What the Hell Happened to Cairo, Illinois???
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ม.ค. 2025
- #location #illinois #history
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So you're outta there? . . . Well not so fast. It just so happens that you got caught in an episode of the twilight zone and you can never leave. Sorry buddy, that's your life from now on.
Lol
That's funny 🤣🤣🤣🤣😁😁😁 good one👍👍
😏 Hotel Cairo........you can checkout anytime you like but you can never leave! 😄
Sort of like the George Floyd riots 🥴
💀😅
The race riots is what happened to Cairo, I lived there for 30 years.
Also coming to all of our cities, those illegals will eventually revolt and make their move.
Yes sir you are right on the money
Figures
It's all good.
What year was that? Thanks
I lived in Cairo in 66, 67 and most of 68. I'm white and I can truthfully say that I was never bothered by any black person. I was 13 years old at the time and had black friends. My parents and I lived in an upper middle class area, but my black friends were welcome at our house. What happened to Cairo? Racial problems had some bearing on Cairo's problems. However the biggest factor was interstate 57...it bypassed Cairo whereas the old highway went right through town. When the traffic left so did the money. People who used to spend their money in Cairo at gas stations, restaurants, motels and other businesses in town are now spending it at truck stops along the interstate.
Well, nowadays you'd definitely be bothered! Probably robbed, too! Cairo reminds me of Gary, Indiana & they're both ghost towns!
@@ĪndīāñāBūdTøkêr for sure gary vibes here
@@ĪndīāñāBūdTøkêrthere's a lot of ghost towns in the states lol 😂
@@Mikemonoa-hz2rz Yes there ARE (not is) many ghost towns in the U.S. Why exactly is that funny? What’s funny about families having hardships and losing their homes, businesses and communities? Perhaps it’s hilarious until it affects you personally?
@@ĪndīāñāBūdTøkêr exactly . I've been to Gary and Cairo. Gangs run from Chicago down to Cairo now to drop off drugs .
Hey Lamont, you would’ve been damn good history teacher. Stay safe out there peace out.
I can only imagine having Lamont as a high school history teacher. I loved history because of my grandpa and his stories but in school history was snore city. I bet the kids would like him and the administration would be all cringe.
Lamont IS a teacher! We are his students ❤
@@julieneild4505💯
He did that in one take, thats some skills there. Come and vlog with me in the real Cairo, I am going in October to shoot youtube.
Cairo died because it had no reason to exist anymore. You cannot bring back a town that served a trade that doesn't exist.We will see more towns like Cairo, simply because the industries that once existed in them are now in China. I live in Massachusetts-abot 25 miles south of Boston is the dying city of Brockton. It used to be a center of shoemaking..everything from work boots to tennish shoes to dress shoes...now there isn't a single shoe factory left. When you allow unlimited imports from low wage countries, this is what you get.
Excellent comment. My mom came from New England. Lots of commerce there. But now? An industrial desert
People demanded low cost products. Business just provided them.
When danger increases, people move. When good people leave, everything goes to shit.
I live about hour and half from Cairo. Thank you Lamont for the history of the town. I never heard all this info before. Welcome To Illinois Lamont!
We got detoured through Cairo on our way home from Missouri. We were floored by how bad it was. It feels like the Twilight Zone.
I guess you haven’t been out much. This type of “Twilight Zone” appears all over your great land of America. The only way one doesn’t see it is if they’re too busy calling other countries a third world country…..
Instead of sending billions of dollars to foreign countries, why doesn't the U.S. fix these little towns and try to make these homes livable?
How you going to survive? No jobs one grocery store and prices high as hell. Seems like that town was bypassed for a reason and I have a funny feel why
Ask a Demo 🐀 Rat
Because that money is being embezzled. Do you honestly think that money is actually going to help other countries????? It isn't. Unless it's helping the "leaders" of said country.
@@Pierre-wm3xs why?
