What remains of Cairo lies at the very southern tip of the state of Illinois, just a few miles from the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. It’s been a long time - almost a century - since the town has flourished. Today, the once grand downtown district is a shadow of its former self with condemned buildings being removed one by one. It’s only a matter of time before nothing but a grid of streets remains.
Post title: Son Volt - Cairo and Southern
I headed southeast over Labor Day weekend to explore the area where Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Indiana all intersect. It was my first ever visit to this part of the country as I had never previously been south of St. Louis.
This trip included a visit to the slowly disappearing Cairo, Illinois - another blog post will feature some of the photographs - along with old river cities like Cape Girardeau, Paducah, and Evansville that are finding different ways to be relevant in the 21st century. I also spent a good part of a morning in the tiny, historic town of Thebes, Illinois with two very enthusiastic volunteers that have helped keep an old bluff-top courthouse alive as a museum.
A few photographs from my meanderings...
Post title: John K. Samson - Requests
A handful of photographs from a road trip across central Missouri along the Missouri River to Illinois and the Land of Lincoln. I visited two state capitols I had never been to - Jefferson City and Springfield - along with old river towns like Alton and Quincy.
Post title: Lucinda Williams - Temporary Nature (Of Any Precious Thing)
A few photographs from a Sunday spent visiting Niobrara and Knox County...
Post Title: Bill Callahan - From the Rivers to the Ocean