Sadly I used to live in Alligator, MS. My family roots are from there. Those abandoned buildings downtown used to be stores. There were 2or 3 clubs (what we call "hole in a wall" or "juke joints") Even a gas station/plaza with a liquor store & pool hall called BRUNO'S on the main Hwy 61. The town used to be packed with ppl walking around town, children riding bikes & 4wheelers, families gathered in their yards BBQn, playing music, spades, and dominoes. Everyone was damn near related. Everybody knew everybody! Now, all of the store owners are dead. Everybody grew up & moved away to pursue better lives. As they should! Many are successful. Every year we have a TOWN'S REUNION. That's the ONLY time Alligator is packed with people. Most of them come back to visit. Some don't look back. There are good memories in this town. Now its a Ghost Town. See ya later Alligator 👋🐊❤

@lorealdrayton1829

7 ай бұрын

blessings sis.

@jeromecastro3051

7 ай бұрын

This was beautifully written💯

@SammyandMonica

7 ай бұрын

Where do people buy groceries or get gas?

@manne8575

7 ай бұрын

Damn, that's both sad and beautiful

@FactStorm

7 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing.

My husband is from Alligator, and I’m from down the road. Let me tell you about Mississippi folks: They don’t have money, but they are some of the richest people you will ever meet. The strong love for family and community they have is worth its weight in gold.

@tracysmith4383

6 ай бұрын

Sad 😢

@laranditooks9924

6 ай бұрын

They are some of the nicest people who will give yout he shirt off their backs.

@duggydugg3937

6 ай бұрын

don't see any. stores

@1928jazz

6 ай бұрын

Where do they buy their food?

@duggydugg3937

6 ай бұрын

@@1928jazz or anything ?

I grew up in Helena and still have family there. It breaks my heart to see how it has gone down. Helena was a beautiful, thriving city with big, beautiful historic homes. My dream is to help rebuild the city one day. 🙏🏾

@rosegrundy4302

5 ай бұрын

My family is from Helena, AR

@shunwolisadockery7929

5 ай бұрын

⁠Grundy was my grandmother's maiden name.

@ImDatBish

3 ай бұрын

Good luck with the rebuilding efforts, I hope you have some billionaire friends. Down is an understatement… it’s just gone. My grandparents were born there. I remember how it was when I was a kid. I remember visiting from Chicago and there were outhouses and gravel roads. It was traumatic. Who wants to go outside to use the toilet?

My step-dad (deceased) was from Friars Point, only 8th grade education, but one of most brilliant, creative, & wise people I've ever known. Carl Douglas Christian was a real genius, & those who knew him will never forget him. I was blessed to know him.

Love from India Will never stop being amazed by the open stretches of land and rarely seeing persons moving around My country you can rarely go any place that doesn't have 10 ppl hanging around lol What a freaking vast streach of land your country is ! Blessed ppl you are !

@Mrchungus11C-OIR

7 ай бұрын

As a Mississippian I thank you for your kind words. I remember the first Indian to come to my school and how excited we all were. He made fast friends with myself and the other boys.

@stephaniepersin4222

7 ай бұрын

That is why I love my country. Humans are cockroach like and I’m glad I can go to any National Park to escape infestation.

@pierrerochon7271

7 ай бұрын

U are from India - Caste system- holds your people down- but BLESSINGS TO THEM!

@akita96th

7 ай бұрын

I guess our slums are considered mansions by a lot of people in India. I have seen a lot of videos of big cities in India and I would not like to live there at all. To much trash and pollution and people everywhere and clean water is a luxury there and so are public bathrooms. I would not like to defecate into a hole in a floor over a river lol.. I guess I will take our slums before anyone else's. As bad as it is here in some places it is not as bad as other 3rd world countries. For all the bad we do have its still good here in the USA. If the republikunts ever take over completely in this country then we to will slip into a third world status...MAGATS will ruin America. Vote blue or get the screw.

@stephaniepersin4222

7 ай бұрын

@@akita96th in 1988 I visited my brother at Ft. Benning, GA in basic training and we went over a bridge and ended up in Phenix City, AL and I remember the shacks and clothes hanging from porches. The houses were shacks and were the same that are found in India so it wouldn’t be a step up.

There's no shame in being poor if you're a good and decent person. I've been poor all my adult life because of severe and chronic illness. God bless 🙌 🙏.

I am a hospice nurse who works a lot on the Mississippi Delta. One of the main reasons for the low median age is the very shortened life expectancy due to poverty and lack of access to quality healthcare.

@ForTheLoveOfMike

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for all you do for Hospice patients and their families 💙

@VictoriaMill-rg9cp

7 ай бұрын

Hello how are you doing?

@maggieking6619

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your care. It is shocking to me to see maternal mortality in Black women in the upstate . And the state closing clinics and hospitals. And not expanding Medicaid. Mississippi has a surplus. And children go to bed hungry. To me that represents a total failure of the State to provide the basic elements of life: food, water, housing, health care, education. Or offer opportunities for people to thrive. It does neither, and wins every election. I live on the coast and we do much better due to military bases, casinos and tourism. Not the high paying jobs but we get by. The Delta is still just barely in the 1900s, not close to 2000s.