@@Pierre-wm3xsfor the same reason lots of stores are closing down and moving out of cities all over your great land of opportunity?! It’s funny that Americans love calling other countries a third world nation?! They refuse to see how their country is a big piece of trash and headed towards being a third world country. But you can be excited about the potential of getting your prescription at a discount now, right? Now the wonderful citizens of America the best only has to decide if they can afford, prescription, food or a roof over their heads. Meanwhile your government is funding countless people who have shown just how they feel about you Americans. Who are the smart ones in the world?! 😂
Lamont is the best history professor ever. Learn so much from him. This is a sad town. What a pity. Where is EVERYONE??
@@andreamarin4296 it's a flood zone . The river flooded over and destroyed the boom Town
@@AprilW-ls6bd ah! Ok thank you!
There are thousands of ghost towns in the midwest.
Whitey moved out and bl*ckie can't make things work.
The jobs went to China
I had to inspect a vacant house there once in 2016 and it was creepy as hell. People acted weird and the whole town has an awful feel to it. I got the hell out as soon as I could.
Very interesting that you felt a strange vibe. I stopped in this town with some friends, traveling south. We stopped at a little Cafe which was a big mistake. The locals did not take kindly to our "invasion". We were young college students, well mannered, polite and quiet. All we want was meal. There were some pretty rough looking folks, men and women, who eyeballed us unkindly. Before we knew it, the local patrons were throwing things at us, plastic cutlery, Styrofoam cups and such. We hurriedly paid the proprietor and rushed out of there. Two men followed us out to our car and they urinated openly in front of us. I was very frightened and felt like I was in a scene from Deliverance. This was back in the very early 1970's.😮😢
@@kathleenkhadra4519 I guess you didn’t hear that Harris thinks college aged people from the age of 18-24 are stupid, right?! Maybe those people had the same feelings back in the 70’s… 😂… I wonder if she believes stupid adults are raising those stupid college students… 😑
Go back to Moscow, comrade bot.
Creepy how? Paranormal creepy?
@@kathleenkhadra4519 That’s exactly the type of feeling I had too! Like the town had been hexed. It was very uncomfortable.
I love how you gave the history of this town. Not only do you research the history, you remember it all and tell it so well.
My wife and I traveled thru there a couple of years ago, we kept watching for zombies to pop out🤷♂️😂😂😂
You needed Darryl with you!😂
😂😂😂
The walking dead lol 😅
@@Mikemonoa-hz2rz I live by Cairo . It is the walking dead . No joke . Truly scary .
😂😂😂
I love these history lessons. So much better with video narration
Charles Dickens wrote about Cairo in “American Notes” after he visited in 1843. He was not impressed at all. Imagine how he would feel today.
A unique perspective on a portion of America that appears to be dying. Thanks for taking the time to record and prepare this; as always, STAY SAFE!
What a sad looking town. Never seen such a city run down like that. It looks like it,s almost totally abandoned. Our country definitely needs money spent in the U.S. Not sent overseas!😢
Vote accordingly!
@@karencarbone2603 Cairo is flood zone . The interstate highway bypasses it .
@@cathyc9596🤣 replace one set of puppets with a new set of puppets. What needs to be replaced is the one pulling the strings. That's not going to be done through voting. It's probably too far too late to do anything about it.
You have not seen East St.Louis. Sadly, 1000 times worse.
Creepy, and VERY dangerous.😑
But how can politicians repay Raytheon and McDonnell Douglas by spending money on small town America?
This is happening all across America. The people that pay the taxes are leaving the towns to the people that take the tax money.
Sounds backwards
Great video Lamont!!
Hey Lamont! I dated a guy from Cairo and I have family that used to live there, also, when I lived in Cape Girardeau. The guy I used to date was talking about opening a grocery store there, he also owns his own heating and cooling business. I haven't talked to him in a while, so not sure what ever became of his idea to open a grocery store there.Thank u for doing a video focused on Cairo. I didnt know u had done a previous video on Cairo, I'll have to check it out.
Dollar General will whip his azz......the days of single store grocery is DEAD
Just sayin
Looks like Cairo could use an EF4 tornado to be the free demolition crew.
