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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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 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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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. 😊🇺🇲
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.
Castleberry in depth... Castleberry, Alabama, settled in 1817 by the Baggett family, experienced significant growth with the arrival of the Castleberry family in 1830. Their residence became a relay stop on a stagecoach route, fostering the development of hotels, a blacksmith shop, and a turpentine still. The town's name was formalized in the 1860s with the construction of a railroad line. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA In the early 20th century, Castleberry thrived as the "Strawberry Capital of Alabama," with the railroad shipping 150 carloads of strawberries from the town in 1918. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA Regarding banking history, Castleberry had a bank that failed during the Great Depression. The building, located at the corner of Cleveland Avenue and West Railroad Street, later served as the town's post office. LEE PEACOCK The Castleberry Commercial District, featuring historic storefronts and commercial buildings, was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1993. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA
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.
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.
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.
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!!!
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.
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!
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.
All of these towns have all but vanished because of the paper mills cotton factories, that most worked in conjunction with ( log truck drivers, timber companies) closed up or moved away..and the people left too..
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
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?
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.
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..
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. 😊
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.
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!
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
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.
I often wonder when watching these video's what I should be feeling while seeing these shrinking small towns and especially the abandoned down towns? Sadness? Nostalgia? IDK. Those downtowns are so old and were built when life was so different than today. Brick and motor shopping has declined for the last few decades with the internet shopping and especially Amazon. On some level, I think these empty small downtowns through the USA is normal progression of life. The industries that supported these small towns closed. The population left. Thus, these down town shops were no longer needed and sit vacant to rot. The same thing happened in the 1800's and early 1900's with small mining towns. Think of all the ghost towns in the west. The good news is these building served their purpose for decades. Folks got their money's worth from them. The only question is what to do with them now. Demo'ing them all causes us to lose a lot of our history. At the same time, the blight isn't a good thing either. I am just glad folks like Joe and Nic are documenting this for us to watch and is recording this for future generations.
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.
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....
That has to be the saddest and most depressing (yet affordable) places to live so far in your series of videos. The zombie park was a very fitting ending.
I would love to go and rebuild some of these towns and leave everything like it originally looked but everyone wants to go to cities not me I'm in a small town
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!
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.
Crumbs! We read your mind just before you said about it being like a zombie movie set by that abandoned kid’s play area in the park at around the 20 minute mark. Just two seconds before I had jokingly remarked to my partner about there possibly being “feral zombie kiddies about to spring out of the overgrowth” 😂😂 Very spooky indeed.
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Another fascinating & heartbreaking video. I so appreciate the documentation you are compiling.
That park at the end was Creepily Sad. I backed it up and watched it twice. Glad you shared it. Thumbs up!😎👍
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.
Yay, another Joe and Nic video! Makes my Saturdays more enjoyable! Thanks
Been subscribed to you for a while, love it!
Thanks, Margot!
I always look forward to my Saturday morning Joe and Nic. 👍🏻
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!
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.
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!
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
The drives and walks are like sightseeing with my friend. Thanks, Joe. Blessings from Michigan.
Thanks Joe for another small town video there definitely my favorite enjoy you’re well deserved success on TH-cam
Some interesting small towns and not trashy either. Quite quaint actually. Thanks for sharing and you have a great day and safe travels
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.
Thank you ..... this is actually very important perspectives and insights for all of us.
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!!! 😀👍
Love those old faded signs on brick buildings. This video is like being an archaeologist.
Really enjoying the downtown walk arounds. Peeping in windows of the old places. Really gives a feel of being there! Good job Joe!
there are people without homes and towns without people. That neglected playground is beyond sad.
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!
The Main Streets were really tidy & clean looking 👍
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!!!
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.
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.
An awesome video, very interesting and relaxing as always! Thank you, Joe and Nic.🥰
Thanks, CL!!! ❤️
Love all your videos! Amazing and so informative. Ty
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.
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. 😊🇺🇲
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.
Thanks!
Wow, the number of treasures just left behind is amazing !!