@nancysmith2874

6 ай бұрын

So sad

@sharronlee4641

6 ай бұрын

OMG that is shocking and deplorable. The United States should do better with health care. EVEN IF IT MEANS CUTTING FORIEGN AID.

im a retired nurse but i still work part time for a company that requires us to drive to all kinds of areas to see patients/ clients. i prefer these sweet little towns that are just a remnant of a former thriving area. there is such a difference in the people from big towns like dallas to small towns with 400 + people in them. so many homes are dilapidated and no way to actually repair due to lack of finances. but the people seem to be kinder, more laid back, happier and hold God at the top of thier world.. ill drive by sad for the state of the houses.. and my mind thinking.. if i ever win the lotto im coming back and fixing up these houses for folks... worry that they may be hungry or cold or too warm or whatever.. but they always smile and greet you like you are somebody.. yes. there are jewels that have fallen and tarnished..but the overall feeling i feel is just love for them...

@vanyakouveli3113

4 ай бұрын

Such a great comment, 👍so sweet and humane, it made me cry 😢

@nildahernandezh2932

4 ай бұрын

❤ LOVE ONE ANOTHER. ❤ LOVE THE TOWN YOU WAS BORN. TRY TO HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS...DO NOT LET THEM DOWN...HELP, PLEASE 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

@nylafagan7439

Ай бұрын

That's a beautiful thought! Jobs would be fabulous 🎉

@EricCampbellUAV

Ай бұрын

that’s how god treats his greatest fans

It amazes me that we have so many homeless people sleeping on the streets yet there are so many abandoned houses everywhere.

@CarsandCats

7 ай бұрын

Have you ever given thought as to why homeless people choose large metropolitan areas and a sidewalk or under a bridge instead of the countryside?

@Crystl22

7 ай бұрын

@@CarsandCats Yes I have! It's just a shame there are empty homes. It would be nice if there was a solution. I know it would be hard for all those who wouldn't have access to drugs but surely their are some families out there that would be happy to have a roof over their heads even in a small town.

@ronclark9724

7 ай бұрын

@@Crystl22 When the largest earners work for the government and with their town and county losing population reducing government employment, its a vicious circle... Unfortunately those working for Dollar General and Walmart don't earn as much as those working at a Tesla factory... And far too many major manufacturers have outsourced their production, surely not in the Mississippi River delta...

@SamBrickell

7 ай бұрын

It amazes me that there are so many homeless people and yet so many advertisements for jobs.

@slippyC73

7 ай бұрын

it amazes me that so many people work 40hr+ a week jobs and are homeless...

I myself have lived in 10,000 a year! And I was working 5 days a week!!! I thought I was actually doing well for my situation! I was a single Mom ! I knew we weren't living high, but we had food, a place to live, and clothes and shoes on our feet, and Hope for tomorrow!!!😊😊😊😊😊

@ImDatBish

3 ай бұрын

This couldn’t have been recently. My stupid rent alone is 25K a year.

@patantoine6819

28 күн бұрын

And how long ago was that?

Just a correction to how the town got its name. There are actually very few alligators in the lake we use to swim in almost daily. In fact, only about 4-5 gators have been seen in or near the town since I started visiting my grandparents in 1979 and actually moved there in 1983. It’s named Alligator because from an aerial view, the long and winding lake is shaped like an Alligator. I still have an aerial photo on the wall in my Alligator home from the 1960’s, showing the whole lake and town. And regardless of what statistics say, the most valuable home their right now, according to true market value (and not the number that the owner puts on it) is less than $200K

At least it’s clean. Looks way better than a lot of other places. 😢🙏🏾

A lot of what is seen in this video, and others like it, is the result of the shift from small family farm agriculture to massive corporate agribusiness operations employing only a fraction of the people. The little towns all over the south and mid west that used to service the needs of the farming community have just dried up and blown away. Now we have cheap food and thousands of ghost towns.

@Kahokian

7 ай бұрын

Some say this was done by design. How do you control the masses? You congregate them geographically. You isolate them where the better jobs, schools, restaurants, options, etc you name the category. Why would they want a populous spread throughout? That would be vastly harder to control and manipulate. Food for thought. Good post.

@heatherfulmore3412

7 ай бұрын

Yes it seems as if a lot of people there are unemployed. There are no businesses nearby.. Maybe people aren't allowed to plant their own food.

@Kahokian

7 ай бұрын

People can plant their own food no issue. I don’t think that’s really the issue. Good comment 😊

@ronclark9724

7 ай бұрын

@@heatherfulmore3412 Those that own homes can't sell them when there are no buyers willing to buy their homes. It is difficult to relocate for better opportunity without selling your home. In these old homes in small towns, most of these homes are paid for and only have to pay taxes to remain. So many are caught in a catch 22 situation. If they do sustain the financial lost leaving their home without selling it, they face significant housing cost increase either buying a home or renting a home...