@@reneerollins4433 exactly .
Haha don’t say that lest it happens haha
Lamont when you were in Cairo there was a missed opportunity to walk like an Egyptian🕺🏽😂😭
Good song! 🤣
Oh,that's good!! EINSTEIN!!😂😂
Yep Southern Illinois is called Little Egypt.
Lamont! You are a smart ass and I watch you every day. Keep up the good work! I'm in Decatur Il and I was in Cairo last week. It sucked then too.
Decatur isn't as thriving a city anymore either.
Lamont, you do a really good job on both of your channels. Thank you for taking us along with you on your journey.
Oh wow!! So sad. Such rich history
Great video, Lamont! Your in depth coverage of the town's history was exceptionally good and i look forecast to all your vids in all your channels!
In the 70s, all Interstate 57 traffic to and from Chicago to the south, had to get off or on at Cairo until the bridge was completed, which took years. The old 2 lane bridge was never intended to handle that kind of traffic, so 1 lane was always closed for repairs, causing backups in both directions. Cairo's main street was hopping with mom and pop stores, antique shops and local restaurants. You could walk around while you waited for the traffic to die down. Then the interstate bridge opened. No more traffic. Locals couldn't sustain the businesses, so they shut down. White flight, final nail. That's how I saw it as a teenager making that north/south trip
It was white flight from 60,s
@@tomsanders2533Apparently it's bad when whites move out (white flight), and it's bad when whites move in (gentrification).
@tomsanders2533 probably, but downtown thrived for 10 more years. I never saw the town itself. The opening of the I-57 bridge was the straw. My mom worked for the state and lived there mid 80s. There was a giant hole in the middle of 1 of the roads they kept filling, and it kept coming back, bigger each time. We all assumed it was a sinkhole due to the Mississippi. I'm rambling. Sorry
These history videos are definitely my favorites. Thanks for another great one, Lamont!
Greenville, Mississippi is the same way! I grew up there. It is horrible now, but was like Mayberry when I was growing up. Used to be Queen of the Delta. 😢
I think Indianola should be Queen of the Delta ....heh.
They run a close race!! Lol
@@snookiedjclarksdale in that race too
White flight.
White flight.
Very interesting . Thanks Lamont.
Wish I'd known you were there! You make great vlogs. I heard many horror stories about Cairo from relatives when I was a kid. The Bird's Point levee being blown up several years ago finished the town, pretty much.
Thanks Lamont for a very nice video on Cairo ! I have never seen police in Cairo before. I didn't think they had police anymore. You found some open businesses, that's a good sign ! I can't believe that old motel is still standing !
Thanks Lamont for the visit to Cairo. It is sad how cities decline through time and change. Thanks for enduring the heat so we, your viewers, can come a long and visit places we will never visit. Your channel is one of a few I follow these days. Great job!
Stay safe out there, and rock on, Lamont! 💜✌
Good video Lamont! Sad to see that many of our small towns/cities are looking this way due to economic downfall. Looks apocalyptic. Stay safe out there.
Interesting stuff. I enjoy watching your videos. Thank you
Southern Illinois is referred to as “Little Egypt”, a nickname given by the early settlers and fur traders who thought the river thoroughfare reminded them of the Nile Delta region in Egypt. The name stuck and this is why you have southern Illinois cities like Cairo, Thebes, Karnak all named after Egyptian cities. Even the mascot of Southern Illinois University is the Saluki dog with is known in ancient Egypt as the royal dog of the pharaohs.
Cool, thanks for that information!
which is why the egyptians arrived to build there pyramids,if you know what i am saying.
@@orangefacedbuddah1776 Pyramid State Park.
Thank you for another great video! Learned a lot about Cairo.
