Distressed Photo Album of Meridian Mississippi (Greenville, Cleveland: apartment, city hall, condo)

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

I don't know about Mississippi's policies, but I can tell you those photographs look like several northern or midwestern cities: Cairo, Illinois, the north side of St. Louis, Missouri, East St. Louis, Illinois and parts of Detroit.

You're probably just used to seeing signs of urban decay in those cities. Almost no city is exempt from some signs of urban decay or having abandoned buildings, some are worse than others, but Meridian is a little bit worse than the average city, where a lot of the empty and abandoned buildings are in or around the downtown section.

The south in general is especially poor and old. In Meridian roughly 30% of the population lives below the poverty line, that is over twice the national average of 14.3%.

[Glad2bHere!]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

I don't know about Mississippi's policies, but I can tell you those photographs look like several northern or midwestern cities: Cairo, Illinois, the north side of St. Louis, Missouri, East St. Louis, Illinois and parts of Detroit.

Thanks for adding that. I was thinking that though I appreciate the contribution of the photos, a bit of perspective needed to be included as well. Anyone who has visited Cairo, Peoria and the Quad-Cities area in Illinois might well see much of the same blight. However, I can also say that Rockford, Ill once had much of this same blight and has really come a long way. Same for the Quad-Cities area, so there is hope.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

You're probably just used to seeing signs of urban decay in those cities. Almost no city is exempt from some signs of urban decay or having abandoned buildings, some are worse than others, but Meridian is a little bit worse than the average city, where a lot of the empty and abandoned buildings are in or around the downtown section.

The south in general is especially poor and old. In Meridian roughly 30% of the population lives below the poverty line, that is over twice the national average of 14.3%.

I did a google search and saw that in 2009 just over 50% of the population of East St. Louis Illinois was below the poverty line. Believe me, I'm not trying to be argumentative, and I don't know anything about Meridian or Mississippi's policies, but if Mississippi's policies contributed to urban decay in Meridian, than one must also assume that Illinois' policies contributed to the blight in places like East St. Louis and Cairo, Illinois. And believe me, those cities are completely blighted, including their downtowns. Similar to your pictures of Meridian, but worse.

I do appreciate the photos, however.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

I did a google search and saw that in 2009 just over 50% of the population of East St. Louis Illinois was below the poverty line. Believe me, I'm not trying to be argumentative, and I don't know anything about Meridian or Mississippi's policies, but if Mississippi's policies contributed to urban decay in Meridian, than one must also assume that Illinois' policies contributed to the blight in places like East St. Louis and Cairo, Illinois. And believe me, those cities are completely blighted, including their downtowns. Similar to your pictures of Meridian, but worse.

I do appreciate the photos, however.

It may be more indicative of the local government than the state government actually, because there are many cities in Illinois that are doing well and flourishing even, the same is true in Mississippi. East St. Louis was long an industrial base for St. Louis very heavy in steel mills and other industry, and when that tanked in the 1970's and 1980's, many of the rust belt cities heavily reliant on industry went down too. Gary Indiana and East St. Louis are some of the best examples of this. Both cities have lost almost 50% of their population in the last 40 years, East St. Louis is 98% black and Gary is 88% black.

Mississippi's policies in general are a little old fashioned and not as enticing to new businesses as the rest of the country is. Despite the awful pictures posted here, Mississippi has plenty of good areas and cities that are doing well. As listed below:


Biloxi Mississippi, large tourist area and plenty of casinos and beach front areas.


Jackson Mississippi, largest city in the state and the state's capital.


Meridian Mississippi, the city this thread is over. Downtown area taken about 2 years ago, Meridian was the largest city in the state until the 1930's when Jackson overtook it, Meridian now ranks 6th in the state sitting at 41,000. Meridian is still referred to as the Queen City and Jackson as the King City.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

It may be more indicative of the local government than the state government actually, because there are many cities in Illinois that are doing well and flourishing even, the same is true in Mississippi. East St. Louis was long an industrial base for St. Louis very heavy in steel mills and other industry, and when that tanked in the 1970's and 1980's, many of the rust belt cities heavily reliant on industry went down too. Gary Indiana and East St. Louis are some of the best examples of this. Both cities have lost almost 50% of their population in the last 40 years, East St. Louis is 98% black and Gary is 88% black.

Mississippi's policies in general are a little old fashioned and not as enticing to new businesses as the rest of the country is. Despite the awful pictures posted here, Mississippi has plenty of good areas and cities that are doing well. As listed below:


Biloxi Mississippi, large tourist area and plenty of casinos and beach front areas.


Jackson Mississippi, largest city in the state and the state's capital.


Meridian Mississippi, the city this thread is over. Downtown area taken about 2 years ago, Meridian was the largest city in the state until the 1930's when Jackson overtook it, Meridian now ranks 6th in the state sitting at 4ures1,000. Meridian is still referred to as the Queen City and Jackson as the King City.

I've travelled through Mississippi and my wife went to Ole Miss. I like what I've seen of it and the people have been extremely friendly. I'm just saying the blight or decay your pictures show is not by any stretch limited to southern states. Even those "progressive" blue states like Illinois and Michigan have completely blighted out cities. If you see East St. Louis or Cairo, they almost look like they were bombed.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

I've travelled through Mississippi and my wife went to Ole Miss. I like what I've seen of it and the people have been extremely friendly. I'm just saying the blight or decay your pictures show is not by any stretch limited to southern states. Even those "progressive" blue states like Illinois and Michigan have completely blighted out cities. If you see East St. Louis or Cairo, they almost look like they were bombed.

I find urban decay fascinating, and you're right, it's not just relegated to the southern states. All areas have their share of it, some more so than others. I've never been through East St. Louis, but I have seen pictures and it's bad, WAY worse than Meridian. Gary is another city that fascinates me when it comes to this thing. Where is Cairo at?

[Delta-SSiPP]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

What's the obsession with Meridian? You can find decay like this in several other Mississippi cities. Greenville is a lot worse than Meridian.

I from Greenville!

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by Delta-SSiPP

I from Greenville!

I hear nothing but bad things about Greenville.

[Delta-SSiPP]

Originally Posted by ColdAilment

I hear nothing but bad things about Greenville.

Yeah, but it has some good things there too.

[ColdAilment]

Originally Posted by Delta-SSiPP

Yeah, but it has some good things there too.

I'm sure there are, but from what I hear the bad outweighs the good.