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The following photos were taken in November 2008. I'll let them speak for themselves and for the city.
There's several other threads on Cyburbia regarding Cairo. The most notable:
I'll repeat what I wrote in an earlier thread: to Cyburbians outside of the United States, please understand that Cairo is NOT a typical American small town. We're fascinated with it because while many small towns in the United States have struggled in recent decades, no place has fallen as hard as Cairo, and the backstory is so fascinating and tragic. Americans are proud, but we're also very transparent; like a skateboarder proudly showing off his scars to his buddies, we tend not to hide our scrapes, bruises, scabs and infections. Our achievements as a nation, as well as the things we are ashamed of, are on public display for all to see.
That being said, "Welcome to Cairo: Gateway to the South."
1950s-style billboard. Long gone from the rest of the country, there were a few of them still around Cairo.
8th Street east of Sycamore Avenue, looking east towards downtown Cairo.
Historic Downtown Cairo. 8th Street streetscape.
8th Street, downtown.
Gem Theater, 8th Street, downtown.
8th Street, downtown.
Commercial Avenue, downtown. Cairo's traditional main street.
View from Commercial Avenue towards 7th Street.
More downtown.
Looking towards Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
My dogs exploring downtown Cairo.
Commercial Avenue near 10th Street.
Commercial Avenue near 10th Street.
Abandoned furniture store on Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Housing project next to the Ohio River.
Alley east of Commercial Avenue.
Railroad Street.
Ohio River.
US 51; the current functional main street of Cairo. Not much is left there, either.
US 51.
US 51; abandoned hardware store.
US 51: Washington Avenue. The wide sidewalks spoke of better times.
US 51: Washington Avenue.
US 51: Washington Avenue. Ghost sign.
US 51: Washington Avenue.
US 51: Washington Avenue. Shemwell's BBQ.
US 51: Washington Avenue. National Guard Armory.
Port of Cairo, Sycamore Street.
Fire station, Jefferson Avenue.
1970s-ers gas guzzlers were a common sight in Cairo.
Unusual two-flat.
Lone shotgun shack.
Shotgun shacks.
Shotgun shacks.
Old street sign.
More decay.
More decay.
More decay.
Lone house on tbe north end of Commercial Avenue.
Commercial blocks at the far north end of Commercial Avenue, about two miles north of downtown.
One of the few commercial enterprises in town: barbecue grill manufacturing. Far north end of Commercial Avenue, about two miles north of downtown.
Cairo is filled with solid, imposing church buildings. This is an AME church from the turn of the last century; it impressed me considering the poverty and discrimination faced by the African-American community of the day.
Yes, Cairo has a good neighborhood.
West Side: house near Washington Avenue
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
West Side: house near Washington Avenue
West Side: house near Washington Avenue
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Magnolia Manor. Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Southern end of Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
US 51 tunnel under the levee that surrounds Cairo; the way out of town.
There's several other threads on Cyburbia regarding Cairo. The most notable:
- Cairo: Civil Rights era photos 1967-1973
- Cairo: worth the stop if I'm going in that direction?
- Cairo: where two rivers merge and two histories divide
- Live in Cairo - Cheap!
I'll repeat what I wrote in an earlier thread: to Cyburbians outside of the United States, please understand that Cairo is NOT a typical American small town. We're fascinated with it because while many small towns in the United States have struggled in recent decades, no place has fallen as hard as Cairo, and the backstory is so fascinating and tragic. Americans are proud, but we're also very transparent; like a skateboarder proudly showing off his scars to his buddies, we tend not to hide our scrapes, bruises, scabs and infections. Our achievements as a nation, as well as the things we are ashamed of, are on public display for all to see.
That being said, "Welcome to Cairo: Gateway to the South."
1950s-style billboard. Long gone from the rest of the country, there were a few of them still around Cairo.
8th Street east of Sycamore Avenue, looking east towards downtown Cairo.
Historic Downtown Cairo. 8th Street streetscape.
8th Street, downtown.
Gem Theater, 8th Street, downtown.
8th Street, downtown.
Commercial Avenue, downtown. Cairo's traditional main street.
View from Commercial Avenue towards 7th Street.
More downtown.
Looking towards Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
My dogs exploring downtown Cairo.
Commercial Avenue near 10th Street.
Commercial Avenue near 10th Street.
Abandoned furniture store on Commercial Avenue.
Commercial Avenue.
Housing project next to the Ohio River.
Alley east of Commercial Avenue.
Railroad Street.
Ohio River.
US 51; the current functional main street of Cairo. Not much is left there, either.
US 51.
US 51; abandoned hardware store.
US 51: Washington Avenue. The wide sidewalks spoke of better times.
US 51: Washington Avenue.
US 51: Washington Avenue. Ghost sign.
US 51: Washington Avenue.
US 51: Washington Avenue. Shemwell's BBQ.
US 51: Washington Avenue. National Guard Armory.
Port of Cairo, Sycamore Street.
Fire station, Jefferson Avenue.
1970s-ers gas guzzlers were a common sight in Cairo.
Unusual two-flat.
Lone shotgun shack.
Shotgun shacks.
Shotgun shacks.
Old street sign.
More decay.
More decay.
More decay.
Lone house on tbe north end of Commercial Avenue.
Commercial blocks at the far north end of Commercial Avenue, about two miles north of downtown.
One of the few commercial enterprises in town: barbecue grill manufacturing. Far north end of Commercial Avenue, about two miles north of downtown.
Cairo is filled with solid, imposing church buildings. This is an AME church from the turn of the last century; it impressed me considering the poverty and discrimination faced by the African-American community of the day.
Yes, Cairo has a good neighborhood.
West Side: house near Washington Avenue
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
West Side: house near Washington Avenue
West Side: house near Washington Avenue
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Magnolia Manor. Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
Southern end of Washington Avenue, Cairo's historic Millionaire's Row
US 51 tunnel under the levee that surrounds Cairo; the way out of town.