I graduated from CPHS IN 1979, and 22 of my 36 classmates went to college. Our parents and our teachers instilled in us that we could pursue and achieve our dreams. The vast majority of us were living below the poverty line, but it did not define our abilities and our potentials. There are many successful kids who grew up poor in CP below the poverty line. We moved on to other places and cities to pursue our dreams, but we still PROUDLY say our hometown is Cotton Plant, AR. The decaying buildings and the shrinking population outlined in your video doesn’t define the foundation and strong roots our hometown gave us.
I grew up in CP and I thought it was the best little town ever. I graduated high school in 1989. It has been declining for decades. It saddens Beach every time I go home. However, that’s home and always will be 🙏🏾
I don't know about Cotton Plant, but a lot of these little delta towns had small factories making anything from shoes to wallets and shirts and blue jeans. Most had at least 100 employees and kept the town alive along with grocery stores and gas stations. But they all moved to asia in the late 90's and nothing replaced them
Birthplace of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. A pioneer of the electric guitar. She planted the seeds for rock and roll and has never received the acknowledgment she deserves. Look her up and take a listen. She was a monumental talent.
Yes she couldn't make decent money in apartheid USA so went to Europe where she could. Smarter Americans still flee to countries with human rights apartheid Amerikkka lacks.
@@juanitacmagallanez6518 someone by the name of Claudia Assef has a documentary on here about her life it’s called “ The Godmother of rock and roll - Sister Rosetta Tharpe” :)
@@juanitacmagallanez6518if you want to know the life of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, you can. I am spanish, and I like very much the blues and jazz music. I have over 3.000 CDs of this kind of music. I have music and vídeos of Sister Rosetta!
Thankful for your dad's service. My mom and dad escaped from there as well in 1963. My dad joined the army and my mom and him got married. Thank God that my siblings and I were not raised there. It was okay in the 80s, we used to visit every 4th of July or on Cotton Plant Day which is Labor Day weekend.
I met a guy from Cotton Plant while we were both in the Navy. I can’t remember his name but I believe his father was the superintendent of schools in CP. This was in the mid eighties. Great guy, he actually stopped by my parents house to say hello on his way back home from a float trip, unfortunately I wasn’t home at the time. Always regretted that.
An interesting tour of this rural town, but very sad and eerily quiet. Some of the homes would have been beautiful years ago. Thanks for showing us around, Joe, much appreciated.❤
Well at least SOMEONE from Cotton Plant is stupid rich, because only 5 medical marijuana cultivators got lucky enough to land a license from the State. Had 2 years of exclusive sales amongst them. Basically, someone in Cotton Plant is a filthy rich weed farmer. P.S. Yes, Cotton Plant was 1 of the first 5.
That's what I think of watching these and seeing all the crumbling homes, that at one time kids were waking up on Christmas morning running to the living room to see if Santa came! I picture the homes all decorated for Christmas etc. It's all very sad to me.
I am from Cotton Plant and left years after graduating college. My mom still lives there comfortably. Although our town is declining I love it and it will always be home for me.
The 1992 film "One False Move" was set in Star City, but was actually filmed in Cotton Plant for the Arkansas scenes. Cotton Plant was also the birthplace of Rosetta Tharp.
@blobmonster9494 Not true! No area in the US suffers from overpopulation. Instead there is a lack of housing either due to affordability or poor condition.
@blobmonster9494Over half of all food that hits the US market is thrown away. At least a quarter of building materials is considered scrap and thrown into landfills. It's just cheaper for big companies to act like this. We don't have a population problem, ohh no. We have a profit problem.
Yeah, it's the empty houses in this towns up against the homelessness in the cities. Why haven't we figured that out? Why did we allow these towns to fall into disrepair and everyone move to the cities where there isn't anywhere for them to live? It's insane.
My great grandma used to run an ice cream shop called Mary’s dairy dip in cotton plant, I’m pretty sure that the old building with the ice cream sign was it. Edit: I just looked closer at the building and it still has my grandma’s name on it.
