The Right ARMPIT of Illinois | Danville

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  • čas přidán 20. 06. 2024
  • Danville most certainly is the right armpit of Illinois. The city might be the most economically depressed city in the state. It's continued to be one of the fastest shrinking cities in not only Illinois, but in the entire country. In this video I tell you about how Danville was able to grow to be the size that it was, along with all of the factory closures over the years that has helped make the city what it is today: An urban blight mecca.
    0;00 - 17:25 A Mostly Dead Downtown / Current Issues
    17:25 - 19:35 Last days of the Village Mall
    19:35 - 33:36 More of today's issues in Danville / Ugly east side
    33:36 - 40:57 The worst part of town
    40:57 - 50:53 Vermilion Street & The towns history
    50:53 - 55:09 Chris's Livability Score
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Komentáře • 204

  • @ChrisHarden
    @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny +8

    See more of what Danville looks like here: - There's A LOT of abandoned stuff to see in this one. czcams.com/video/feoBFbWcTFk/video.html
    Armpit Cities Playlist: czcams.com/play/PLkAKbwTlGHeKiBMIC2RcftN5mUGrzp4VO.html
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    USA Small Cities Playlist: czcams.com/play/PLkAKbwTlGHeKtFmPCMocWgfnB7jOr5M1Q.html
    Help me grow my other channels!
    Chris Harden's Travel Archives: www.youtube.com/@chrishardenarchives
    Nostalgia Tours Radio: www.youtube.com/@Nostalgiatoursradio
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    DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. As an Amazon Associate I do earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. As always, thank you for supporting my channel!

  • @somerandomvertebrate9262
    @somerandomvertebrate9262 Před 6 dny +21

    A city like this doesn't need a boardwalk. It needs manufacturing and industry.

  • @michellelewis6247
    @michellelewis6247 Před 7 dny +23

    I grew up in Danville. It was starting to go downhill when I was a teen in the 1980s. It's only gotten worse; sad to see my hometown take such a nosedive...

    • @MikeB3542
      @MikeB3542 Před 6 dny

      Danville really took a hit when Wyman Gordon and GM closed their plants...they were bleeding off workers all through the 1980s and shut down for good in the 1990s. Nothing left but the prison and VA hospital.

  • @rahuliyer7456
    @rahuliyer7456 Před 5 dny +9

    From 1979 to 1987, Mom, Dad, my sister and I lived in Danville... Shorewood Point on the North Side. Mom and Dad were MDs in this town. In 1987 we moved away to Virginia, then New York, then to Dixon IL.
    As I write this, I am a resident of metro Phoenix AZ...for the last 14 years.
    Danville has seen better days. Perhaps the best way forward in this post industrial landscape it to start figuring out how to attract a technology mindset....like a data center.
    I have always said that Illinois is a high tax and business unfriendly state. This is part of why I left. The people that run all levels of government need to start thinking "about the economy stupid!"

  • @netbucks
    @netbucks Před 7 dny +10

    Another good video Chris! I grew up in West Lafayette, Indiana--back in the 60's Danville and Lafayette were virtual mirror images. Now Danville is a ghost town and Lafayette is a bustling, growing city with gleaming new factories and high tech research and development labs spun off from Purdue University. Keep up the good work--I never miss your videos!

    • @Bonzi_Buddy
      @Bonzi_Buddy Před 7 dny

      A mexican bakery too.

    • @MikeB3542
      @MikeB3542 Před 2 dny

      The key to West Lafayette's success is having Purdue in town. It's why Champaign-Urbana is relatively prosperous compared to neighbors Decatur and Danville...the University is both a large industry unto itself, and access to research and educated workers pulls in industry.
      Danville really depended on GM and, to a lesser degree, Wyman-Gordon Forge. (Arguably, the closing of Wyman-Gordon was what tanked Harvey, Illinois).

  • @paulp9050
    @paulp9050 Před 6 dny +7

    Baseball Hall of Fame member Robin Yount is from Danville and should of ben mention.
    He is the only player ever to win the MVP award twice playing two different positions of SS and OF.

  • @sunsetcaptiva8573
    @sunsetcaptiva8573 Před 7 dny +7

    Really like the evolution of your videos, all of the newer tweaks have been excellent choices / additions.

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny +7

      Thanks, if I’m not getting better after every video then I’m not doing it right

  • @TomMcBoston
    @TomMcBoston Před 7 dny +8

    Amazing the number of celebrities who were born and raised in Danville.

