirt, a mine subsidence, etc.
My biggest fear when walking around these small, rural towns is out-of-control dogs. I remember driving through a poor town in the Kentucky Appalachians and a group of pit bulls came running out of a yard towards my car just as I was about to get out. Scared the sh&t out of me....
We go through Casselberry sometimes, seen people get pulled over for tractor rage and not being nice to farmers. Brewton is pretty nice, we go through there to Tennessee. There are nice spots in Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties in Panhandle and in to Lower Alabama.
Alabama is a beautiful but pitiful state. I liked Castleberry, not much there, but I bet it was fine in its day, maybe with a close knit community? Personally, I 💖 the South it has so much character. 😊🇺🇲
Glad to hear you are coming to visit Mobile. I live in Theodore, just a bit south and west of Mobile. I love watching your videos and the stats you give during your vlog. So interesting. Be safe!!!
Joe, Frisco Railroad is not actually connected to San Francisco here in California. Frisco Railroad actually originated in...............Frisco, Texas.
when driving through towns like these,i like to imagine the stores as they were.. buildings where people shoped,or worked, houses. where families lived
Thank you, Joe , for these interesting road trip videos! It has been fascinating to see those little towns, especially for me as a Northern European. It makes me sad to see that decay. Could it be possible to make a separate video of your automobiles? Pros and cons of long term ownership of your Bronco and Jeep?
Incentives for people to move there and open businesses the spaces in between could be outdoor seating definitely has some potential to bring the downtown back
Just a thought but it seems like the best maintained buildings in these small towns are the churches. I wonder if all those donations to maintain the churches had gone toward supporting the local businesses and or public parks instead would some of these towns be in better shape?
Generally, these small towns were supported by one larger business. Once that business moved out, closed down, whatever, the town lost its workers who had to leave to seek work elsewhere. That normally leaves the old people behind who have limited income, can't spend much to support the smaller local businesses, and can't maintain their homes. At that point the town is basically dead.
You need to check out the Montgomery Mall in Montgomery, all the Anchors occupied by government agencies but the main inline concourse inside is abandoned and a real time capsule from 2008!
Enjoyed the video. I remember passing through Frisco City several times back in the 1970’s while on the road to Florida on family vacations back when I was a little kid. I don’t remember much of what the town looked like all those 40 plus years ago but I’m sure it was once a thriving community. 😊
I grew up about an hour and a half away from there in Baldwin County. The last time I was there (Frisco City) was in high school when I dated a girl there, and it is shocking to see how much it has deteriorated since 2005 - 2006.
Thanks for another video, we look forward to them. Don't you ever get too depressed to video another failing town..it's really sad to see the delapidation.
You are in my stomping ground now. There are many hidden gems. Even when I was younger, Castleberry wasn't much but the last leg of a canoe/camping trip. Carry on!
Too late now but if you are in Alabama again Conecuh Sausage is the best. Can buy it in most grocery stores where I'm from. There is an outlet off of 65.
My big takeaway from all your videos is: The superiority of brick as a building material. Of all the decaying buildings you’ve viewed, the bricks hang on til the very end.
I agree.
Gotta replace the roofing once in a while lol
Other thing that's obvious is the power of mother nature. Man made structures are temporary. Nature always reclaim in the end
Absolutely, my Bama and Texas Kin only own brick homes
Yes here in the UK almost all homes are of brick construction / tiled roof, we do not have the scale of dilapidation shown here.
i am not sure why these fascinate me like they do, but i am hooked. Over Thanksgiving i got my mom hooked too. There are so many places in the US that i will never see, or travel to. The both of you do and show these places to us all. God bless and safe travels!
@@Nikua13 Awesome, thank you!
I agree it's incredibly sad I just want it to stop as the decline is too fast.... Sending you and yours a very happy Christmas and a more prosperous new year.... From a small town in Warwickshire, England
Its fascinating how the weather affects surroundings. Videos where the sky is blue and the sun is bright the decay is absolutely beautiful. But in the overcast weather it takes on a whole other feeling.
That shut down park was a heartbreaker! Wow. Thanks for another video. Hi to Nic!! 👋
That’s what I came to say. Someone lobbied like heck to get that park upgraded. Someone thought, if we make this a nice place to live, people will stay. The work was done, but there just weren’t enough people to use it. I feel bad for people who try so hard to save these small towns, only to have their efforts go to waste.
This is the comment I was looking for because I had the same sentiment. When it was open and tended to it was probably a great place to relax and have fun. Such a shame.
I just recently moved to AL. I didn’t expect to see so many abandoned businesses. Many of the towns in some areas appear to be dying.