@Just.A.T-Rex

7 ай бұрын

Same goes for the rust belt towns all along the railroad.

It might be poor but it is clean. The street verges and vacant land appears mowed and cared for. From that I glean it is an honorable community doing it tough, but with dignity.

@ednaalvarez5975

7 ай бұрын

Its a beautiful area❤

@CorettaJG

7 ай бұрын

I see that as well.

@avalondreaming1433

7 ай бұрын

I agree. Nothing to be ashamed of.

@roops2939

7 ай бұрын

Being poor does not mean losing dignity Living in a clean area Putting on fresh but old clothes Washing daily Behaving in the best way That is called being rich

@petert1692

7 ай бұрын

A positive spin on a cr@p hole. This is in the wealthiest country in the world. Time for the state government to do something for these people. But no, focus on nonsense.

My Dad was a minister which for us meant living in the south and traveling to some of the towns you video, during my youth in the 60's. As everyone from these places comments, they were different and thriving places with family and job connections that gave life to the town itself. Your videos chronicle the ebb and flow of fortune and circumstance, display the role of poverty and wealth while also demonstrating the capacity of humans to exist in all kinds of circumstances.

It's funny how Alligator Mississippi is labeled as the poorest town but it is cleaner than most hoods in these popular urban cities....and 34% of folks are married.

@robertnervi57

Ай бұрын

Very good points that u make.

Imagine being a teenager growing up there. Poverty, no shops and alligator infested lake. As a UK citizen I find your videos fascinating but it would be cool to see you chat with the locals.

@p.s.7430

7 ай бұрын

Kids need shops? That's important?

@tinkerstrade3553

7 ай бұрын

Alligator steaks, soup, gumbo, goulash, deep fried, pit baked whole, and you can start a hand crafted boot company. They'll need to call the place "Opportunity" once yall find some cheap, mix and match, paint store returns to liven the place up. To,-- Wang Foo, "Thanks for everything." --Julie Newmar.

@doug132639

7 ай бұрын

YOU GUYS DONT TALK TO LOCALS . LOCAL DONT KNOW THE PERCENTAGE OF THIS OR THAT ,THATS WHY WE WATCH HERE ITS DIFFERENT ..TALK TO LOCALS GO THERE AND TALK I WISH I COULD ..

@JohnDoe-gy5dr

7 ай бұрын

@@p.s.7430 Don't act like growing up in poverty in a super rural area is the same for a kid as living in a place that has access to greater knowledge. How many piano teachers or math tutors do you think this town has?

@p.s.7430

7 ай бұрын

@@JohnDoe-gy5dr I was talking about shops. In other countries, where people can live a decent life on the countryside like in Sweden, good schools and teachers are actually available. The US is not the role model.

Amazing to see such small towns in this country that are still barely hanging on . Eye opening. Thanks for the insight.

@Jeff-jg7jh

7 ай бұрын

I wonder how these poor towns keep the lights on and pick up the trash.

@jimbo43ohara51

7 ай бұрын

Yes, where is the infrastructure and facilities. Do they go down to a local creek and see if they can catch some fish?

@maedero05

3 ай бұрын

Tornado alley, the people stiil living there are of a special kind, ver rare community spirit, rich in virtues and vallues, great !

My grandmother was born in Alligator, Mississippi in 1905. This is the closest I will get to where she's from.

@cherrysmart3500

6 ай бұрын

Was she buried there? Might be interesting to see the family cemetery?

I've just watched your videos and I must say how I enjoyed them ..your voice is very good too.from England 🇬🇧

Hello Joe, watched your trip through Alligator, Mississippi. I was born and raised in Port Gibson, Mississippi. I have resided in the state of Oklahoma since 1978. I was one of about 20 people who worked out of Alligator when I was about 15 or 16 years old. We hauled pulp wood from that area. Traveled from there back to Port Gibson every two weeks for about two years. Often wondered what happened to the people I met in that little town. I am now subscribed to your channel. Enjoy your work, keep it up.

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Awesome!

@macgoldie7771

7 ай бұрын

​@@JoeandNicsRoadTripAny idea on how many blacks occupy this area?

Thanks for the video of Alligator. It is a trip back in time for me. My grandparents had a cotton farm there. They passed in 60 and 62. Still remember the road trips from Seattle in the 50s and first of the 60s for summer visits and when they died.

@cherrysmart3500

6 ай бұрын

What became of their land?

@johndavidson8153

6 ай бұрын

@@cherrysmart3500 my uncle moved back and farmed for a few years after my grandfather died. 2 yrs later grandma died and he only farmed about 5 more years then left around the first of the 70s and none of the siblings wanted it so it was abandoned. My aunt told me after the bridge was rebuilt in became a hunting club.

@shantaekjenkins7

4 ай бұрын

Cotton farm?