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny +3

      I know right?

    • @dreed7312
      @dreed7312 Před 6 dny

      Was Bobby Short on that mural? I'd have to replay it to see.

  • @kendalson7100
    @kendalson7100 Před 7 dny +12

    Downtown doesn't look too bad. At least it looks neat and clean. I've been much worse places than Danville. Don't know how well a casino in an area with high unemployment will do.

  • @siphomogale779
    @siphomogale779 Před 7 dny +8

    Chris you explain clearly hence I enjoy your show

  • @sunsetcaptiva8573
    @sunsetcaptiva8573 Před 7 dny +11

    Thanks! A donation to the Hill-Jack Mountain Dew fund! You deserve so many more subscribers and views

  • @kennybubash3278
    @kennybubash3278 Před 7 dny +5

    Another fantastic video. The historic facts are mind boggling. I’m looking forward to the next video

  • @billj1836
    @billj1836 Před 7 dny +21

    I live in Chicago and spent a lot of time in Danville in 60s+70s. Was real nice and laid back compared to Chicago. Then the demographics changed and that started the end. Last there in 2012. Looked bad and dangerous then. Now I feel safer in Chicago and that's unbelievable. Sad the way a small percent of people can ruin an town, large or small just with drugs and crime. All unpunished.

    • @bettykelly7565
      @bettykelly7565 Před 3 dny +1

      The fact that all the jobs left has nothing to do with it ,right?

  • @user-ys6nw5ju9j
    @user-ys6nw5ju9j Před 7 dny +8

    80 percent occupancy rate must be related to Dalton Mayor

  • @rachellynn1507
    @rachellynn1507 Před 7 dny +4

    17:26 When it comes to malls, It's NEVER a good sign to see a Cititrends store at a "thriving" mall‼️

  • @michaelmathes1991
    @michaelmathes1991 Před 7 dny +33

    A big part of the problem is when they tore down the housing projects in Chicago they moved to Danville.

    • @berniemarkley
      @berniemarkley Před 7 dny +12

      True! Section 8 housing in Danvile has helped in its demise

    • @slrobinson
      @slrobinson Před 7 dny +1

      what?

    • @shelbyz1974
      @shelbyz1974 Před 7 dny +5

      That's all the suburbs. It started happening in the 90's.

    • @michaelmathes1991
      @michaelmathes1991 Před 7 dny +4

      @@shelbyz1974 Your right but Danville got hit hard. The northern suburbs by the lake got little to none at all.

    • @bonzocleach2496
      @bonzocleach2496 Před 7 dny +6

      @@michaelmathes1991 The wealthy north shore burbs didn't get any; but North Chicago, Waukegan, and Zion got plenty.

  • @Phil00484
    @Phil00484 Před 6 dny +3

    Kickapoo State Park has a great MTB trail system thanks to local volunteers. Worth a visit.

  • @paulj6756
    @paulj6756 Před 7 dny +5

    A few years ago, Danville had a fairly successful hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League: the Danville Dashers. For some reason they were replaced by a team in the Southern Professional Hockey Leagues -- the Vermilion County Bobcats. Just a couple of months into the season they were scheduled to play the team from the Quad Cities. There was a post game skate scheduled too. Well the fans showed up, the stadium staff showed up, the Quad Cities team showed up, the line-ups announced, and Quad Cities lined up for the National Anthem. Quess who didn't show up? The Bobcats! They went out of business without telling anyone.
    So the Quad Cities team treated the fans to their post-game skate!

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny

      Ha wow. Had to look them up. That was 2021?!? Hard to imagine Danville being able to support any kind of minor league team.

    • @paulj6756
      @paulj6756 Před 7 dny +1

      @@ChrisHarden Both the FPHL and SPHL are very low level hockey leagues. They pay their players next to nothing. Neither league has player development contracts with the NHL.

  • @laurafoote214
    @laurafoote214 Před 7 dny +3

    thank you for the video, i've never made it down to Danville.

  • @RivermanTV-
    @RivermanTV- Před 7 dny +4

    I grew up in Danville and still visit the area to spend time with family and work as fishing guide on the Middle Form Vermilion River which is Illinois' only National Scenic River. It's located in Kickapoo State Park which is a gem just outside of town and isn't far from Kennekuk County Park, another great place. Those are definitely bright spots in the area.
    At about the the 48 minute mark you state that business continue to close along the business corridor which is technically true. However, by and large, much more business has been added to that part of town over the last 5 years than lost. Some of it not being due to lack of business, rather corporate decisions influenced by venture capital or private equity which continues to kill aspects of our economy all over the country.
    Anyways, I know your theme is doom and gloom, but there are some really nice and normal middle class areas in Danville not shown in the video and the city really isn't as bad as it's chalked up to be and has some unique characteristics to it. There are definitely more blighted areas in the state with nothing to offer their residents.