Best part of Saturday morning: another fascinating video from Joe & Nic's Road Trip! (And lately, mid-week bonus postings from you, as well!)
It’s like I get up on Saturday and expect a new video from my friends Joe and Nic. After watching so many videos, I can finish Joe’s thoughts.
The park in Castleberry was the most apocalyptic place we have seen in a while. Thanks for the tour.
I just commented the same thing. Like it was built and abandoned the next day.
Although I can understand the demise of these towns it hurts to remember them at their best. In college I had many friends from this area and visited in their homes often. I don't know of any who returned home to live. I'm pushing 80 so my good memories are from a long time ago. Thanks, Joe. If not for you, I would have no idea of the current situation up there.
It’s really sad they didn’t have opportunities to stay. Sad when you see communities like this dying off.
I grew up in this area (next county over). I'm 64 and even when I was younger, there wasn't much there but maybe some fishing, canoeing and camping along the rivers/creeks. I loved it!
God bless you, sir
How quickly the policies of WallStreet conglomerates devastated our nation. Their CEO’s should be forced to live in these towns on minimum state wage, all over this nation.
@@EricT3769all about jobs in the end. Small towns have the disadvantage of not having many available jobs for younger people. So, they move out to the cities or bigger towns while these small towns are just populated with the retirees. When they die so does the small town.
My memories of Southern Bama are really good. Hitchhiking in the rain, catchin a ride with a group of 18 year old ladies that were the most wholesome of all the south. And they were very glad to meet someone who liked them. Be well.
Another fascinating & heartbreaking video. I so appreciate the documentation you are compiling.
The only town shown I've actually visited (drove through, actually) is Castleberry, which is on U.S. Highway 31 (formerly the main highway in the region; since supplanted by Interstate 65). US-31 is still fairly utilized by local traffic and those heading to the Florida beach areas between Pensacola Bay and Fort Walton Beach. The old merchant area shown in Castleberry is on a side street (Cleveland Ave.) west of US-31. What commerce there is in Castleberry is along US-31, with the ubiquitous Dollar General store, a convenience store/gas station, and a few other small businesses. The metropolis of Evergreen (pop.: ~ 4,000) is about a 15-minutes drive away.
Frisco City, Repton, and Castleberry are simply old cotton/logging towns, like hundreds of others in this region. Mechanization and increased corporate ownership of lands, both resulting in decreased employment/business opportunities, are the main causes of the population decline of the area. As one poster noted, if any young person leaves - for school, military, whatever - they are not likely to return.
That park at the end was Creepily Sad. I backed it up and watched it twice. Glad you shared it. Thumbs up!😎👍
Love those old faded signs on brick buildings. This video is like being an archaeologist.
Out of all your videos. And although it’s an small town, it’s pretty clean ❤❤
I'd like to hear what the people in these dying towns do for a living and how they live their day to day lives
Well I live like 3mins from that downtown area, I'm a Produce manager at a local piggly Wiggly my wife works for Epa as a Federal contractor but have to drive to Pensacola,FL, we do all sorts of things far as hobbies, hiking,biking, Anytime Fitness about 20mins away, it's a pretty laid back town here in Frisco City,Al
Frisco City had a population of 1,124 in 2023, but that city seemed to really be keeping up with the city maintenance. Lots of abandoned buildings. Thanks for this great tour!
Some interesting small towns and not trashy either. Quite quaint actually. Thanks for sharing and you have a great day and safe travels
Yay, another Joe and Nic video! Makes my Saturdays more enjoyable! Thanks
There used to be a great show called Life After People, which basically showed what would happen to man-made objects over time if humans disappeared. So many of these places remind me of that show, especially that new-looking playground at the end.
I live in Frisco City. This video was shared with me and oddly enough I remember the vehicle coming down my street. The only grocery store burned September 2024. It was behind and to the left of the police station. The fire department is also right across the street but they weren’t able to save the store. It was known for the lunch specials and was always full between 10:30 and 1. There is a Dollar General but most of the shopping and restaurants is at least 15 minutes away. I moved back after retiring to help my aging parent. This is a very quiet and boring town. Thanks for stopping by.
I always look forward to my Saturday morning Joe and Nic. 👍🏻
One sad site in Repton was the writing on the door frame next to the Cottage Reality. The sign was fairly new and it said: " Today is a good day to shop local." Unfortunately, I had to ask myself."Where?" Maybe there is a nice farmer's market tucked away somewhere.
The Main Streets were really tidy & clean looking 👍
Been subscribed to you for a while, love it!
Thanks, Margot!