@DJLisha

4 ай бұрын

Your grandparents contributed to this issue bye John!

@justagamer1870

2 ай бұрын

Stop ​@@DJLisha

It amazes me, when watching these videos , the absence of people out and about. Growing up in the 80's we weren't from money but we were always outside . No one wanted to be stuck in a house , especially the young ones. I know todays different. Probably home playing video games or on the interwebs.

I do not know why the USA federal government having so much land and empty town; does not offer the urban poor and homeless opportunity to relocate and populate this areas

What a amazing portrait of these pockets of American towns, my heart breaks for all those gorgeous structures going derelict! Thank you for recording this moment in history

@chrishamilton1189

7 ай бұрын

I heard George Strait is from here

@ronclark9724

7 ай бұрын

@@chrishamilton1189 He Is from rural Texas south of San Antonio...

Someone mentioned a missed opportunity to interview a passerby. Honestly, I love your style of driving around & giving stats. You have a relaxing voice & these are really cool videos. I think you have a unique thing with these videos!!

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Wow, thank you!

@independentsistah

7 ай бұрын

I agree!

@pierrerochon7271

7 ай бұрын

YEP

@emobassist

7 ай бұрын

He even waved these small towns are always so tight knitt. Im willing to bet the happiness of this town is above average just from knowledge of living in a small community like this

Post apocalyptic was a good description. Amazing how few people were on the streets. So sad how this has happened to many of these type of towns, which were no doubt once thriving communities. Great video. Best wishes from the UK. 🤗

You have such a calm and interesting way of explaining... love it.

Thanks for letting me tag along It’s been interesting, I’m already looking forward to the next video. Safe travels, my friend!! 🌼

Joe you have such a lovely calming voice, a pleasure to listen to! Best wishes to you both from the UK!

I was born and raised in Helena and in the 1950’s and 1960’s it was a great place to live in. It was at one time a very wealthy town, as demonstrated by the old homes that you showcased. Helena and West Helena were separate towns with a combined population over 25,000. There was a Mohawk tire factory, a Bobbie Brooks clothing factory, a Doughboy swimming pool factory. Wages were high and the economy, much revenue derived from industry and agriculture, had a reasonably high standard of living. But the factories closed and as someone else indicated the mechanization of farming caused the severe downturn of the economy. And on another note, during those times the black and white people lived together with little racial tension. I wish that your tour had allowed some time to showcase the nicer parts of the town, for example the area around the Phillips county college of the University of Arkansas. And there are others.

@williamkelly6319

6 ай бұрын

I lived on Caney Creek from 1969 to 1973 then we moved to Texas. I missed it very much. Its a very beautiful place. You are right about the economics of the area. Take it easy.

@patbullard9276

6 ай бұрын

@@williamkelly6319 Thanks for your comment. I had already graduated from Central High during the years that you were there and was in the military. But I still have fond memories of my childhood there. And you’re right, it was a beautiful town.

@laralaralara7335

6 ай бұрын

❤

@laralaralara7335

6 ай бұрын

It appears totally empty now 😢

@patbullard9276

6 ай бұрын

@@laralaralara7335 It’s not he just highlights the worst parts of the towns that he visits.

Thank you for letting me take a ride with you! I appreciate your stats and the history of each town. I've never been in that part of the country before but was astounded by the poverty.

My first time seeing the place of my mother's birth! . I was born in Friars Point add my grandma's house, but moved as a baby. I grew up in Chicago. I'm not surprised by the poverty.

Unfortunately when small towns LOSE their major industry/business employer, another one doesn't pop up quickly like in major large cities, if not their suburbs. When that major job creator leaves, the small towns lose a significant percentage of their tax base with just the employees themselves. No jobs means workers leave. Not only is small town America hurting nationwide, some big cities are having difficulties when job creators close as well.. As FDR noted, the best social program is a JOB during the Depression...

@RockinCowgirl1000

5 ай бұрын

Totally agrer, but I noticed Helena, AR has a pretty busy grain elevator but it doesn't seem to be helping the town any. It looks worse than the towns in MS.

Enjoyed watching from Yorkshire England. Thank you

EXCELLENT series...I really enjoyed your series and analysis on the small Mississippi towns.

mesmerizing video, with the actual fall weather it makes it even more depressing seeing the state of decay of some of the streets/down towns. The numbers were also kind of insane. Thanks for the great video as always.

👍Well done Joe, for showing a humbled concern about poverty -- and with understated sincerity and surprised curiosity; and not by self-dramatizing an overreaction, or by virtual signalling a comfortable outrage, or by using the existence of the poor as a political weapon. A balanced guy👍

@cherienafo7676

7 ай бұрын

Australia// Absolutely my sentiments. Cheers, Cherie.

@johnshonder3750

7 ай бұрын

But what is the reason for such poverty? That goes strangely unmentioned. Could it be the legacy of the institution that brought these people’s ancestors to the US and forced them to work the land?