Castleberry in depth... Castleberry, Alabama, settled in 1817 by the Baggett family, experienced significant growth with the arrival of the Castleberry family in 1830. Their residence became a relay stop on a stagecoach route, fostering the development of hotels, a blacksmith shop, and a turpentine still. The town's name was formalized in the 1860s with the construction of a railroad line.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA
In the early 20th century, Castleberry thrived as the "Strawberry Capital of Alabama," with the railroad shipping 150 carloads of strawberries from the town in 1918.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA
Regarding banking history, Castleberry had a bank that failed during the Great Depression. The building, located at the corner of Cleveland Avenue and West Railroad Street, later served as the town's post office.
LEE PEACOCK
The Castleberry Commercial District, featuring historic storefronts and commercial buildings, was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1993.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA
Connection to Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile. The founder, Coca-Cola distributor for Atlanta, had 1st job in Castleberry as a telegraph operator.
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.
These towns are so Sad. It's pretty clean for being practically deserted. 😢 BE Safe.❤😊
a well kept abandoned town 😢
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.
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.
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.
Always an interesting experience Joe - thanks!
Thanks, Scott!
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
I like the former Bank of Castleberry. Great mural. Sad the park is abandoned. Appreciate the tour. Looking forward to seeing Mobile.
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.
You made a new song, Joey - 🎵 sweet home 🏡 abandoned Alabama i ain't coming home to you 🪕🎶🎶 🤣
@@Marvel_Polaris LOL!!
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!
OMG. My brother in law used to work in Frisco City. This is sad.
Good morning. Love your videos❤❤❤❤
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.
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!
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.
The for sale sign laying on the ground speaks volumes!!
All of these towns have all but vanished because of the paper mills cotton factories, that most worked in conjunction with ( log truck drivers, timber companies) closed up or moved away..and the people left too..
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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..
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. 😊
Thanks for the ride. I'm enjoy your videos. Please be safe.
Awesome ! I just found you guys. I'm watching all the time. Thanks for showing around the U.S. Cynthia Little Iowa ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I looked at Repton real estate and there is one home listed for 750k. It probably single handedly raised the median price.
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.
Love your vids. Keep'em coming.
The Union Farm And Garden Tool sign in the abandoned Reston hardware store is very cool!
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!
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
That last scene at the zombie park , wow. How disappointing that so much was spent to then be ignored.
What an eerie place! Great video!
I am amazed at how many towns are decaying with no use of the remaining materials.
You might want to visit Abbeville Alabama. The charming small downtown features many vintage signs, many with restored neon. Well worth exploring.
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
Utilities being high is Alabama Power being Alabama Power.
👍🏽👏
It's very sad to see the death of so many small towns.
Just viewed a video about the resurgence of Blytheville, AR. Perhaps you could give it a visit some time soon?
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.
Where in the world do these folks get their food, gas, etc.?
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.
GREAT VIDEO..JOE AND NIC ❤
That sitting room outside is owned and run by Mother nature!!😂😂
Some little towns very clean.
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.
I often wonder when watching these video's what I should be feeling while seeing these shrinking small towns and especially the abandoned down towns? Sadness? Nostalgia? IDK. Those downtowns are so old and were built when life was so different than today. Brick and motor shopping has declined for the last few decades with the internet shopping and especially Amazon. On some level, I think these empty small downtowns through the USA is normal progression of life. The industries that supported these small towns closed. The population left. Thus, these down town shops were no longer needed and sit vacant to rot. The same thing happened in the 1800's and early 1900's with small mining towns. Think of all the ghost towns in the west.
The good news is these building served their purpose for decades. Folks got their money's worth from them. The only question is what to do with them now. Demo'ing them all causes us to lose a lot of our history. At the same time, the blight isn't a good thing either.
I am just glad folks like Joe and Nic are documenting this for us to watch and is recording this for future generations.
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.
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....
That has to be the saddest and most depressing (yet affordable) places to live so far in your series of videos. The zombie park was a very fitting ending.
Really sad to see all of the decay in small town America. Really enjoy your videos👍 Educational.
I would love to go and rebuild some of these towns and leave everything like it originally looked but everyone wants to go to cities not me I'm in a small town
Crikey, so abandon. I am shocked. Thanks for showing Joe.
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!
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.
Crumbs! We read your mind just before you said about it being like a zombie movie set by that abandoned kid’s play area in the park at around the 20 minute mark. Just two seconds before I had jokingly remarked to my partner about there possibly being “feral zombie kiddies about to spring out of the overgrowth” 😂😂 Very spooky indeed.