What is your favorite of the midwest's most-notorious cities?    Detroit...Youngstown...Flint...Gary...East STL...Braddock, PA...?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A true crime

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't know it was that bad there....looks like a city I'd like!

Too many cities look like this, and there is little excuse other than corruption at the highest levels of government.  Add the ennui of the general populace and you have East St. Louis. 

Ohhhhh that's right..... that place over there on the other side of the state......

 

It appears that East St. Louis's abandoned architecture is more-impressive than Gary's.

^Indeed.

Ouch. I hate to say it, but this area almost looks beyond repair.

Damn! Post apocalyptic.

That Murphy Building is killer, shame it has fallen to that level of neglect.

It's bad.  I never once drove through any part of E. STL except for on the interstate.  It's just not a place you go - ever.

Sad.  How do we let this happen to our cities?

Sad.  How do we let this happen to our cities?

 

I think you know the answer.

 

Sprawl

Highways construction thru major neighborhoods

City corruption

Over populations

Cars

 

 

the list goes on!

Bleak with a capital "B".  Cool shots though.

^^ And in the case of East St. Louis, race was certainly a factor.

I toured it when I was in St. louis because I knew it was bad, but it is just amazing a booming city like that can just be abandoned in a few decades. It's neat yet depressing to see America's underbelly, and how bad things can get regarding race, govenment, corruption etc. Everyone in America should see this kind of crap so they understand how bad this country can be and what we can do to stop this insanity. A problem cannot be fixed if it isn't even acknowledged!!!. The state of Illinois has done nothing for this city. Illinois politics is beyond the pale. I have read the trib and sun-times for years and I just gave up on Illinois politics. It seems like they are all corrupt or if they aren't they will be nothing.

 

I love this stuff.

It's like archaeological ruins...Beautiful both then and now.

If there was a case for architectural salvage and then flat-out demolition, this is it.

Yeah it's a case where the buildings have been exhausted to a point where they lack the capacity or even a THOUGHT to be used again many years down the road.  The locals would in fact be better off with new buildings, evens if they were ugly as hell. 

 

If I had the ability, I would strip down what I could and rebuild it elsewhere.  Level the downtown, and reopening it up to new development that better supports their needs......... for the 30,000 that remain...

 

Sometimes, I do have to let go of the historic preservationist in myself.  You can only go so far before you cross a line and realize that trying to save what we have here (their downtown) is beyond ridiculous.

Sprawl

Highways construction thru major neighborhoods

City corruption

Over populations

Cars

 

Before we go bashing a particular mode of transit, let's examine the facts:

 

E. STL's riverfront was heavily industrial and was bisected by major modes of transport long before the interstate. Through the city, five major railroads cut through the city's core. The interstate came in in the late 1960s and followed an established rail corridor, so it did not split the city further than what the railroads had done -- not that the latter was a bad decision. Before we segregated industrial lots to the suburbs and to the far-flung corners of the corner, they were once integrated into the fabric of a city, which all but required rail access.

 

There was also the deadly East St. Louis riots of 1917, which involved a black individual striking a white individual. The black individual then shot at police; white protesters returned and burned down entire sections of the city. Corruption and mis-management of funds led to a rise in the property tax rates, and many industries during that time closed or left for cheaper land (due to the tax hikes). It's no wonder that many left -- they followed the jobs and went seeking lower taxes.

 

Riots of 1967 didn't help matters, and a sniper attacking people in 1968 only led more to flee the city, as gangs took over. Garbage pickups ceased for a time, and many functions of the government ceased due to a lack of funds. The city was then bailed out by the state

Before we go bashing a particular mode of transit, let's examine the facts:

 

E. STL's riverfront was heavily industrial and was bisected by major modes of transport long before the interstate. Through the city, five major railroads cut through the city's core. The interstate came in in the late 1960s and followed an established rail corridor, so it did not split the city further than what the railroads had done -- not that the latter was a bad decision. Before we segregated industrial lots to the suburbs and to the far-flung corners of the corner, they were once integrated into the fabric of a city, which all but required rail access.