Lamont you are the best at telling history just telling the story in general. Frankly I don't know how you keep it all in your head like you do, so intelligent love listening to you I can listen all day long. Thank you❤❤❤❤❤
Lamont that was a good blog. I didn't miss a second Thank You
Lamont we love you Buddy, love from Tazewell Virginia 🎉
I’m not too far from you
Be Blessed Brother. Thank you for the walk and talk about this city. BE SAFE. "FREEDOM"
White flight is a real thing. Experienced it a couple times in my life. It’s happening where I live right now. You think you’re moving into a better neighborhood, but then it becomes the one you just moved from in a couple years. 🤦🏽♀️
"progressivism" does that to neighborhoods :(
@@randalthor6872racism
We call it “Democrat Flight” here in Texas. Black and Hispanic Americans flee too. I’ve experienced first hand as well. Immigrants and illegals takeover. Then, the gangs come calling. We all hall freight from those Democrat voters. Just passing it on. Next time you move, look up how the area votes. Nothing set in stone, but it’s usually how it works.
So sad; I can see a lot of potential if any body cared. They could have a ballpark in the vacant lot. They could have a diner in one of the empty buildings, a laundromat, bait and tackle along the river, a marina with boats and etc to rent. When we used to come through Cairo on our way to Texas in the 80’s it had a lot of fast food places. So sorry to see it that way.
Do your Google search on that racist ass town before you pass judgement
Ha Ha you made me laugh about the dollar stores. My town has all three, Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar. Have to add I've seen other video's about Cairo, you covered it very well. Stay safe driving to the shower.
My town does also and we have less than 600 people lol. Very small mountain town in Arkansas with a DG Market and a Family Dollar/Dollar Tree that are separated by a couple of houses lol.
In alabama dollar general, Hardee's, and any payday loan place is the sacred triumvirate of dying towns.
My town is overcrowded with most residents underemployed or working in other towns. We have four Dollar Generals, two Family Dollars, three Dollar Trees, and two Walmarts! 😂
We pass through there every other year, amazing how much change happens there. Don't know why my grandparents were there, but my mom was conceived there. There are a few gorgeous mansions, but it's been a while since I checked them out. So sad to see the condition of small towns and disappearing.
Thanks for the tour of Cairo Illinois and glad to see your sticker is still there
I had a freind that got mugged in that town.he was a trucker that had to wait to get loaded for potatoes in Charleston mo.just across the river he went to the bar and walk out and got mugged very bad town at the time.20 years ago
When they had the project housing .they tore them down I thing about 5 years ago
Came thru Cairo in the early 80s it was weird then also !
It used to be a major shipping port .
My great grandparents came from there , was awesome back 50
Wow I was born in Cairo, but my family lived in East Prairie Missouri. Sad to see how it is now😢
It’s not about white flight it’s about job going over sea, crime setting in, poverty, so a lot of people flee to better neighborhoods.
The jobs that didn't go over seas could not safely stay open so they moved out of the neighborhoods and YT went to other areas to create those jobs.
Exactly no jobs people leave and only the dregs stay
Crime coming mostly from whom? What demographic?
We all know
Been there. They don’t want you.
Lamont 🗣️ very nice voice 😊 you explain everything very clearly : keep up the good work 😉 enjoy your videos 👍 stay well and safe travels ❤️
Thank you 😊
What a historic lesson you taught today Professor thank you!❤
I have been thru there several times. You can tell it was a pretty town and prosperous at one time.
The soldana "Which is the biggest maritime disaster in our countrys history blew up in transit to Cairo ILL and killed many soldiers that were in route to that destination, I would like you see you do a vlog on that topic. It was swept under the rug because they didnt want to ruin steam ship transportation, Would be a great topic for Lamont at large, Thanks for what you do!
The Sultana is the river boat disaster you referred to. Largest in US history it is believed.
Thanks Lamont, appreciate the effort bro.
My great great great grandmother who started my family's generation is buried somewhere in or around this city I tried to find her site but never had any luck. I wondered if you ever traveled to this area. Glad to find this video.
They had problems burying the dead in Cairo. It is a flood plain much like New Orleans. They dug up the graves in town and shipped them down the road to a little higher ground. Search Cemetaries outside of Cairo.