When I was a student in Uni I made less then 16k a year and yeah I was poor but it didn't seem like outrageous poverty. It's really not hard to imagine entire communities of people living with around that much money. 16k a year = food on the table / rent bills paid & the occasional beer but no ski trips in banff
Yeah but you see that in every Arkansas town if you drive to the right part. It's sad yeah but it's Arkansas and I bet the people aren't complaining as much as the ones on here. It's Arkansas get over it, it's in your City and town you just don't see it.
@@September_2011 Hi Lizzy, thanks for sharing about your papa and the fond memories you have which no one will ever be able to take from you. It sounds like you realize that this place isn't your home no longer. I recently read something and I'd like to share it with you: "The past doesn't need you anymore, but your future does." Your papa will always be apart of you and he would be pleased that you have moved away and are building a life just like he once did. Have a peaceful and very good Christmas season Lizzy and GOD Bless you🙏
@@September_2011 It's refreshing to hear about your family ties. GOD bless you always as GOD directs your paths. GO is the source of life. GOD is the creator of family ties. May you continue to cherish your fond memories as you build new ones as well.🙏🙏🙏
Sobering video. Very interesting statistics. The house at 6:51 is beautiful. I love the sign advising to leave all drama outside! Appreciate a look into rural Arkansas. Hope you and Nicole had a nice Thanksgiving ! Love your videos!
These dying towns make me sad for the people living in them. Just think how much it would mean to most of them to have help with repairing their homes. I think about all the money being spent on the immigrants right now when these people have lived in America and contributed for years to not be receiving a penny toward their quality of life. A warm, dry home could mean so much to them. Thanks Joe!
It's funny reading comments like this as a non American. You're fooled by the bizarre iconoclastic billionaires with a political bent into seeing the problem in terms of desperately poor people trying to get into America whereas in reality you're still trying to act as global cop, fomenting, funding and fighting (only when absolutely necessary) foreign wars. Look, your politicians just promised a further $14bn to fund the continuing genocide of a people whom you'd be howling about if, in their desperation to escape their situation might try to enter the USA. Imagine what $14bn could do for places like this. But of course that could be construed as socialism couldn't it? Can't have that... You fail to accept that American Exceptionalism is not merely waning (if it ever actually existed) and your power and position on the global stage is falling away even as the global south begins to rise. You're losing control of things in your own backyard so the South China Sea and eastern Mediterranean shouldn't even be on your agenda if you wish your own population to continue to thrive. The world is at a crossroads between a viable future for all and out & out dystopia. We need the USA to take a lead away from a dystopian future, to accept it's declined as a world superpower and to work towards a less bellicose world. The USA have it in their power to help all of this come true but whilst you worship wealth and promote sociopaths like Musk who will step on any amount of people to make another billion it ain't happening. So, as we say in Yorkshire, think on.
You need to show more of the nicer parts of these towns and pop into the city halls and police departments to get information on how they're trying to turn things around.
Cotton Plant is my hometown and I live about 15 miles north of there. I’m surprised you didn’t include the first Cannabis grow out facility that was issued in Arkansas in your visit. It’s across from the old elementary school. That place was supposed to bring a lot of money to the community from taxes and create jobs for the town. You probably can tell that there is not a lot to show for all those tax dollars being collected. A lot of folks would probably like to know why that’s not happening. It’s sad our town looks this way.
Born and raised in Arkansas Brinkley is my hometown Cotton Plant should be in a better viewing by now being there is a Marijuana Factory for years. Lord help
Cotton Plant used to have there own school district. In 2004 Cotton Plant School District closed and the remaining kids went to Augusta School District In 2004 the high school closed but Augusta let Cotton Plant Elementary School remain open until May 2015. Cotton Plant Elementary was forced to close due to declining student population. Half of Cotton Plant Elementary School was demolished. Cotton Plant School District Mascot was the Scrappers.
Wow, this was interesting. Thanks for taking us on this ride-a-long. America has seen it all, but hopefully we have NOT seen the best to come. Safe and Happy travels, Joe & Nic.
I grew up in Weiner, AR. It’s about an hour north of Cotton Plant and just outside of Jonesboro. With a population of only about 650, Weiner is quite a lovely little town with practically no crime at all. Still though, so many of those little delta towns are like Cotton Plant. That’s why when I graduated high school at 17 I hit the ground running and never looked back. There a few good videos of Weiner on UA-cam worth watching, but I was hoping you went through there. Thanks for the lovely tour. It reminded me of why left lol.