 

The comments MTS made were to cities in general. There is no doubt that the interstate system has destroyed neighborhoods all across the country. While our largest public works project ever may have brought fantastic things, it has had devastating effects to cities and countrysides.

 

There is a huge, huge difference between a rail line and an interestate. Not only are they entirely different scales, but railroads are only temporarily disruptive; highway activity never stops. In East St. Louis, I have to imagine I-64 dropping down from I-70 was extremely damaging to the neighborhood.

 

The other factors you mention are certainly major reasons for E. STL's decline, but I doubt the highway had a neutral effect. If anything, it helped people move further away.

its ridiculous we let places like this get to such a point of disrepair.  ugh, so utterly depressing. 

I read Miles Davis' autobiography a year or two ago, and he grew up here and described what a vibrant place it was.  His father was a dentist as I recall.

This was definitively the highlight of the St. Louis Trip ;)

It's bad. I never once drove through any part of E. STL except for on the interstate. It's just not a place you go - ever.

 

Except for the strip clubs... just sayin

It's bad.  I never once drove through any part of E. STL except for on the interstate.  It's just not a place you go - ever.

 

Except for the strip clubs... just sayin

Looks like you've been "making it rain" in east st. louis!  LOL

In addition to the comments above, it's my understanding that E. Stl was basically established to skirt regulations in the city of St. Louis, which led to it's incredible industrialization. Of course when industry goes so does the city. I also heard that they have increased taxes significantly in the city to try and make up for the loss of business, which exacerbated the problems.

 

Interesting fact, 2 highways intersect on the the Illinois side of St. Louis (I forget which ones) and because the water table rose so much when the industries left town and stopped sucking water from below, pumps have to run 24/7 to keep the lower highway from flooding.

In addition to the comments above, it's my understanding that E. Stl was basically established to skirt regulations in the city of St. Louis, which led to it's incredible industrialization. Of course when industry goes so does the city. I also heard that they have increased taxes significantly in the city to try and make up for the loss of business, which exacerbated the problems.

 

Interesting fact, 2 highways intersect on the the Illinois side of St. Louis (I forget which ones) and because the water table rose so much when the industries left town and stopped sucking water from below, pumps have to run 24/7 to keep the lower highway from flooding.

 

I-55 and I-70 merge in Troy, IL.  55/70 then merges with I-64 in East St. Louis.  The whole clusterf*ck merges in the air (tons of bridges) with Illinois Rt. 3 and goes over the Poplar Street Bridge, and the interstates split in a similarly rediculous manner as soon as you cross the river.  Just look at the satellite view on Google.  People completely freak out coming from Illinois to Missouri if they have never driven it before.  The traffic at rush hour is god awful.

 

EDIT:  The Google map is labeled incorrectly.  When entering Missouri from Illinois, I-70 splits to the right, I-64 goes straight (in which it passes through downtown stacked like the Bay Bridge), and I-55 goes to the left.  I-44 then begins as a split off from I-55 a couple miles southwest of downtown.  Next time any of you happen to be driving through St. Louis, take the Poplar Street Bridge.  You'll have so much fun!

It's bad.  I never once drove through any part of E. STL except for on the interstate.  It's just not a place you go - ever.

 

Except for the strip clubs... just sayin

don't you mean gentlemen's cabarets?

It's bad. I never once drove through any part of E. STL except for on the interstate. It's just not a place you go - ever.

 

Except for the strip clubs... just sayin

don't you mean gentlemen's cabarets?

 

Some may think it is hard to be this desired, but I've grown accustomed to it

Well, that's what was allowed to happen. At least the Onyx Club looks like it's (the only place) open. I'm sure you had a good time there.

To answer the question at the beginning of the thread, I'd have to say Cairo, IL is my favorite.  Not only is it so abandoned that they can't afford to clear the collapsed buildings, but there's also a notorious history of hatred down there.  Check out the CD, "Greetings from Cairo, Illinois" by Stace England.  There's a great review on NPR.  Here's the link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5032061