I’m a huge fan Lamont and I live in Galesburg Illinois. You should come here and do some stories on hope cemetery. Lots of Rich history there and I believe there is a story of a Jane doe being interred in the hope Abby moselum. Great video man!
Hey Lamont...stay safe out there...good video🎉🎉🎉
My best friend is from Cairo. My oldest daughter(Indya) and my youngest daughter(Amiya) were made in Cairo..💛 I have a real love for that town..
Made?
@marcmo7138 Yes..Made!! Meaning I got pregnant and my Daughters were born in Cairo. Is there a problem??
@@nicnac804 Could have said built I guess.
@@marcmo7138 I say what I want to say. And how I want to say it..
@@marcmo7138I say what I want to say. How I want to say it. If you have a problem with it. Do something about it..
Great videos. Thanks Lamont
i live near cairo,its pron. with a k down here. lots of blacks moved in during the race riots in the 60,s and all the whites moved out. the economy failed. end of the town
So your saying it was the black people fault
@@belindakelly6159yes it is.
@@belindakelly6159Who’s fault is it?
@@belindakelly6159as usual. How many times do you need to see it happen before you figure it out?
@@belindakelly6159 Do you understand "white flight" and why it happened? You sound ignorant to the whole concept. Google Detroit.
Lamar, your videos are always informative, even if they are-short, that’s how i feel. Stay safe.
A lot of busyness were tore down on a street near the river. They get funds to take down houses that are deserted and dilapidated one house at a time. Churches have come time after time to help and do ministry work and all have left it’s not safe to live there.
People need to get tired of the victim mindset and build people up, teach them how to build a community. It starts with law and order. Nobody wants to build a town if punks are just going to tear it back down.
This is a new look for you Lamont. Loving this "visiting old towns" and giving us the local history. Good to see the Police "on the job" as well.
It used to be a booming little town. And then some people just took over. They started burning houses. It was crazy. I don’t live too far from there. I live in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and when I go visit my mom in Tennessee, I go through there and first thing I do is lock my doors.
Before it flooded it was intended to be a big city like Chicago . I live 60 miles north of Cairo in Illinois .
stay safe out there on the road, love watching your videos
When i grew up in south st.louis,mo there were at least 12 businesses in the 2 block area around my house. Poor to near middle class working people. Working alcohol abusers but never heard about drugs. People having jobs makes a difference.
Really fascinating history lesson Lamont! You are so smart! Love you channels!😍🥰☮️
I had relatives that grew up there in the 40s and 50s and just like East St Louis black crime made it unbearable to live in peace
That doesn't fit the narrative though.
Anytime I pass through St Louis, I don’t even leave the airport.
I looked up the demographic's and Cairo has about 1500 residents, with about 66% black to 29% white ratio. It will continue to crumble until it becomes a ghost town.
@@sweettina2 Those of us that live close to Cairo know things .
Cairo....Detroit.....Baltimore.....Chicago...Pine Bluff AR.....South Bend IN...
And on and on and on.
Once they reach a percentage level in population , it's over for the city.
Real talk.
Really enjoy the history, thanks for all the research work you do for your clips, love your channel ❤❤❤😊
I love how u don't do same old stuff other youtubers do. Very interesting story never heard of the place ❤
This was very informative, and interesting. Thank you
Drove through there in 2014 on my way to Kentucky and people were walking around naked down the main road
..... party time!!! YEE-HAAA!!!
Loved it Lamont i used to drive though Cario once a year going to Texas and back to Merrillville Indiana in the 70s and 80s stay safe thanks for sharing
I love your stories!!! ALL OF THEM!!!
i hate seeing this happen to these little towns. Sad..
I love watching your videos Lamont and I'm a subscriber. Stay safe and rock on ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Me too...love his videos
My dad's hometown.
RIP
2/27/1952 - 7/9/2008
Seems like the only thing they got in that town is stopping people for traffic tickets, the classic speed trap in the middle of nowhere…..