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny +2

      Hmm. I showed some really nice homes along Vermilion St heading up to the area that you’re speaking of. Maybe you didn’t catch that part of the video. I’ll be showing more of the area that you’re speaking of in the 2nd video. I agree that Kickapoo State Park is a bright spot of the area.
      I also find it extremely hard to believe that there’s been more business growth than decline in that corridor over the last 5 years. I saw 2 store closing signs when I was there. One was a music store.
      The places that have closed absolutely have done so due to a lack of business. Otherwise they wouldn’t have closed their Danville location. If their Danville location was profitable, then they would’ve continued to operate in Danville.
      I know of many cities of Danville’s size that share similar problems (a declining 30k population or so) that have a much, MUCH larger selection of stores and restaurants in town.
      - My theme isn’t doom and gloom. My theme is truth telling. Some people don’t like it. Thats ok with me.

    • @RivermanTV-
      @RivermanTV- Před 7 dny +1

      @@ChrisHarden you drove by no less than 5 businesses that have been built in the last two years and some that are currently being built. The entire development around Meijer has sprung up in the last couple years with some stores being added in the last year alone. I'm not sure that suggests declining business on the whole.
      The music store that's closing is a family business that's been around for a long time. The available press states that the owner is 80 and she thinks "it's time." While I'm sure business has slowed, I wouldn't find it hard to believe that they're retiring and selling the property. Red Lobster, as another example of a closing business, was one of 120 other stores that were closed. The current owner, Golden Gate Capital, sold the land from beneath the stores and began renting it back to the restaurant at a rate of 12,000 USD per month. So according to private equity, the store was all of a sudden not making enough for corporate to keep it open. Don't you have to ask whether or not that's an absolute decline in business or a decision to benefit private equity that comes at the cost of stores that were profitable for the previous 20 years, even during the midst of a financial crisis?
      I did catch that portion of the video with the nicer homes. I just wanted to add there's good amount of that that I am sure is hard to include in a video.
      And respectfully, I've driven up and down Vermilion probably hundreds more times than you in the last 5 years. I can attest that, even if hard to believe, more has been gained recently than lost. I wouldn't call them hugely beneficial businesses to the local economy, but it's better than nothing.

  • @Squatch_Rider66
    @Squatch_Rider66 Před 7 dny +9

    Same story as a hundred other Illinois towns. Destroyed by state government policies that drive business to more accommodative locations.

    • @kennetho5393
      @kennetho5393 Před 6 dny +4

      Hey now, we're progressive and darn proud of it. So proud the population is declining every year and more and more businesses pack up and leave.

    • @jays1079
      @jays1079 Před 5 dny +1

      Let's get real here. Businesses and corporations have screwed over the entire country, not just blue states. And when they move out of blue states to move to red states, it's again the business or corporation screwing over the workers with lower pay and screwing over cities by getting tax breaks.

    • @69eddieD
      @69eddieD Před 2 dny

      Taxes destroyed communities close to the state borders. There's no reason to shop in Illinois when you can drive right down the block and pay way less tax. For that matter, there's no reason to live in Illinois when you can move right down the block and pay a third of the property tax you were paying in Illinois.
      But Illinois got revenge! Everybody from Indiana and Wisconsin comes here to visit our dispensaries. When I saw Danville (1980) it was about as redneck as a town could be. A townie told me I better have my hippy ass out of town by sundown. Now you can buy pot there legally. Mind blowing!

  • @shelbyz1974
    @shelbyz1974 Před 7 dny +2

    Thank you for the video Chris! It's good to see some previous residents of Danville helping with rehab costs of the theatre. Not sure whether the town will ever revitalize to what it once was, especially with the high taxes and everyone leaving the state. Can't wait to see your other videos you have coming from IL!❤

  • @yourroyalhighness7662
    @yourroyalhighness7662 Před 7 dny +6

    For the record, Dick Van Dyke was not born in Danville, Illinois but he did go to High School there.
    Dick was born in West Plains, Missouri.
    I make this distinction because many people refer to one’s hometown as the one that person was born in.