@CarsandCats

7 ай бұрын

Could it be that those who built the towns left long ago and those that remain have no interest in even maintaining what they inherited?@@johnshonder3750

@hilarybramley7529

7 ай бұрын

100% agree

@pierrerochon7271

7 ай бұрын

MR. LEE- I have severable debate focused questions- respect to you - do u see the existence of poverty in the USA as a POLITICAL WEAPON? Please define comfortable OUTRAGE? What is your party loyalty- a balanced guy? believe in small government? Maga? What is your economic status? Would enjoy debating these issues?

Fascinating videos! The story about the famous blues guitar players playing in this town was also great to hear!

This reminds me so much of my part of town where I grew up in Gary Indiana man it’s crazy how cities can go from the happiest place to the poorest and scariest I thank my Mother and Step Dad Loudly and greatly for working hard to get us out of there my mom and dad had to drive 45 min to another city just to work and save money to get us out crazy world we live in

I was paddling my canoe down the Mississippi River to New Orleans in 1989 and I stopped in Helena over Christmas and New Years. I made a few friends there and it was a busy and bustling town. The buildings that you showed downtown were all open and thriving businesses and there were even some nice restaurants and fast-food places in town. The streets had Christmas decorations and the town was a pretty and quaint place to live. It is so sad to see it now. I lost touch with my friends there around 2000, I don't know if they or any of their children still live there or are even alive.

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Wow!

Again I love your videos! Keep up the wonderful work!❤🎉

Good stuff, I like visiting small towns. Great stuff very informative!!

I am from England and watch your videos ... it really wakes me up and many like me that have this picture of everyone living in the perfect home surrounded by a white picket fence etc. Clearly from many of your videos Nic its completely not the case especially in these rural areas ... hard to take those figures on poverty ... Alligator seems so quite so few people around ... hard to believe it was once really alive and busy with people and shops open. I really enjoy your videos as they show the REAL America ... thanks for posting.

@lewisner

7 ай бұрын

But in the UK we are on the flip side. Stupidly high rents and house prices, taxes and food prices.

I drove from Memphis to Clarksdale and then from Clarksdale to Jackson, MS. There is a lot of rural poverty, but on the other hand the town of Cleveland and others like it seem to be prospering. There is a large hospital there and I think it is a major source of employment.

@fionadiazdalriada

7 ай бұрын

Yes, it is also a University town, which helps a great deal.

@kimleemoon

7 ай бұрын

You’re correct, the MS Delta is littered with poor rural towns. Cleveland has Delta State University and has always been the most prosperous & well maintained town in the area. Clarksdale used to be a close 2nd about 40 years ago but has since gone downhill

@peregrino9154

7 ай бұрын

Clarksdale is great. I love staying at the Shack Up Inn and going to listen to live blues at the blues clubs.

@fionadiazdalriada

7 ай бұрын

@@peregrino9154 I just back up to Memphis from North Texas. My business takes me into the Delta weekly. I have thought about buying a house either right outside Clarksdale in Lyon, or possibly Cleveland or Greenwood.

@floroma2820

7 ай бұрын

Seems to me all these towns are abandoned. They look haunted and not fit to live there. If another person doesn’t get you, then the zombies will. It looks scary. And lonely and sad.

I like that you usually find at least a thing or two nice to say about even the poorest towns.

You always had a way with words sis! I love your comment! ❤ Us city girls grew a true appreciation for this small town Alligator. I felt like it kept us humble to see the difference from city to country regularly. Our parents would send us to Alligator in the summertime with our elders, host of cousins, & childhood friends. I believe it gave us balance to our lives because we could separate & feel FREEEEE! We’d shuck corn, pick greens, clean fish, hang the clothes on the line, show the kids the dances we did back home (Milwaukee, WI) tell them about the city, etc. But to hear the statistics like this is very disheartening. Some of the most hospitable & loving folks I’ve ever known! 🐊 ❤

@tyonnabennett8195

6 ай бұрын

Lol aww thanks sis, I'm just now seeing this 🤣🥰

I love your videos. Information and Kindness.

I love your town tours. It’s like I’m riding right along with you. The history lessons are a plus! I’ll be waiting on rural Alabama and Tennessee. Like Nutbush, TN and Pineapple, AL

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

That’s the goal! Thank you!

@avalondreaming1433

7 ай бұрын

Would love to see Nutbush, home of Tina Turner.

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

I’ll work on it. I am a huge Tina Turner fan. 👍

I’ve been watching your channel for years now and I’ve never seen a struggling town as bad as Alligator, MS! That is devastating

@VictoriaMill-rg9cp

7 ай бұрын

Hello how are you doing?

@cmaggie5748

5 ай бұрын

Ought to see my po dunk town. The houses here look good yards are clean. Not like here

Wow. Thank you for sharing with us. This is so interesting & informative.

Love your videos. I would recommend you never stop making these until you run out of cities.

