Cairo

Prior to passing through Cairo, Illinois, I had heard that it was one of the most depressing cities in the United States.

Cairo, pronounced CARE-OH,  is situated at the southernmost point in Illinois, at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Cairo has experienced prosperity, sometimes-violent racial conflict, and eventual economic decline.

We passed through Cairo on our way up the Great River. We found a city much like many others on our journey. We found a city decades into an economic decline fueled by changes in manufacturing and transportation -- changes that started well over a century ago. 

Cairo Ohio River Bridge

Cairo I-57 Bridge

Sikeston Explosion

As we drove north in US Route 61 towards Sikeston, Missouri, a pillar of smoke appeared ahead of us. Just east of the town of Matthews, we were directed into another direction and had to adjust our plans for the day.

WATCH a live stream of the large fire at Santie Oil in Sikeston. LIVE: http://t.co/qxouqIV4yN #breaking pic.twitter.com/aRryr09r2n

— KFVS News (@kfvsnews) July 13, 2015

Abandoned Hayti Church

An abandoned church building in Hayti, Missouri, provokes questions about how and why it ended up abandoned. And then fleeting ideas about converting the building into a home. :)