    • @loopyloo788
      @loopyloo788 Před 7 dny +1

      I think the same applies to Gene Hackman. I believe he was born in California.

    • @chrisbartolini1508
      @chrisbartolini1508 Před 7 dny

      Which is weird since we have “birthplace” as a word to describe what you’re talking about

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny +2

      Same with Eminem and Detroit. Nobody associates Eminem with where he was born… St. Joseph, Missouri.

    • @yourroyalhighness7662
      @yourroyalhighness7662 Před 7 dny

      @@ChrisHarden I hear what you are saying but lots of people refer to their hometown as the place they were born.
      Of course, many may NOT do this if they spent their formative years somewhere else.
      I guess it depends on the individual.

    • @UserName-ts3sp
      @UserName-ts3sp Před 6 dny +1

      i think hometown is where you grew up mainly… by that logic id call danville his hometown

  • @berniemarkley
    @berniemarkley Před 7 dny +4

    If Scott Isenhauer still lives in Danville, he must be crazy! I knew him when he worked for WGFA radio in Watseka. I don't know how he remained mayor for so long. Having lived between Danville and Kankakee for 60 years and to see the continued deterioration of these two cities and the state, as a whole, is alarming. I moved out of IL in 2016 due to the reasons you state in this video. Extremely sad!!

    • @allamar9083
      @allamar9083 Před 5 dny

      Scott ,was the ONLY mayor that ever called us back. Ever ,,in 38 years. Everyone else is too busy after they are elected. So there’s that. He got screwed by the Clowns who actually run the Mayor.

  • @vince8436
    @vince8436 Před 7 dny +5

    The 70s early 80s were great here. Then everything changed. Haven't lived there since early 80s.

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny

      That’s too bad

    • @vince8436
      @vince8436 Před 7 dny

      @@ChrisHarden Yes it is. I would like to retire to a town about that size that is still nice enough it not over priced for retirement.

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 6 dny +1

      @@vince8436Columbus, Indiana. Bigger than Danville now by nearly twice the size. Plenty of affordable living options and as nice of a “small city” in the Midwest that you’ll find.

    • @vince8436
      @vince8436 Před 6 dny +1

      @@ChrisHarden Thank You. I have driven past there many times in the past when I traveled from my Florida home to Danville to visit friends who still lived there. Last visit 2010. I will check out co!umbus maybe visit next summer.
      Keep up y
      The great work, I am subscribed and believe I have watched most of not all of your videos.
      Thank You.

  • @reply_guy
    @reply_guy Před 6 dny +4

    Now THIS is actual reporting. Fake News could use a lesson.

  • @jetsons101
    @jetsons101 Před 7 dny +3

    Chris, when you were driving around Main Street and even some of the other streets there seems to be a lack of graffiti -- that's a good thing....

  • @careywilliamson4709
    @careywilliamson4709 Před 3 dny

    We used to drive through Danville on our trips from Hammond IN to Central Illinois on Route 1. Our excitement of Danville was the Big Indian and Tin man outside of a heat and air company

  • @playboyx8856
    @playboyx8856 Před 7 dny +8

    Danville where ppl in Chicago go when they become homeless or on the run for a crime back in the day😂

  • @dreed7312
    @dreed7312 Před 6 dny +1

    Heartbreaking.I left in 1969. Went back once to bury my grandmother. You drove right past Abe Lincolns law office several times without mentioning it lol. Not that it matters. Many buildings are so old that I remember them. I wish you'd called out the streets as you drove down them though. I think I knew where you were but wadn't certain. My mom knew all of those celebrities, dated one of them, our home was right down the street. This is a bittersweet memory lane for some of us.

  • @joannunemaker6332
    @joannunemaker6332 Před 7 dny +3

    I enjoyed this video. 😊❤

  • @kire115
    @kire115 Před 7 dny +1

    Thanks for sharing Danville. I’ll now be buying a lake house on Lake Vermillion. Good livin!

  • @user-eu6cd9pt2z
    @user-eu6cd9pt2z Před 6 dny +5

    It's a shame to see Danville has declined so much. I went to Navy weather school at Chanute Air Force Base in 1985. We used to go to Danville on weekends when we didn't want to deal with the frat boys in Champaigne. It was still a nice town back then. They had some pretty girls too!

  • @Dee-7414
    @Dee-7414 Před 7 dny +3

    Please, if you could do one on Waukegan.if you're ever in that Township.