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

That's the plan! :)

Very sad and eye opening video ! Incredible poverty rates and I feel for people living there. Thanks as always Joe and Nic

@tsteinebach287

6 ай бұрын

Why? They have homes, not terrible traffic, no trash everywhere.

When I was in Helena, 22 years ago, it didn't look like that. In fact, some of the residential areas were idyllic. I even contemplated perhaps buying a home there when I retired. It was that nice. Also, it has some interesting Civil War history that involved U.S. Grant. And, some relationship with Iuka, Mississippi's Battle of Iuka. My great-grandfather fought in that battle and had part of his jaw blown off. I'm sorry to see this once great and beautiful Southern town go to hell.

@michaelscottcutler3627

7 ай бұрын

@@vinezero That's a shame. It really was a special place.

@seanjones2456

7 ай бұрын

@@vinezero Old white politicians have done far more damage than all the gangs put together. Vote blue in 24.

@BruceLee-fd7uw

6 ай бұрын

Well it's mostly black, so what do you expect 😅

@RealieP

2 ай бұрын

@@BruceLee-fd7uwmost of their families were probably getting off of their feet from the oppression of white people. What do you expect 😅

@bossladycashmere374

Ай бұрын

⁠@@BruceLee-fd7uwthat was so unnecessary, and you should have been raised much better. If you have children there’s no hope for them mentally either if you have a hand in raising them.

Wow. I live in Arkansas and had no idea Helena-West Helena is in this shape. It makes Pine Bluff look not so bad. One thing about these two towns and small city is there wasn't a lot of litter everywhere. That was good to see. I wanted you to go over the levee so I could see the river from ground level. Thanks for the tour.

Some places look nice 😊 Thankyou for your time today And have a nice day 😊 Massachusetts 😊

I grew up in Helena, AR. We used to go to Friars Point for partying. That was 40 plus years ago. It's not the same for sure. I moved away from Helena at 17 and never looked back. Cherry Street was the main drag in Helena. Drive around the statue up and down strip. Blues Festival was fun.

Nice work, thank you for showing us things we didn't even know about.

This is my fourth video I've watched of your content and it's actually really enjoyable. You're not promoting all this stupid adds and putting all these filters in with the annoying KZread music and stuff. It's just straight raw footage. It's so enjoyable so I subscribed. Thank you for your entertainment!

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Thank you! :)

A few years ago I traveled across the USA. We drove up from Mena, Arkansas towards Memphis, and I decided to cross the Mississippi at Helena, to say that we had visited the state of Mississippi. I thought we could get some groceries in Helena... 'Holy Cow' was my reaction also... So we drove across the Mississippi where we encountered some sobering tornado damage. All together a very sad area yet somehow very fascinating.

@JustineWord

4 ай бұрын

ALL grocery stores & Walmart are in West Helena.

@merlijnwiersma7801

4 ай бұрын

@@JustineWordThat's exactly what we discovered, too. 😅But since we came through West-Helena already and my motto is 'backtracking is not an option' (not always a good motto ...) we just crossed the river into Mississippi. And since that corner of the state isn't the most busy place either, we ended up shopping in Memphis...😑

Thanks for these astonishing images and facts about the US in general; you would easily make a better reporter than any other census bureau agent out there: you are an innate filmmaker, and I appreciate and enjoy your great imagery and investigative travels. You remind me of myself, once upon a time! Bravo! Your fan from Hawaii. Aloha!

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Wow, thank you!

An interesting video, as always. Some shocking statistics, very eye-opening. It was so sad seeing that beautiful old church in Helena slowly disappearing, and the many beautiful old homes and buildings downtown sitting empty. Thank you so much for showing us around, Joe. 😊💚

@johnlocke6506

7 ай бұрын

Regarding the church - The Lord shall provide - not!

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Thanks, CL!!

@heatherfulmore3412

7 ай бұрын

Wow

@heatherfulmore3412

7 ай бұрын

The road almost look as of they are unpaved. Some of these people in the place might not have any transportation to even go to work

I do love America. Thank you for the informative video 🎉

My favorite sign too see going to my family's hometown, because I don't have long to get to my peaceful place. I enjoyed all my summers in the Delta and still go once a year.❤

Another great video covering things I’m not going to hear or see on other travel videos. Tough places to live sure enough. Stark bleak desperation breeding violence. It’s a rough world out there. But like you i like places dealing with the river. Great job Joe and as usual love the stats. Thanks for the ride along. Keep traveling I’ll keep watching one last thought. Is it possible that some of the abandoned buildings could have been damage from tornados or flooding and just never fixed back up either because of money or just someone wanting to get away and not deal with it again. Just me thinking out loud. Safe travels my friend.

@daviddecelles8714

7 ай бұрын

No "breeding violence" in Alligator and Friars Point. Statistically almost non-existent. Belies the bromide that poverty and violence go hand in hand.