Another interesting and educational video, thank you Joe and Nic, I love seeing parts of the US I will never get to see. I hate the part where Joe says “ that’s the end of this video “ darn!
Very interesting video, Joe. I've lived in southeast Alabama for 24 years and l haven't heard of any of these three towns....but the are very small and rural....l really enjoy these small town videos. If you ever make it to Enterprise l would love to meet you and Nicole. Again, thanks for taking us along on your road trip! 😊💞
Hello neighbor! I wonder if Joe has ever seen the boll weevil monument? LOL
@ktspirit1 I've messaged him about the little towns here like Enterprise, Opp, Andalusia, and even Dothan . I forgot to mention the Boll Weevil monument! Maybe he'll see this and Google it. I would really love for him to come here. I actually got Nick Johnson to come to Enterprise and Sylacaga.I think Joe would like our little downtown though.
He has, as a matter of fact there is a video of it@ktspirit1
I grew up on a farm near a town like these. The little town had a hardware store, auto mechanics and a full service gas station or two. It had a tiny grocery store, doctor office and dentist. It had clothing stores and general merchandise stores. And then came big box stores, not there mind you, but 30 minutes to an hour away with more things to buy and shop for. Big box stores and for some of us, UPS and FedEx and finally the nail in the coffin Amazon, killed off all of them slowly one by one, the shop owners retired, passed away or sold out. Nothing is left in my little downtown now. What ties some of this together? Roads, yes, what we all clamor for from our government, better roads. Well these better, faster roads allow us to quickly reach big stores an hour away no problem. Cheap gas makes it even better of a deal. and believe it, people want to shop for the cheapest prices, no doubt. At what final cost though? My grandfather was a store owner, he owned the store and property next to it. He worked till he was too old and sick to work any more and sold it. A few years later it sat abandoned and finally burned down by vandals.
Even in these decayed, unused downtowns, you sometimes see glimpses of someone trying. Grinch Christmas posters hung on abandoned buildings. Christmas greens hung from hooks on posts of structures barely able to stand. A bright new trash can next to tables to sit and have a cup of coffee. But who ever does? God bless the person who makes the effort in the face of almost insurmountable odds.
The drives and walks are like sightseeing with my friend. Thanks, Joe. Blessings from Michigan.
I’m very familiar with these towns you shown. Repton is between Evergreen and Monroeville. Castleberry is between Evergreen and Brewton. Frisco City isn’t far from Monroeville either. You tend to see a lot of these small towns when you drive trucks and deliver in the area regularly.
Thank you ..... this is actually very important perspectives and insights for all of us.
Interesting small towns! Please make your way to Douglas Coffee County GA. Hurricane Helene almost wiped us off the map but you will be pleasantly surprised at Downtown Douglas. Happy travels!
Thanks Joe for another small town video there definitely my favorite enjoy you’re well deserved success on TH-cam
Oh my goodness. These are my favorite. Love some of the surrounding areas. Very green. Where I live, it's dry and dusty. Seeing your videos makes me happy. Thank you so much.
@@normasnyder6177 Thank you, Norma!!! 😀👍
Fantastic as always, you really capture the atmosphere in your videos of small and lonely towns. I felt sad seeing that playground not used for what seems like years and the equipment still looked in good condition. Looking forward to more videos, thank you again Joe and Nic for taking us away with you.
Some little towns very clean.
Wow, the number of treasures just left behind is amazing !!
Joe/Nic, I am just throwing this out there as an idea: Australia is my favorite country after USA. I enjoyed my visit there. There are so many beautiful towns to tour there. Maybe as a possibility, do some videos of the towns in that country.
Australia doesn't have the decay like the US has. There are some small towns that have been deserted in the past but they are generally in the outback. The scale of decay in the US is off the scale. I blame the politicians and wealthy business owners for the carnage.
@@gregpies1649 Agreed. I mean there are some really really decaying Aboriginal settlements there though. But overall probably not the decay of US. I love Australia. My wife and I are thinking of doing longer stays there, like bed and breakfast stays for a few months at a time, while keeping our home here in Florida.
The Union Farm And Garden Tool sign in the abandoned Reston hardware store is very cool!
This reminds me of a tungsten rapid I used to log on in rural town of Spinewood. From there you could re enlist the stern gates and collar incredibles over a reason lake.
