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kinda hate putting down any city [with a couple exceptions] but i'd say maybe cinncinatti only because i think it was like the 4th largest city in the country a little over 100 years ago
Well, if we are only counting cities that were founded in colonial times, then I must remove most of the cities from my list, above. I was countingany American city since colonial times, whether founded then or not, that has declined from its pinnacle.
How do you see Houston as declining from 'its pinnacle?'
From the colonial perspective, well might I suggest Jamestown and Plymouth. They were once the only settlements here. I'll also agree with Charleston, though it is still a beautiful, historic city that is doing rather well.
The city that's nosedived but then come back would be Atlanta. It was always an important southern city but was racked by the Yankee forces during the Civil War but its risen from the ashes to be one of the largest cities in the country and a major economic powerhouse globally.
Philadelphia has nose-dived dramatically. While it is still an important city it is one of the most decayed places in the nation. Philly used to be the capital and the biggest city. Recently Phoenix surpassed Philly as a bigger metro area, the latest sign of how the future is in the Sunbelt, not the Rust Belt.
Of course there's also New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Yankee carpetbaggers are trying to rebuild it in their image and destroy the old African American and Cajun culture but that will not be allowed to happen.
Baltimore - it was once a thriving city (that its slowly gaining back mabey in like 200 years it will be better!)that was the second city in the US to reach 100,000 people and in 1950 the population was 1,000,000 and than dramatically fell, to the point of now, with 645,000 about. Its still a large sea port and draws people to the inner harbor, but it was once one of Americas premere cities, but now its like no one has ever heard of it, which is sad, because I love that city and its charm isn't seen. i wish alll of those abanonded rowhouses would be restored and sold, instead of being demolished or just vacant. I have a feeling one day Bmore will recapture the grandure it once held, although I don't see it happening in my life time
Philadelphia has nose-dived dramatically. While it is still an important city it is one of the most decayed places in the nation. Philly used to be the capital and the biggest city. Recently Phoenix surpassed Philly as a bigger metro area, the latest sign of how the future is in the Sunbelt, not the Rust Belt.
Incorrect. Phoenix surpasssed Philadelphia in terms of population within each city's respective city limits, but in comparing metropolitan areas in accordance with 2006 U.S. Census Bureau data, Philly is still ahead of Phoenix by over 2 million people (and let's not even get into the murky issue of debating the practice of annexation of suburban areas that cities like Phoenix practice):
Also, the Sun Belt is hitting a real estate slump and slowing population growth rates -- not to mention some recent concerns about natural disaster issues (drought, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, etc.) If this keep occurring year after year with greater magnitude, I hardly see the Sun Belt sustaining the growth that it has now.
By nose dive I mean lose its station at the height of power not necessarily decay.
Detroit has fallen the hardest in the last 50 years but what about Charleston? It was once the second wealthiest city by the end of colonial America. Now it's just a charming city.
IYO, what is the most fallen American city in all of American history?
ditto on that on detroit wow. man was that fast.
how bout vicksburg mis.
i knew this city as a kid it was cute and pretty now really run down.
if it were not for the rainbow casino it would be uninhabitable.
not to mention the surrounding area.
stephen s
san diego ca
Philadelphia has nose-dived dramatically. While it is still an important city it is one of the most decayed places in the nation. Philly used to be the capital and the biggest city. Recently Phoenix surpassed Philly as a bigger metro area, the latest sign of how the future is in the Sunbelt, not the Rust Belt.
Slow down chief, you are getting yourself into all kinds of trouble here with misinformation.
If you are going to be making such strong statements you have to at least get the facts straight. The Philadelphia metro is 6 million people and Phoenix metro is 4 million people. Metro Philadelphia is the 8th largest economy in the world so I would hardly call it mostly decayed.
The downtown area is as strong as its been in 50 years and it gets better every season, with many adjoining neighborhoods gentrifying as we speak. On a percentage basis Philaldephia is not among the most decayed cities in the usa, far from it.On a comparitive basis Philaldephia would economically blow the headlights off of a city such as-lets say- baltimore.Unfortunately among the major cities it hasn't kept up to par.
In 1790 Philaldephia was the financial,cultural, and political capital of the country. DC wasn't even on the map yet, it was nothing but farmland. The plan was to build the permanent capital in NW Philadelphia(Germantown) to replace the temporary US capital being housed in the Pa. state house(Independence Hall)
NY and Va. were very wary of Philaldephia having so much power and they basically stole the capital from Philaldephia. george washington (Va) Thomas Jefferson (Va.), James Madison (Va.) and alexander hamilton(NY) hatched a plan which would see Philadlephias banking industry end up in NYC, and the political machine end up on a Maryland farm.. You scratch my back..... They were kind enough to leave Philaldephia some theaters/concert halls etc. but of course inevitably NYC became the cultural center as well.
After Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris(wealthiest person in all of america at that time) passed Philadlephia lost alot of its luster and power.If those two could have held on for another decade or so the capital of the US most likely would have been in Philadelphia.
90% of the senate + congress wanted to make Philadlephia the capital.Viewed as the best city of the US at that time. The problem was that the 4 head honchos at the time didn't. Washington,Jefferson(Sec of State) Alexander Hamilton(Sec of Treasury) James Madsion(Father of the Constitution)
Washington DC is a pretty wretched spot for a city. It feels even more muggy than cities in Florida and Texas. And it's still infested with swamp bugs.
An American capital in Philadelphia would have been sweet.
/\ It looked good on a map.
I was always fascinated with cities that just stopped growing, but never reversed their growth. There are alot of them in Minnesota.
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Unfortunately among the major cities it hasn't kept up to par.