  • @erictorow250
    @erictorow250 Před 7 dny +3

    Other than that your videos are amazing as always 😊

  • @craignovy2090
    @craignovy2090 Před 6 dny +1

    Another gem of a production with peerless expert fact filled narration, surface video that feels like being in the vehicle, spectacular drone work, an extremely creative way to show old coal mines (check it out) with spot on when needed background music. Whether the town/city be rich or poor, big or small, cross country and or scenic tours the viewer will be informed and entertained.

  • @stevecarr32
    @stevecarr32 Před 2 dny

    46:03 Point of clarification: The GM plant was not actually in Danville. It's site was located in the neighboring town of Tilton. Municipal property taxes would have been paid to Tilton rather than Danville.

  • @thehappyhermit01
    @thehappyhermit01 Před 7 dny +4

    Pat, I'd like to solve the puzzle.

  • @Drewzer154
    @Drewzer154 Před 6 dny +1

    My dad used to travel there during the mid 80s when he worked for EDS.

  • @thehappyhermit01
    @thehappyhermit01 Před 7 dny +10

    Back in the late 60's, I had a cousin who was driving thru Danville one night. All of a sudden, a brick comes thru his windshield, but like the dummy he was, he stopped the car and "they" proceeded to drag him out and beat the tar out of him.

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny +2

      These days in Danville you might have a brick come through your windshield if you’re driving WB on East Main past Vermilion. For a different reason though.

    • @swannoir7949
      @swannoir7949 Před 7 dny

      "They" weren't in Danville in the 60s.

    • @thehappyhermit01
      @thehappyhermit01 Před 6 dny

      @@swannoir7949 These were. As a kid growing up, we lived about 50 miles away. I think the year that happened was 1967.

  • @clashwithneo
    @clashwithneo Před 6 dny +2

    Can you do one on Watseka IL?

  • @markstein9254
    @markstein9254 Před 6 dny +6

    The cost of shipping jobs Taiwan and China for 50 yrs . We have 16% mfg base in the GNP we are done thanks leaders

  • @FelixzWrath82
    @FelixzWrath82 Před 6 dny +1

    If you want a good town to do, I suggest Hopkins park illinois and surrounding pembroke township in illinois. It's worse then ford heights.

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 6 dny

      Did a while back. czcams.com/video/Okb0zaEgzq4/video.html

  • @robinrussell7965
    @robinrussell7965 Před 5 dny +1

    I was shocked to find out that Danville, CA is an upscale suburb.

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 5 dny

      Danville, Indiana is only a little bit over an hour east of Danville, Illinois. For a long time Indiana's Danville was just a small rural town. Now it resembles some of the more upscale Indianapolis suburbs.

    • @IAMHERE486
      @IAMHERE486 Před 5 dny

      Danville, CA is very nice and wealthy.

  • @ChadQuick270W
    @ChadQuick270W Před 6 dny +1

    Danville, IL is a great place to watch trains (if one is so inclined). Outside of that I can’t think of much else there.

  • @davidnemsick2200
    @davidnemsick2200 Před 7 dny +1

    The buildings look like there in good shape.

  • @jasonhsu4711
    @jasonhsu4711 Před 6 dny +3

    A casino for Danville? The proliferation of gambling casinos since the 1990s reminds me of the alternate 1985 in _Back To The Future 2_ . Exactly how is it a good idea to make it more convenient for poor people to gamble away all their money? Or is there a secret plan to convince hordes of wealthy gamblers to visit the Danville casino instead of the casinos in Las Vegas?

  • @kinggamerz2838
    @kinggamerz2838 Před 3 dny

    I lived here as a kid and man it was depressing we lived right by a cornfield

  • @jetsons101
    @jetsons101 Před 7 dny +1

    Funny: The image of the sky at 2:26 looks like the wallpaper in Andy's bedroom in the first Toy Story......

  • @jetsons101
    @jetsons101 Před 7 dny +9

    You have a depressed area, loss of jobs, a poor infrastructure and you put in a
    Casino ???
    Who's bright idea was that ??? Try some job training and work on bringing jobs back.....

    • @UserName-ts3sp
      @UserName-ts3sp Před 6 dny +1

      a casino will at least bring in some tourist revenue and create a few jobs. if you’re a border town like danville is… use it to your advantage

    • @jetsons101
      @jetsons101 Před 4 dny +2

      @@UserName-ts3sp Misery always seem to follow gambling.

  • @The1stClassVillain
    @The1stClassVillain Před 6 dny +1

    Are you revisiting small towns you did videos on before? You have a older Danville video

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 6 dny

      I’ll remake videos on a few here and there but I’m not going to redo a lot of them.