Evening Joe , very informative show especially the young poverty rate . It’s incredibly interesting when you can hear all the different bird calls and sounds in the different states you visit.! Thank you again for sharing your journey!
Really enjoying these from Australia hope you guys are great . I’d love to come see your country sometime I’m really interested in normal places like these videos I’d love to check out these towns and their stories and how they got to be this way . Also the statistics you give while you’re driving around help tell the story .
I’m also watching from Australia. Travelled all over the US 30 years ago but not to many of these little towns. Enjoying these videos and would love to go back one day but this is the next best thing. Merry Christmas! 🎄
Heartbreaking and flabbergasted. That’s the toughest one to watch so far with regarding poverty Joey, and such high crime for not a huge amount of folks. 😮 Thank you for another very interesting Vlog.
worth checking out: i read months ago that Census bureau stats do not include transfer payments, i.e. Welfare, snap cards, rent assistance..etc. another great video joe..thx.
I parked at the Road Ranger truck stop near Cotton Plant a few months ago and got curios about the small town and learned about a few of the things you mentioned. So cool to see you drive through the area!
There was a place in Missouri, named Cotton Plant, now just a spot in the road,with a few farms around. Like going towards Steele, Rives, Caruth and Hornersville.Used to have a country store by the hiway. old school behind it.
Did anyone see the squirrel scamper across the front middle eave at about the 7:14 mark? It kinda looked like a squirrel anyway. Does it count the same as a cat spotting? Always enjoy your videos.
The whole state is like this. I was born and raised in AR. Haven't lived there in 20+ years, but when i go back, it's always a reminder that im so grateful for what i have now. I promise this is but 1 of many towns in Arkansas at this level. And like the comment said about his dad living in the town and escaping via military service. I did the same thing. It's one of the only ways to get out of this situation. Edit: But even in Arkansas, we were happy not to live in the Bootheel (of MO). We called it Boothell
@blobmonster9494 the whole state. Quit acting like Arkansas isn't top 5 poverty states in the union. Every single corner of this state is chalked full of towns just like this. Quit lying to yourself.
@IceCreamTom_officialI’m from Van Buren right outside of Ft Smith and our adult daughter lives there. Every city has good and bad areas. We live in Texas and the same here, good and bad areas.
Since our largest cities are beginning to look like these small towns, it becomes crystal clear that none of these "happenings" are by accident. We are looking at intentional collapsing.
You're 100 percent correct. Most people are to blind to see it. Or just don't want too. Out of fear of the truth and don't want to face the reality of it.
You're right. It first starts with consolidation of schools, then closing down of schools. Then closing down grocery stores and other businesses. Thet start moving all of people's necessary staples further away from them. Developers use the types of towns as tax dumps.
@@shannonacker5215 Hey I really hope that you dont truly feel that way. You have to understand that the things you're talking about have a lot more to do with capitalism, the American consumer and employee rather than any government program. Grocery stores and other businesses have died because first, people LOVED Walmart. Forget your local business if you can go to one store and get everything cheaper. Who cares if your neighbor loses his job or his family loses their business. That was an act of the American consumer being a bit selfish by nature. Obviously this was accelerated with Amazon. People move away from these towns because there is no more opportunity. Americans are nomadic and we go where the "riches" are. At the moment, that is in large US cities. You can say major US cities are declining but that would be factually false. They have rough neighborhoods just like they did from day 1. But for every bad one there are probably half a dozen nice ones.
@@coolmanfoo2407Actually I think theres arguably LESS need to live in big cities these days for opportunity than there used to be. Many (although not all) people can work remotely these days due to the internet. If you don't have to go to an office for a fancy office job, who cares where you live? I honestly see a potential rennaisance coming for these small towns. Real estate is, very cheap and it's unaffufdsbke in big citues. We need to encourage people to move laces like this . Sadly, places like this specifically are so run down that it would be a hard sell, but slightly larger towns and small cities are ripe for redevelopment, IMHO. Food for thought.
The interstate highway system bypasses a lot of these little towns. Before the interstate highway system started some of these Little towns remained open to people passing through. Not touristy but just passing through.
