…Places where time behaves strangely: Locations where time doesn’t follow a linear progression, creating a sense of disjointedness and detachment from conventional reality”. -Stephen King

Trip one.

I’d never heard of Cairo, pronounced Kay-ro, until I came across a YouTube video. Being a photographer and explorer of all things abandoned my curiosity was sparked. I contacted Jay Farrell, my fellow explorer, photographer to set up a road trip to Cairo. Our first trip to explore Cairo was in the tail end of December 2024. The sky was a mix of sunshine and occasional cloud coverage with just enough rainfall left on the ground to add a moody vibe to the day. We crossed the Ohio and then into the town itself. Desolation. That was the first word to come to mind as we entered Cairo. Building after building was run down, damaged, burned, collapsing and many others were already in piles. There were plenty of empty lots that had the faded outlines of buildings that were no more. We passed through Cairo, and were left with a feeling of wonder. We were in what had once been a thriving town and was now a honey pot for those who explore abandoned places.

“There’s no gas stations in Cairo. Best get that and anything else you may need before going back”. This was the word of warning we received at a Dollar General located not far from Cairo. From what we’d already seen, Jay and I could believe it. Across from the Dollar General was a vacant lot filled with debris. Broken toys, trash, tires, and a run down trailer sat upon the lot and in my opinion was a fitting starting point.

A little further on down the road we stopped at another empty lot, and while we wanted to check out a boarded up building near what had to have once been a gas station at one point, but neither of us had dressed in high waders. The lots where we stood were water logged and overgrown. While it wasn’t exactly cold, it was chilly. The thought of losing a shoe to the swampy ground just wasn’t at all appealing.

Have you ever been on a roadtrip looking for abandoned places? You drive slowly when you’re on the hunt. Here we were surrounded by the abandoned and we were still driving slowly. You’ll never get the true feel of exploring by driving fast. To one side of the main highway we spied a secondary road and took it where we came across two antique firetrucks, an empty motel. and more.

I imagine at one point this might have been a charming motel. A now filled in pool sat to one side, while the roof had collapsed. Impromptu skylights gave the remaining rooms a gloomy cast.

Yes, the office door was wide open but carry a clerk was to be found.

Wait, the motel had a few remaining guests. I don’t think they bothered with calling for room service.

A stone’s throw from the motel sat what appeared to be a still functioning auto repair shop, and a curious looking collection of lights posts.

“We’re on the road to nowhere” – The Talking Heads. Yes, that song popped into my head while standing in front of this strange passage.

Once we’d reentered Cairo we immediately drove by another empty motel. It had fared no better than the Garden Inn.

I doubt the last occupant left a good YELP review.

Parking. That was an issue but not for the same reasons that might be in more populated cities. In Nashville the biggest problem with parking is the lack of places to park, and the outrageous prices that accompany for profit parking lots. No, here is Cairo there was plenty of places to park, too many places, really. What were the odds that our vehicle would not be vandalized and or stolen? How far could we wander off from the car? Turns out, this was not worth worrying about. We spent hours in Cairo, walking around and not once were we or our vehicle accosted by anyone. Once we felt secure as far as leaving the car alone we were better able to get lost in photographing and exploring Cairo.

These gilded streets were paved in pyrite

Cairo is a shame. At one point the town was prosperous, and beautiful. And there have been attempts to bring life back into Cairo. There are boulevards where hand laid bricks replaced asphalt. Businesses whose entrances are decorated with Art Deco tiles. Iron light posts are plentiful, and many still work. But the businesses are vacant, or demolished, and the light posts illuminate empty roads, sidewalks and lots. The emptiness of Cairo, the lack of people, or purpose is palpable. Walking the streets of Cairo makes one feel like they’ve stepped into some type of ghost world, and if one is not careful, you may become another ghost in a dead town full of them. Take the Gem theatre for instance. Its beautiful marque looks fresh enough that you’d not be surprised to see it light up! To watch the bulbs shine and pulsate rhythmically. But the boarded up doors say otherwise. The gigantic fissure that bisects the Gem’s wall proclaim the theatre’s death, hell, an enormous tree is growing out of that fissure.

The alley running next to the Gem Theatre.

The fissure is hard to miss.

Yes, a person can and many have walked right into the breached wall. Nature is relentless

Next door is the defunct Chamber of Commerce. The door to the Chamber of Commerce sits wide open, debris can be easily be seen from the sidewalk. And across the street? Across the street are the remains of some of the buildings I had mentioned, the ones with Art Deco tile decor laid into their entrances.

What caused the death of Cairo, Illinois? There were a few factors, but the biggest of them was its inherent racism. Don’t worry, I’m not about to start banging on about racism. This isn’t that kind of a blog. No, my blog is a POV of my experience in Cairo. However, Between Two Rivers is an excellent and detailed explanation on how racism destroyed Cairo, you can click on the link to watch it, which I strongly suggest you do. https://youtu.be/Ita42KgBY-8?si=HNURA1eWnzo-dJzp if you have the stomach for it. If anything Cairo and the its documentary could be seen as a cautionary tale for the US itself.

I hope that if you’ve read this far that you have enjoyed the trip so far. I’ll be following this up with images from the Cairo waterfront, as well as images from some of the houses and more. In the meantime I’d also like to bring attention to my book, Forgotten Tennessee. It’s available in bookstores, and of course amazon. Click on the link to order. https://a.co/d/5z9S5aq