When you peeked in the old hardware store in Reptin, there was an orange Union garden tool rack. We have that exact same thing in our garage. My brother-in-law picked it up at a flea market
Great video. Noticed a lot of greenery still with the trees and shrubs compared to this winter @@@@hole I’m in right now. LoL. Never been to any of these places. But I bet they were something in their day. Poverty not nearly as bad as I would have thought. Not a lot of money but low cost of living probly equals out. Lot of treasures in all these old buildings you show me from everywhere, being a flea market junkie I can’t help but notice. One other thing I’ve noticed is cloudy gloomy wet weather seems to always give a more depressing look to these places already in decline just my thoughts. Great job Joe as usual love the stats and the neighborhood drive throughs. Looking forward to the next one. Safe travels my friend, keep filming and I’ll keep watching
Thanks, man!!!
Hi Joe! My family and I watch your videos often. Mobile is our home town, there are definitely some dying cities, Prichard being on of them, it used be a thriving town. We enjoy watching your Bama videos.
Thanks!
there are people without homes and towns without people. That neglected playground is beyond sad.
An awesome video, very interesting and relaxing as always! Thank you, Joe and Nic.🥰
Thanks, CL!!! ❤️
I looked at Repton real estate and there is one home listed for 750k. It probably single handedly raised the median price.
Beautiful, sending nature love to all Americans ❤️ 🐘
Absolutely uncanny! The silent main street full of ghosts. 'Beautiful decay' as you so poetically put it! Where do residents go to shop? Is it all out-of-town superstores, etc? In Britain there'd be one Pakistani guy with a shop on the corner selling everything from cornflakes to chainsaws! 😎
a Pakistani, born in Manchester with a Yorkshire accent 😊.
Family in area shops small local towns, like Brewton, Andalusia, Atmore. Amazing how cool they are to drive 45-90 min down the road to Mobile or Pensacola for many major services..
Thanks for another interesting video. Its always fascinating to see the ghost signs on the old shop fronts & what they used to be years ago.
The brick building toward the beginning with the glass doors still intact was surprising. I would expect all the glass to be gone not just the windows lol. We're currently working on our dream trip of 48 states in 48 weeks and your videos are awesome inspiration!
Really enjoy your program. When you show the map, if you leave the previous location displayed, you could show us your route. I would find that interesting.
Enjoyed the video, as always. I wonder how people can live there , it's so lonley. You don't see much people around, but there's usually always a church. Sometimes the decay is incredible.
Really enjoying the downtown walk arounds. Peeping in windows of the old places. Really gives a feel of being there! Good job Joe!
When these old towns got started it was in the horse and buggy days and it wasn’t easy to travel to the bigger cities.
It's very sad to see the death of so many small towns.
The roads in the first 2 towns were well maintained but they let everything else go. The stuff in the park looked new. What a shame 2 leave it 2 over grow. Hi 2 Nicole and u guys stay safe out there.
The park in the last town looked like it had fairly new equipment. It's almost like shortly after it was installed, they fired the guy in charge of caring for it to cut payroll most likely. Such a sad scene. If I lived there, I would care for it for the sake of the kids in the town. Little kids don't understand why there is a park, but they can't play there. Truly heart wrenching.
I visited Drake, North Dakota last year on my channel and got almost exactly that comment about it looking like the set for Walking Dead!
OMG. My brother in law used to work in Frisco City. This is sad.
Wall Mart killed all the small downtowns where I grew up. I can remember the store owners being worried after they built one. That was the late 70's.
The first town Frisco City was my hometowns rival and the second town Repton was my father’s hometown. Crazy you guys found those places.
I'm genuinely curious about that park being closed. Mowing grass isn't exactly the expensive part of a town's budget. I wonder if it's on top of toxic dirt, a mine subsidence, etc.
My biggest fear when walking around these small, rural towns is out-of-control dogs. I remember driving through a poor town in the Kentucky Appalachians and a group of pit bulls came running out of a yard towards my car just as I was about to get out. Scared the sh&t out of me....
These towns are so Sad. It's pretty clean for being practically deserted. 😢 BE Safe.❤😊
a well kept abandoned town 😢
We go through Casselberry sometimes, seen people get pulled over for tractor rage and not being nice to farmers.
Brewton is pretty nice, we go through there to Tennessee. There are nice spots in Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties in Panhandle and in to Lower Alabama.
beautiful area and snow white sandy beaches
@RobOlgatree shhhhh! It's The Redneck Riviera, or Lower Alabama- that should scare them away.
@@RobOlgatree Yes, the rivers/creeks here in south Alabama look like the coast of NW Florida, on a smaller scale!
You might want to visit Abbeville Alabama. The charming small downtown features many vintage signs, many with restored neon. Well worth exploring.
Alabama is a beautiful but pitiful state. I liked Castleberry, not much there, but I bet it was fine in its day, maybe with a close knit community? Personally, I 💖 the South it has so much character. 😊🇺🇲
There is so much bias and prejudices, too! Why the death of it all! He who wants 😏 all, gets none!
