Cairo Illinois

Cairo, Illinois is a river town, and much of its architecture reflects that. I have always loved the bowed balconies on this building, echoing the bow of a ship. You also see lots of port hole windows around town and most of the structures are built up to allow for the flooding that was once prominent before the flood gates.



On my way back this morning I took some time to take photos because it is disappearing. The town has been in ruin for years, and now there are many empty lots where houses once stood. It seems many of them have "for sale" or "public auction" signs. I fear that soon all will be left are the nondescript, 1970s box houses, and that all the interesting architecture will be gone.



I always have this urge to "do" something but I have no idea what that might be. I'm not even sure what the problem is, much less do I know the solution.



It's a beautiful ruin in so many ways, but when it's all empty lots it will just be ruin and there will be nothing to redeem it. There's something left there, now, but I don't think another decade will leave much in its wake. Very sad.

If much of the architecture looks a little familiar to you and you can't figure out why, it's probably because it reminds you of New Orleans. Like fashion, food, and everything else, architecture styles moved up the river too.