Superb video as always mate… As a Brit it always amazes me at some of the abject poverty in these rural towns… 👏👏👍🇺🇸🇬🇧

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

Blessing my brother love what you doing keeping we enlightening loving it ❤blessing

Being from The Netherlands I really like these video's , I can never come tour the US but this is a great alternative Thank you

I would definitely be intrigued by a town named Alligator. I like the old U-Haul and the triangle house. Love the view of the Mississippi on the way into Arkansas. I wish I could have seen Helena’s down down during good times. Some gorgeous home in Helena! Appreciate the great vlog!

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Thanks, Alexandra!

@jamesadams2334

7 ай бұрын

Helena looked like a thriving beautiful town in1989. The downtown was all open businesses, there were even fast-food places in town. People walking the street, it was friendly and peaceful. BTW, Conway Twitty's family moved there because his father had taken the job of running the ferry back and forth across the river.

@alexandralovesgoats3360

7 ай бұрын

@@jamesadams2334 Appreciate you’re reply!

Another great video. It is such a shame to see people having to live in such poverty and blight. I have seen som sad towns in Oklahoma, but nothing compared to these. Will be looking forward to the next video. Until then stay safe and God bless. Steve in Oklahoma

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Thanks, Steve!

I just found your channel . I love all the facts you mention in this video 🤩 so interesting and informative. I subscribed . I’m looking forward to watching more of your vids . Thanks

@JoeandNicsRoadTrip

7 ай бұрын

Welcome!!

You do an excellent job making these videos. Thank you

@VictoriaMill-rg9cp

7 ай бұрын

Hello how are you doing?

What? No dollar stores? Really sad 2 c these towns in bad shape. Thanks 4 the vid. Stay safe out there.

@annedebthune3084

7 ай бұрын

No dolla store is a bad sign,

Fascinating: the America most Americans don't see!! I like watching your enlightening videos!!

i wish i could go with you on these adventures!! id love to see these places in person, thanks for the cool video

I'm from MS and all these MS travel videos make me home sick no matter how much poverty they show. I might move back there but have absolutely no family left there, or job prospects. It's like looking at an old village thats all underwater now. The only things left there are memories, no space for building a future.

@ryancorroll4667

7 ай бұрын

I get u that's Ur home, all Ur best memories r fm there

@ryancorroll4667

7 ай бұрын

Watching that stupid vid I noticed loads of opportunities 4 growth Nd happiness in gator, I know I'd luv 2 improve my old community

@maggieking6619

6 ай бұрын

Come back when you retire, there is no future here. My 27 yo daughter is finally giving up. She said I've outgrown Mississippi and there's no future for me. WSe gave our blessing though it kills me.

@dakari8068

19 күн бұрын

That state is cursed all the wrongdoings of the past Mississippi has never been a decent state for EVERYONE.

Thank you so much for your great videos! I have followed you from the beginning of your travels around the US and you keep getting better and better! But here is a tip that might be of use. Median is not average. A few million dollar houses do not necessarily raise the median home value in a town. Of course it would raise the average house value.

@VictoriaMill-rg9cp

7 ай бұрын

Hello how are you doing?

This was an interesting town. And it was scary what the average person lives on. Even with a paid off house, I don't think I could live on that. It makes me think of the classic book "To Kill a Mockingbird" in which the author notes that nobody knew how poor they were. I do have to congratulate Alligator on one thing: towns that size where I live don't have paved streets. Narrow as they were, Alligator did have paved streets!

@dawnklug6986

7 ай бұрын

My income is pretty close to 15k in Florida and a paid off 43 year old MH and acre.......quadriplegic. I understand what living below the povert line is. But as you qouted from TKAMB........many of us here don't know we're poor,.... but just keep on living the best we can.

@SantaFishes101

7 ай бұрын

yup...disabled and this is automatically your life :( @@dawnklug6986

@samsam-ko3fp

7 ай бұрын

And these corporations are sending jobs to Mexico and the government helping illegals.

@libertyhawkins875

6 ай бұрын

I’m sure most are on benefits

@maggieking6619

6 ай бұрын

My daughter says now, "I didn't know we were poor cuz most of my friends were" But we were so rich in other ways. Living on the bayou, she grew up swimming, fishing, camping, and plenty of friends. We were demolished by Katrina then BP but we are people of resilience. Wish our leaders would expand Medicaid to help these kids.

Your trips are so interesting! TY for sharing!

This is truly heartbreaking 💔 so many people living in poverty in the American 🇺🇸 but yet sending billions to other countries make this make sense 🤦🏻‍♀️ the United States need to start helping our people and families first.

Lots of crime goes unreported...especially in small towns. Often in really small towns they don't even have a local police department to call. Besides that they often know everyone and know who did them wrong...but if they were to get some distant authorities involved the perp would likely just get a slap on the wrist and return and give you more that just a slap for turning them in.

@glendabreece9767

7 ай бұрын

Explain better

@maysonstorm4956

6 ай бұрын

Most of the crimes in small times like this are petty crimes. They usually don't get reported because the victim usually knows the culprit so the crime usually gets handled face to face. Fighting in public is usually the number one crime in these towns followed by burglaries.

