# Death By A Thousand Cuts



## smoke665 (Nov 30, 2018)

Had a few minutes today on the trip home to swing through Cairo, IL. Rain, fog, and a long trip still to go, prevented me from exploring the town as much as I would have liked, or getting some of the shots I hoped. As the crow flies, Cairo is only about 50 miles from where I grew up, but a galaxy away from the life I knew. Despite it's reputation for murder and mayhem,  in college we would make beer runs to Cairo on our weekend boating adventures. Especially on Sunday as they didn't care what day it was nor how old you where, if you had the money. 

Incorporated in 1858 Cairo's location at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi should have guaranteed it thriving for centuries. Unfortunately everything from water seepage, to changing transportation, to racial divide eventually brought the once thriving city to a virtual ghost town. Not sure that any one single thing did it, more a case of a thousand things over the years. For those interested in reading more google it, there's a lot of history. 

Cairo was a city of contrast from the extremely rich along Millionaires Row, to the poorest of poor.
Magnolia Manor was the jewel of the city, and a favorite haunt of Ulysses Grant.




Cairo IL20181130_0148.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

Riverlore Mansion is on the market I hear. For only $250k you can buy this priceless artifact in an otherwise deserted  area.




Cairo IL20181130_0151.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

A couple blocks away are the remains of the Southern Medical Center. It closed in the mid 80's. Clean up crews later found everything from asbestos to medical waste, chemicals, and patient records scattered about.




Cairo IL20181130_0152.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

I was shocked to find that most of the crumbiling abandoned buildings in the downtown had been leveled. It resembled a war zone of broken crumbling, buildings, and streets when I was there last.




Cairo IL20181130_0155.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

Only a few remained. Surprisingly the once cracked and potholed streets with grass and weeds growing had been replaced with brick.




Cairo IL20181130_0157.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

The Gem Theater opened in 1910 and was quite ornate for a sleepy little town. It stayed idle crumbling with the surrounding buildings until 1996 when restoration was started. Unfortunately the money ran out and restoration was put on hold in 2000. So it sits crumbling.




Cairo IL20181130_0160.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

Thankfully there are no buildings left for Station 1 to protect.




Cairo IL20181130_0174.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

I have no clue why or what this started as, but it ended it's life as a funeral home. Fitting I guess.




Cairo IL20181130_0171.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr


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## baturn (Nov 30, 2018)

Great set! B+W is the way to go for nostalgia.


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## smoke665 (Nov 30, 2018)

baturn said:


> Great set! B+W is the way to go for nostalgia.



Thank you. I really wish I'd had more time and better weather.


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## stapo49 (Nov 30, 2018)

Great images and fascinating story. Thanks.


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## otherprof (Nov 30, 2018)

smoke665 said:


> Had a few minutes today on the trip home to swing through Cairo, IL. Rain, fog, and a long trip still to go, prevented me from exploring the town as much as I would have liked, or getting some of the shots I hoped. As the crow flies, Cairo is only about 50 miles from where I grew up, but a galaxy away from the life I knew. Despite it's reputation for murder and mayhem,  in college we would make beer runs to Cairo on our weekend boating adventures. Especially on Sunday as they didn't care what day it was nor how old you where, if you had the money.
> 
> Incorporated in 1858 Cairo's location at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi should have guaranteed it thriving for centuries. Unfortunately everything from water seepage, to changing transportation, to racial divide eventually brought the once thriving city to a virtual ghost town. Not sure that any one single thing did it, more a case of a thousand things over the years. For those interested in reading more google it, there's a lot of history.
> 
> ...


Very interesting post!


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## Jeff15 (Dec 1, 2018)

Very nice set.....


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## Sil (Dec 1, 2018)

i m agree ...fashinating... i love this place !!!


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## Fujidave (Dec 1, 2018)

Great set smoke, and all work bang on in mono too.


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## D7K (Dec 1, 2018)

Nice info, great shots well edited really suit the story..


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## Dean_Gretsch (Dec 1, 2018)

Really captivating thread. Wish you'd had more time, because I didn't want it to end. Great job on the pics and narrative too!


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## smoke665 (Dec 1, 2018)

@D7K @Fujidave @Dean_Gretsch @Jeff15 @otherprof and @stapo49 thanks for looking and commenting. If you ever have the oppotunity, it's an interesting place to visit (In the daytime).  I only scratched the surface of the opportunities for photography. It would take a day to really explore.


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## tirediron (Dec 1, 2018)

Very cool set - I would love to explore a place like that.


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## smoke665 (Dec 1, 2018)

tirediron said:


> Very cool set - I would love to explore a place like that.


There are still opportunities for photography, even though the worst has been cleaned up. I stood in the exact same spot where I did to take #3 &#4 several years ago with all the decay around.  I can only describe it as erie. It wasn't like a war zone, it was more like the people just left and centuries had past without life.


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## AlanKlein (Dec 1, 2018)

Nice set and story.


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## smoke665 (Dec 1, 2018)

AlanKlein said:


> Nice set and story.



Thank you!!


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## Jeff G (Dec 1, 2018)

Nice set Smoke, and aptly titled too.  Looks like the perfect place to film a post apocalyptic movie. Looks like the town couldn't survive without the contribution of your beer money.


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## smoke665 (Dec 1, 2018)

@Jeff G the beer money played out 50 years ago.


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## CherylL (Dec 2, 2018)

The black and white is a good choice.  Interesting photos and liked the backstory of the town.  Have you been a little north to Fort Kaskaskia?


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## smoke665 (Dec 2, 2018)

CherylL said:


> The black and white is a good choice.  Interesting photos and liked the backstory of the town.  Have you been a little north to Fort Kaskaskia?



Over the years I've explored the Missouri side from Caruthersville to St Louis, but only been as far north along the river to just below Chester, IL


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## enezdez (Dec 5, 2018)

@smoke665 I loved every word & image, I felt like I was next to you in a classic/vintage car wishing you had more images to further the drive/story...I too did not want for it to end...

Thanks!!!


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## smoke665 (Dec 5, 2018)

enezdez said:


> @smoke665 I loved every word & image, I felt like I was next to you in a classic/vintage car wishing you had more images to further the drive/story...I too did not want for it to end...
> 
> Thanks!!!



Thank you. A footnote to the story. I learned from a relative that the housing project, high rise, part of which can be seen in the background of number 4, was condemned after the administrator let repairs go, and absconded with all the funds. It is also being razed. Seems almost all of the downtown area was purchased by a developer for pennies on the dollar. Supposedly to create a whole new town of retail and housing. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes the story of Cairo may not be over.


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## pez (Dec 9, 2018)

Interesting story and photos! I'm wondering what function that windowless dome had in the last image...


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## smoke665 (Dec 9, 2018)

pez said:


> Interesting story and photos! I'm wondering what function that windowless dome had in the last image...



I haven't had time to research it's history. I suspect that it was a play on the town being referred to as "Little Egypt". There are still several old mansions standing. Sad that they aren't being restored to original glory.


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