Cairo
State: Illinois
County: Alexander County
Founded: 1837
Peak Population: 15,203
Cairo (pronounced KAY-ro) was 'America's future'—Mark Twain called it 'a grave.' At the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi, it boomed to 15,000 people. Racial violence, floods, and economic collapse dropped it to under 2,000. Hundreds of Victorian buildings stand empty.
Quick Facts
- Pronounced 'KAY-ro' not like the Egyptian city
- Mark Twain and Charles Dickens both wrote about it
- Grant launched Civil War campaigns from here
- Lost 88% of its peak population
Location
Address: Alexander County, Illinois
Coordinates: 37.0053, -89.1764