I was looking at the real estate listings in Cotton plant. The prices were low with many showing pending sale. Maybe people are looking to get out of the bigger cities
My Grandparents had a store and restaurant in CP. Pyles Grocery and Pyles Ranch House. They also had a Gulf gas station. My grandmother’s family had a store Where she and my grandfather later raised 6 girls. Cotton Plant is embedded deeply in my DNA and morals. It will forever be a place I can say helped raise me and I have plans on bringing some beauty back to CP.
It used to be a row of 3-4 businesses, with the neatest retro Pepsi machine out front. It was quite a shock to see that little sliver is all that is left. 😢
Yet foreign countries get aide from the US. Thank you Joe for sharing you excursions with all of us. Without me getting political or religious, we have to get back to community and rebuilding of self worth/importance, all this begins in the household. The saddest information that can ever be heard is the poverty of children, we need to fix this to insure the success of the USA.
You can blame Sarah Huckabee Sanders or whoever her Republican predecessors are. They're in charge of that State. Arkansas is also ranked 47th out of 50 states in education as well.
A lot of post Agrarian and post-industrial towns in America receive more aid than foreign countries; it is called the Interstate Transfer, more economically productive states support those that no longer produce, or have never produced more than they consume in the budget. California and Massachusetts are the only states that pay more into the federal budget than they consume; states like Arkansas receive plenty in federal aid; they have a higher standard of living than just about any country the U.S. gives aid to.
@blobmonster9494 hurr durr. Even when Clinton was Governor he only brought up the scores very little. Not to mention Arkansas is dead last in healthcare. There have been Republican governors after Clinton and during Bush years, Obama and Trump. But it's all Biden's fault? WRONG!!!! Your attempt at trolling is weak.
My husband's family have been owners of a large portion of the farm land there. Some of his family is currently still living there and overseeing the family farm. My husband grew up in this town. The changes that have taken place here are very sad. My husband remembers the various places open and operating when he lived there. He says the changes are very drastic from what he remembers daily life. My husband has land there still. However, we live approx twenty miles away in another small community. Theses numbers stated in this video is so tragic. To know this is so close to home and just accepted as how it is is even more troubling. We know numerous ppl currently residing in this town. I never knew things were so hard for those there.
Interesting read. Thank you. .I'm in the uk but always find these videos interesting . I relate alot to this with the north of england . Times change and not for the better.
2:23 I've seen many "shotgun houses" before, but what do you call this place?...a musket gun building? The long rifle saloon? I wonder what the business was, did they store and stack coffins in there? Cigars? Property taxes must have been based on the width of property when it was built
It appears that the structure was tied into other store fronts on either side which have been razed. We couldn't view the other side so I'm going to assume it has bricked up door openings on the first floor and a few windows that replaced doors on the second floor. That long section probably served as a two story storage for a larger business next door that rented out a small business space in the front.
Just wanted ask, is this educational video. By looking at this video Im educated now about small town Cotton plant. Now how do we help to be apart of solution of the 90% poverty. We have UA-camrs that travel to cut these types yards . This would be a start. These UA-camrs have connections and resources. Talking the town is going to die we can be a help for the town being restored.
Joe and Nic, I watch your videos, and find myself being concerned for you guys safety, because some of those places you go seem so dreadful. Stay safe and watch ya back, and ya front. 🤣. Great vid.
Cool video Joe. As for the value of that one nice house, you should be able to find it through the county tax assessor's office. At least here in San Diego, California you can. If current value not available, you should be able to see what it sold for last.
Most people who work there drive to other towns to work but they have a marijuana factory there that pays very well. I live about 8 miles east of there outside of Brinkley. Older folks have told me it was thriving in thw fifties and once had a theater.
Thanks for another great video. Love the stats and info. Another continuation of a lot of dying small southern towns. I like small towns and I’m sure you’ve seen ones like I’m talking about. The nice little small towns that have pretty much always been small towns. Unlike the towns that became small because of them dying. And then you see all the abandon houses and junk and just death. Safe travels my friend keep filming I’ll keep watching.