  • @6300As
    @6300As Před 6 dny

    I used to go to Danville alot in the 90s early 00s it was already heading down to a bad time I recall the closest store would be the county market but was peaceful but now it's downhill sad I spent alot a time there

  • @GG-bl9xt
    @GG-bl9xt Před 6 dny +1

    can you do Charelston/Mantoon Illinois soon please?

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 6 dny +1

      Did a video on both a while back.

    • @GG-bl9xt
      @GG-bl9xt Před 6 dny

      @@ChrisHarden ok. I will try to find it. Thanks

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 5 dny

      Charleston: czcams.com/video/vscXFNOlzjk/video.htmlsi=pUZJbrFKnyr9XtrE
      Mattoon: czcams.com/video/TQ2Ms1FOhV0/video.htmlsi=L0tG3oHsOZ0q-Cig

  • @DasDutchman56
    @DasDutchman56 Před 7 dny +2

    Thank your Governor for the Decline of Ill Annoy. I'm glad I left in 2015 !

  • @ronaldhall2489
    @ronaldhall2489 Před dnem

    I will say it does look nice and clean

  • @ChipWoods-bp3ex
    @ChipWoods-bp3ex Před 5 dny

    I used to visit Quaker and Bunge before I retired.

  • @owenriggs8518
    @owenriggs8518 Před 2 dny +2

    Quaker Oats left because of the less than motivated employee base. Productivity was an issue that almost close the plant back in 2000 when POS governor George Ryan threw a Hail Mary and somehow convinced Quaker Oats to stay. They only stayed as long as they did to fulfill their nationwide minority quotas. Their turnover was another reason as this facility had the highest training costs of any Quaker plant. The last reason was the Union. No surprise there.

  • @TheShafe13
    @TheShafe13 Před 7 dny +1

    U should def go back and redo all the cities u did in the beginning years and u should do my home town Joliet and make sure to compare the Eastside to the Westside if u ever do come here!

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny +3

      Not redoing all of them. Only will redo a few here and there. The goal is still to go everywhere. Don’t want to be on an endless loop of re-filming the same cities over and over. That wouldn’t be fun.
      A video of Joliet is on the radar.

  • @steveburlo8010
    @steveburlo8010 Před 6 dny +1

    Blame the taxes, but on a good note. You passed my old employer in video Courtesy Ford.. yes they have a dealership in Crystal lake, IL..

  • @pizzaearthpancakesandother2549

    It's important to note the French origin of Dan Ville.
    In FACT the word Ville is a French term for Village which means if Dan Ville was NOT French it would be called Dan Village or just Dan, like how Gary City is named Gary.
    AMA
    I mean even France Fries are really America's Fries

    • @KaraMiaSantaLucia
      @KaraMiaSantaLucia Před 5 dny

      French were in Indiana and Illinois before the English. Many were voyagers and fur traders with the Indians. Came down into Indiana/Vincennes into Vinceness County IL, along the Red River (Vermillion River)…then moved their way down to St. Louis to St. Genevive.
      Illinois is for the Illini Tribe, the -Ois part is French.

  • @mykofreder1682
    @mykofreder1682 Před 2 dny

    Started as farming and transportation town, WW2 changed it and I suspect a lot of those businesses were run by local people. Those people ran their business to some extent and kept things going till the 70s, but these owners eventually retired or died. I rode my bike there from Champaign in 1980 and it was a decent town then, probably on the fumes of its WW2 self. Its main problem is Champaign is 20 some miles and Lafayette is 30 some miles away, much better cities with major Universities, it still is farm country, and someone's got to lose. If it were the size of Covington down the road, it would probably be OK, the highway exit might be its biggest business but gas taxes and closeness from the border hurts that.

  • @randyravis8413
    @randyravis8413 Před 2 dny +2

    Decatur, at least we aren’t Danville

  • @JonathanButler-zd8qt
    @JonathanButler-zd8qt Před 6 dny

    Any plans to go to parts of Philadelphia or NYC?