Lamont I live about two hours from Cairo and I could show you more small towns around me
I grew up in Bellwood IL we had white flight in the 1970s a relator told the whites you better sell now before you lose the value of your homes, The relator got sued by the federal government. 1 of my childhood friends live in Cairo,
That happens all the time. It still happens. My question is why do realtors tell home sellers they gonna lose value if this happens? I've never really looked into it. Is it true?
@Biker65 yes.
@@Biker65yes it is true. Every home my ancestors lived in are now in high gang areas. I used to go to my grandparents every weekend in the early 70 and it was in an all white neighborhood. It was very safe and if it wasn't a dangerous neighborhood now I would live there today. Integration came and chances are you could get shot walking through that neighborhood today. Same house, same land, different set of people living there. It is all about mindset. Communities need to get together and rebuild these towns. They just don't want to do the work.
@@markkramer7068 I know it does.
@Biker65 I don't want to get political but I know Bellwood and all of those communities they called it white flight. The main contributor was Democrats destroying the black family unit . Then giving them more rights then whites an calling whites racist as their neighborhoods were being destroyed due to them enabling the black population to think hard working whites who never owned slaves were responsible. Look up Candice owens' knowledge on slavery she's a very smart lady. The black American population has always been F'D over by Democrats.
I’m From Cairo Illinois Most Of My Family Still Lives There If You Not From There You’ll Never Understand!!!!!💯💯💯
What is there to understand? Its a an overwhelmingly black town and the condition its in reflects who live there. Life handed you lemons and you made, well you made Cairo IL
Oh no!
@@mikeborrelli193😂😂😂
White flight sounds like a movie.
white, black, asian, hispanic, indians flight!
It's not "white flight", it's "common sense flight".
The people that produce and pay taxes, don't want to stay in an area that is stagnating under far-left progressive policies that are ruinous to the local economy.
reminds me of how Centralia, Pennsylvania once was!
I live about 20 minutes away from cairo its been a ghost town as long as i can remember i have lived in Southern illinois since 1990 and its been that way since then
I'm in Marion, Illinois . I use to take my Dad down to Cairo to catch a barge .
Looks like a great town to film a post-apocalyptic movie
Cairo has been in two movies I know of .
Love how you tell a story. Enjoyed this 'history lesson'. I've never been in that section of the country. It's sad to see a town so depressed.
Looks like this is from an episode of The Walking Dead
The walking sad and pitiful.
Lamont, one of the few who can pronounce "Library" properly!
6:59 Too funny. I often think about coming across you while making a video and yelling "Yo Lamont, let's go get some lunch. It's on me".
😁 love this guy
That was a very interesting story. I found it fascinating as well as sad. I love hear about the history of America. Thank you for sharing Lamont. Stay safe 🙂👍💖💖💖
That area was called Little Egypt when crime bosses ruled. Very nice video.
Interesting
25:04 😂😂😂😂 funniest line ever on your channel, lamont!
Interesting story Lamont.
Wow. This was so interesting the history and everything. Thank you for this video.
I am an old guy now, but 45 years ago in A Real Estate class in college, a professor said "the 'browner' the neighborhood the harder it is to sell property or do business there. Apparently there was some truth to that.
Target today on the news, Marketwatch, said Target's decision to close down stores in "crime ridden" neighborhoods will cause shopping deserts.
But, woke folks like Tim Waltz(sp?) Let there cities burn, did they not understand this would cause the eventual closure of those very same businesses in the future?
Let me guess, I am now the racist for noticing.
A friend just closed his motorcycle repair shop because of break ins and vandalism including arson... he grew up in the neighborhood, he is black and was trying to actually help fellow black riders... you can't make this up. The very neighborhood burned him out... his comment when it happen was this wasn't some KKK hate crime... sad, now he commutes over 3 hour a day to another shop.
Oh they understand alright, this is all deliberate and it won't end well.
@@alihenderson5910yup. It’s called: Bolshevism 101.
Your a fair guy . I appreciate you reporting and Opinion
I passed through Cairo a couple years back. It was like a fing war had happened and they just left it..........Crazy.
Love your channel Lamont