@richardcoronado4081

6 ай бұрын

Towns like this with no police dept usually rely on the county sheriff's dept.

@rtre870

6 ай бұрын

This guy knows what he's talking about, police nowadays are worthless, crime rates only tell half the story

@mariekatherine5238

5 ай бұрын

Really! Only 250 in a town? I can see why crime is low. Identifying the perps is easy when everyone knows each other and good number of them are kinfolks. 📺 🏃🏾 🏠🚶🏿‍♂️---“Hey! Unc’l Bill, what you mean by stealing my tv?”

Saddened to see such a poor town in America. Joe, thanks for another admirable job and video!

The roads are just amazing

Love your tours of small towns thx. I often wonder that poorer people living onthe street in big cities don't pack up and try their luck in a small town like the ones here.

These folks are not in the middle of nowhere. They are exactly in the place that THEY live. I’m willing to state that I believe they live and love as well as most and better than some.

@samolevski1119

7 ай бұрын

Shame we never get interviews with residents in these types of videos, and find out first hand how happy and content they are.

@jessicadalton2159

7 ай бұрын

Driving through town and reading off statistics doesn’t really tell you much. Being from Mississippi I often go through the Delta to travel and stop and talk to anybody that’s out and about. These are some of the best people in the world and will give you everything, even though they have nothing.

@kingfish9912

7 ай бұрын

He's a critic. He forgot the crime rate is probably the lowest in the country. So what's his point? If you're not offering a solution or even willing to stop and meet anyone.

@macfou144

7 ай бұрын

Nope they just for drugs and have sex

Great video!! Appreciate this so much!!

That low crime rate just goes to show that poverty isn’t the motivation for crime. You raise your kids right and teach them to respect others, and you can be a dirt poor single mom, and still have kids that stay out of trouble. Good for that town for raising good kids.

Hey Joe, been watching your channel for years. I do have to point out that a lot of these towns have people who work "under the table" and get paid in cash so a lot pf these annual incomes are off but you are correct, these places are quite poor

@indianaslim4971

7 ай бұрын

100% correct, every time Joe says wow that's a lot of junk I see it as a cash only business, I spotted at least three in this video, the guy with all the pickups is the local mechanic and used car lot, there was the appliance repairman yard, the guy with the tractor with the box blade surely has a brush hog also. The statistics only include what's reported to the government and the less reported, the more aid a person is able to get, same goes for the marriage and head of household stats, why get married if it's going to lessen the amount of aid?

@PastorChrisRN

7 ай бұрын

Add to that fact the reality that a lot of people will barter services to keep their costs down.

Enjoy the unbiased view of these small towns. Many of the other KZread creators interject their tribal politics.

@stephaniepersin4222

7 ай бұрын

It’s a damn shame that children and seniors live in poverty. If it’s political, so f*cking what?

@qwerty1131

7 ай бұрын

It’s not about politics but demographics. Look at who makes up the majority of the population here.

@JohnLockesReflection

7 ай бұрын

@@qwerty1131 This👍

@hilarybramley7529

7 ай бұрын

I absolutely agree with you

@shon2370

7 ай бұрын

Their all in the alligator infested water. I can just imagine all the bones in that waters foundation

Excellent Exploration as ever! Really done nicely

Look how neat and tidy it is😮 Wow hats of too them😊

Never ceases to amaze me that you have palatial houses that could be decribed as mansions on the same street as a collapsed shack.

@bradrock7731

7 ай бұрын

There are many benefits to building / living where there are no codes. zoning, permits , inspections, etc. You can build a fine house for much less without the government in your pocket. And with folks who work from home on the internet, you can live anywhere nowdays. Taxes are next to nothing in these areas. It's this way where I live & I just put the blinders on when driving past a few places.

@carolinegray7510

7 ай бұрын

Yeah. Take a look at Taos, N.M.!

Aww heck Joe, Who amongst us do you think didnt want to see that Alligator infested lake?

@TinkerTailor4303

7 ай бұрын

With that many, surprised we didn't see them roaming the streets!

My mom is from Vicksburg, MS and I am so grateful for what I’ve been blessed with.

😢 Thank you for the video and story of history lesson thanks for taking us along with you guys! Just found your channel and this is my first video watch!

Hello everyone from every continent I enjoy Joe and Nick Show from South Africa

@DUMPSTERDIVINGADELAIDE

7 ай бұрын

Hello from Australia 😊

@HaveKayaksWillTravel

7 ай бұрын

Hello from Texas

@zoidmo3388

7 ай бұрын

Hello from a Canadian.

Thanks for mentioning the Blues connection to Alligator, passing on this kind of history is important and makes a connection to real Americans past.

I'm from Indonesia and I love watching your videos

The last 5 minutes were just plain sad😕. Good content guyz👍

I am amazed that those towns have some to such disrepair and emptiness. I would not have believed the USA could let it happen like that. Thanks for sharing and safe travels.