  • @owenriggs8518
    @owenriggs8518 Před 2 dny +1

    This video is 100% right on! Probably even too kind. Recently spent a weekend here and it was like driving through the hoods of Detroit. 1 in 4 houses have failing roofs. Every strip mall has at least two businesses: gambling/slots and pot/vape shops. It’s - c r a z y!!! My family and I stayed at a Baymont Hotel and at check-in if you live 30 miles or further away you must put down and extra $100 deposit and if you live 30 miles or closer you must place a $200 deposit….. I was like WTF but after we entered the room it was like holy crap this place smelled like a Pot plantation. We literally moved rooms 3 times to find one that wasn’t repugnant. Sunday morning we go across the street to for breakfast to this place called Sunnyside. Nothing telling us anything different we walk in (father-mother-16 y/o daughter and 13 y/o son) to death stares and a stern declaration that children are not allowed. The it hit us, we were in a Cannabis Dispensary! I kid you not the place either had been a restaurant or sure the hell looked like one. Even sadder was the completely full parking lot on a Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.

  • @raydemos1181
    @raydemos1181 Před 6 dny

    They should have a Buy a House for one Dollar program like Ft Myers did 35 years ago, then it gets renovated, and taxes are kept up on the property

  • @bobvinson3601
    @bobvinson3601 Před 5 dny +1

    You review all of these cities and their employment percentages... all of the businesses that have left and how run down these cities are, but you never mention the state facilities which are probably the main reasons these cities are still functioning. There is a state prison in Danville..

  • @williamkelly8237
    @williamkelly8237 Před 6 dny +2

    Maybe the biggest problem with Danville after looking at Quaker Oats closing and moving away sounds like the taxes are too high for what you’re getting

  • @usernotfound40495
    @usernotfound40495 Před 6 dny

    Well they have a good Mexican restaurant and a decent Chinese buffet! The mall is hanging on by threads. I’m from Ambia Indiana and Danville was just as popular to go to for groceries and out to eat as Lafayette Indiana. It’s like the hood in the middle of a corn field 😂 not to mention they got two dispensaries, as long as lower middle class exists and it will for a while the working lower class have a home in Danville.

  • @MazichMusic
    @MazichMusic Před 7 dny +4

    This is not the biggest sh-t hole you've featured on your channel.

  • @I_LOVE_THE_SUNCOAST
    @I_LOVE_THE_SUNCOAST Před 6 dny +2

    "Like the Bahamas compared to Danville" hahahahahah good one.

  • @davehawash2255
    @davehawash2255 Před 5 dny

    That West Coast music was hilarious

  • @corywalker9498
    @corywalker9498 Před 5 dny

    From the 80s to 2024 everything has changed welcome to life and America

  • @michaelm3345
    @michaelm3345 Před 3 dny

    Illinois also has East St. Louis and Cairo which are pretty bleak

  • @KaraMiaSantaLucia
    @KaraMiaSantaLucia Před 5 dny

    BIG PROBLEM for any small town in America is this place called Wal-Mart. There end of discussion. BTW, I am a direct descendant of the Pioneers of Danville and Hoopeston IL. Please let me know if you are a Jones/Riley/Smith/Brown!

  • @jameshazen1679
    @jameshazen1679 Před 3 dny

    Thought it was ironic, when I first clicked on this videos it was sponsored by Quacker Oates , Quacker Oates. just closed their plant in Danville, Illinois

  • @bettykelly7565
    @bettykelly7565 Před 3 dny +1

    There's no point in renovation when there's nothing there.

  • @tarvisbickler3787
    @tarvisbickler3787 Před 2 dny

    Looks like they have a dispensary near the casino; collecting Indiana weed money like we do in Michigan

  • @joeross9478
    @joeross9478 Před 7 dny +2

    The Left armpit must be Decatur

    • @davidcox3076
      @davidcox3076 Před 7 dny +1

      I'll put up E. St. Louis for the left armpit. Though Decatur is a good choice.

  • @robmanj
    @robmanj Před 6 dny

    I lived there for three years. It sucks.

  • @air4334
    @air4334 Před 5 dny

    What are u driving ? Vehicle ...

  • @jimmccullough4923
    @jimmccullough4923 Před 5 dny

    It looks "out-of-business"...but at least it's clean...

  • @josephlalock8378
    @josephlalock8378 Před 3 dny

    i think it would really be considered the left armpit. a person or cars right or left is from the person or car's perspective, not the viewer's. looking at the front of a person, what you would say is their right arm, is really their left. looking at the front of the car, the wheel on your right is actually the left wheel. so looking at a map, what you see as the right side of the state is actually the left side of the state. yeah, i'm stoned.😂 ... i did time in danville prison in the early 90s.

  • @user-zx8de8op9l
    @user-zx8de8op9l Před 6 dny

    Looks like it best days are behind it. (1970) 42,570 (2024) 29,000 est.