@theresarolle9126 Sorry I don't really understand your point, what bias and prejudice are you referring to? 🤔
I like the former Bank of Castleberry. Great mural. Sad the park is abandoned. Appreciate the tour. Looking forward to seeing Mobile.
Love all your videos! Amazing and so informative. Ty
Glad to hear you are coming to visit Mobile. I live in Theodore, just a bit south and west of Mobile. I love watching your videos and the stats you give during your vlog. So interesting. Be safe!!!
Let's hope he never has to come to Theodore....lol
That last scene at the zombie park , wow. How disappointing that so much was spent to then be ignored.
Joe, Frisco Railroad is not actually connected to San Francisco here in California. Frisco Railroad actually originated in...............Frisco, Texas.
The for sale sign laying on the ground speaks volumes!!
Love your road trips. Tell people that I'm going on a road trip. Lol. Like some, this is what I look forward to on Saturdays.
when driving through towns like these,i like to imagine the stores as they were.. buildings where people shoped,or worked, houses. where families lived
Thank you, Joe , for these interesting road trip videos! It has been fascinating to see those little towns, especially for me as a Northern European.
It makes me sad to see that decay.
Could it be possible to make a separate video of your automobiles? Pros and cons of long term ownership of your Bronco and Jeep?
Joe. Please visit Oil City Pennsylvania. Especially the hill or highland neighborhoods. I love your channel.
Imagine how those towns could look if revitalized.
Incentives for people to move there and open businesses the spaces in between could be outdoor seating definitely has some potential to bring the downtown back
Just a thought but it seems like the best maintained buildings in these small towns are the churches. I wonder if all those donations to maintain the churches had gone toward supporting the local businesses and or public parks instead would some of these towns be in better shape?
Oh god, we were hoping you wouldn’t notice.
Generally, these small towns were supported by one larger business. Once that business moved out, closed down, whatever, the town lost its workers who had to leave to seek work elsewhere. That normally leaves the old people behind who have limited income, can't spend much to support the smaller local businesses, and can't maintain their homes. At that point the town is basically dead.
@@laurie7689 But that doesn't explain why the churches are the best and only maintained buildings in the towns NOW.
Awesome ! I just found you guys. I'm watching all the time. Thanks for showing around the U.S. Cynthia Little Iowa ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Always an interesting experience Joe - thanks!
Thanks, Scott!
Just viewed a video about the resurgence of Blytheville, AR. Perhaps you could give it a visit some time soon?
You need to check out the Montgomery Mall in Montgomery, all the Anchors occupied by government agencies but the main inline concourse inside is abandoned and a real time capsule from 2008!
Enjoyed the video. I remember passing through Frisco City several times back in the 1970’s while on the road to Florida on family vacations back when I was a little kid. I don’t remember much of what the town looked like all those 40 plus years ago but I’m sure it was once a thriving community. 😊
I grew up about an hour and a half away from there in Baldwin County. The last time I was there (Frisco City) was in high school when I dated a girl there, and it is shocking to see how much it has deteriorated since 2005 - 2006.
Thanks for another video, we look forward to them. Don't you ever get too depressed to video another failing town..it's really sad to see the delapidation.
Utilities being high is Alabama Power being Alabama Power.
👍🏽👏
Good morning. Love your videos❤❤❤❤
I just looked up Castleberry on Red Fin and there are only 2 houses for sale there. One for 199k and the other is 138k.
You are in my stomping ground now. There are many hidden gems. Even when I was younger, Castleberry wasn't much but the last leg of a canoe/camping trip. Carry on!
a pretty Canary Island Date Palm growing amongst the ruin on Castleberry main drag
Crikey, so abandon. I am shocked. Thanks for showing Joe.
GREAT VIDEO..JOE AND NIC ❤
As a Brit, this breaks my heart to see what’s been allowed to happen to our favourite cousin.
U were given only 6000vyears by your grafter the scientists yakub...it's over now
The powers that be have planned this destruction of our once great nation. It’s all part of Agenda 2030, thanks to WEF.
Too late now but if you are in Alabama again Conecuh Sausage is the best. Can buy it in most grocery stores where I'm from. There is an outlet off of 65.
Really sad to see all of the decay in small town America. Really enjoy your videos👍 Educational.
Thanks for the ride. I'm enjoy your videos. Please be safe.
Castleberry was hit by an EF2 tornado, spawned by hurricane Claudette, in 2021 according to Wikipedia.
Joe and Nic....I watch as many of these as I can and I love each and everyone.....what video camera do you use. It is so precise and clear.
Tom Heiden