  • @Buckseed
    @Buckseed Před 7 dny +3

    I knew a lady back in SacTown who grewup in Danville. She said it was a dying chithole back in 1992! 😂

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny

      Makes sense. Based on the data things started to roll downhill in the 80’s so there were probably a lot of empty, blighted buildings standing around throughout the 90’s.

  • @erictorow250
    @erictorow250 Před 7 dny

    Welcome home 🏠 home to either flint or Camden or either Gary I’ll or even East Cleveland
    But the only difference is those towns are in worse shape than ever especially East Cleveland Ohio that town is in a world wide recession in its own world today it will take years 😮 for those towns to recover and that’s a fact jack 😮

  • @jayortiz5589
    @jayortiz5589 Před 4 dny

    I'm interested to see what the left armpit of illinois is🤔 Can't be East St Louis that's like the sweaty ballsack soooo I'm going to say Quincy maybe🫤

  • @ericnelson1620
    @ericnelson1620 Před dnem

    Rockford could be an armpit

  • @user-bu4wf6hr4l
    @user-bu4wf6hr4l Před 7 dny

    TRY MT VERON IL

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před 7 dny

      Did. Everyone in that town hates me too.

  • @robertfabry7550
    @robertfabry7550 Před 5 dny

    I take it the left armpit is East St. Louis

  • @b.j.hinote4301
    @b.j.hinote4301 Před 4 dny

    The river front they done f d that up. The casino should have been there. That why the people didnt fix up breezy tower. Cities fault.

  • @ChipWoods-bp3ex
    @ChipWoods-bp3ex Před 5 dny

    It looks like Bunge tore down buildings.

  • @ronaldhall2489
    @ronaldhall2489 Před dnem

    Why not make low cost housing out of the big buildings???

    • @ChrisHarden
      @ChrisHarden  Před dnem

      I would guess that the residential demand in Danville isn’t high enough for potential developers to justify spending hundreds of thousands of dollars by modernizing some of those buildings.

  • @brock3332
    @brock3332 Před 5 dny +1

    As a life long resident Danville sucks. Some good people but the town is dead.

    • @KaraMiaSantaLucia
      @KaraMiaSantaLucia Před 5 dny +1

      Went into Hoopeston and saw the diner was dead. Sad. But got a good laugh seeing McDonalds and a Pot shop together.

    • @69eddieD
      @69eddieD Před 2 dny

      @@KaraMiaSantaLucia They should put a McDonalds inside the pot dispensary!

  • @catholiccrusader5328
    @catholiccrusader5328 Před 7 dny

    Chris, why can't these sorry-*** cities scrape enough cash to hire a PR firm, and scour the world in search of places local and foreign that would give these Rust Belt cities an industrial/high-tech boost?

  • @RichHudson96797
    @RichHudson96797 Před 5 dny

    Do the town of Skokie

  • @Smh1122
    @Smh1122 Před 3 dny

    I live outside of Danville. The town has become a little Chicago. It has also become predominately black, and full of homeless, crime and drugs. The mayor past and present, worried more about beautification , than industry, jobs etc... It is growing some with new restaurants and a casino. but no good paying jobs here I am going to eventually be selling my property, and Leaving this welfare state altogether

    • @69eddieD
      @69eddieD Před 2 dny +1

      Danville is mostly black now? When I was attending U of I they were burning crosses in Danville.
      Sorry, but Danville has a very negative image to outsiders. It makes it hard to revitalize the community, I know.

  • @rgent1701
    @rgent1701 Před 4 dny

    why not mention The Danville State Correctional Center? opened in 1985 & fostered in a stream of new residents from Chicago to Danville - compare crime stats from 1984 to today.....there is yur answer

  • @allamar9083
    @allamar9083 Před 5 dny +1

    And how great is your home town? I have lived in L.A,,Phoenix, Mansfield Ohio,Sarasota Florida,and they are all having problems. Easy to pick a town thats a bit down. A lot of great people live here. Retired here and trying to live in peace. Our Politicians are sort of inept and we keep voting them in. Check your own back yard and you may find it’s not paradise.

  • @Vikesfan80
    @Vikesfan80 Před 6 dny +1

    Hardly
    Have u been to the left armpit of Illinois?😂

  • @Sludge73
    @Sludge73 Před 5 dny

    You missed the falling apart hotels near that casino. Parts of Danville look like little Chicago. Pure crap. Its sad. They want to fill that mall with "migrants"
    Hard to justify crossing the border to pay grossly higher sales tax.