Still bigger then Leslie,Ar... Leslie was once going to be the State Capitol of Arkansas until the railroad moved and Little Rock became the State Capitol.. Leslie once had a population of over 150,000 and know it only has a little over 400.. A little bit of history for you...
Yes sir you are correct that was the school... most are bussed to augusta schools... most of these are farm towns the rent is relatively low due to income levels
I know the chances are slim to none, but I wish that ice cream cone sign could be saved by someone. It's probably not fancy enough to put on display in Joe's man cave, but it would be a worthy addition to a sign/advertising museum.
🦃Day + 1 = Black Friday! ...This town started to decline the year I was born! Even the ice cream shop went belly-up! ...One lonely soldier (@2:23) stands alone on the block! What a depressing place this is! Didn't see even 1 cotton plant! Even YOU look depressed, Mr. Joe!
Our little town of 3,000 just passed an ordinance that homes like you’ve sown here in disrepair need to be torn down. And we had a few of these broken down houses in our town that were such eyesores. Glad they were bulldozed. Plus is dangerous if kids go in there and explore
Hi Joey and Nicole! You always do such a great job with your vids. Not much to say except it's sad to see these places as they are, but, in my vision I see so much that can be done to these towns that can benefit whoever still lives there, and for all that live in the US. And I'm going to keep choosing to believe that the world has to do what it's doing (collapsing as they call it) to have more people awaken (to possibly living more simple lives)And, that in Divine Timing we will have a much better world developing for us all--and especially for our younger generation. We all deserve to be happy! ☺Thanks for taking us along~ Stay well, much Love to both of you ~💞
You live day to day and then you die. There must be an ember of hope somewhere in Cotton Plant. I escaped the grasp of poverty. I needed help to do it. It was difficult. My mother died in a one room shack. I only went back for her funeral.
It appears that Cotton Plant is hanging on due to former residents that returned to retire there. Their poverty level is low so must have worked elsewhere earning a higher income and received a pension upon retirement.
@@September_2011 Thanks for sharing your history. I lived in Tipton county for 12 years, then divorced and moved to Bartlett, where I've been for the past 10 years. Jackson, TN is the town where I grew up, but Memphis is home now.
was waiting for the video from you sir - in fact today i was thinking if i had missed your latest one. by the by sir the video seems to be a little out of focus / blurred. any reason? regards
It may be a poor section of Arkansas but it's also the home of BOLD cultivation. They do a excellent job in growing some of the finest quality of medical cannabis in Arkansas
Joe that is the poorest of the poor. Makes me feel so good about living in Washington State (southeastern) and the professional people and great economy You cannot build an economy with good goverment , it will not happen. I did not see Felix the Cat anywhere, thankyou Joe.
Hi Joe, something I learnt the other day about the UK: if not including the levels of London and its Home (i.e. surrounding) Counties, on a national average the rest of Britain is as poor as the poorest state in the US, Mississippi.
London and the South-East have a disproportionate amount of government money funnelled their way. The North and Scotland receive the crumbs off the table.
The schools and town was beautiful when I was growing up there. We had stores, clinics, banks, laundry mat and etc. Everyone looked out for each other. Anmazing people came out of Cotton Plant. It has declined now
Wow..... heart-breaking video. I always wonder about the families that grew up in all those homes. It is like their life and childhood is being wiped out of existence. How can a town of 500 People afford to have a police department, or anything else for that matter.?
You need to check out Cairo Illinois grand houses that are totally and just north of Memphis Tennessee the bridge was closed over the Mississippi so we had to go just north to get over the Mississippi River and that took us through
I graduated from CPHS IN 1979, and 22 of my 36 classmates went to college. Our parents and our teachers instilled in us that we could pursue and achieve our dreams. The vast majority of us were living below the poverty line, but it did not define our abilities and our potentials. There are many successful kids who grew up poor in CP below the poverty line. We moved on to other places and cities to pursue our dreams, but we still PROUDLY say our hometown is Cotton Plant, AR. The decaying buildings and the shrinking population outlined in your video doesn’t define the foundation and strong roots our hometown gave us.
Keep coping boy
Well said.
@@jobethk588 Thank you
My mom is from Cotton Plant.
🇦🇺 I love Arkansas, California is a vomit bucket
I grew up in CP and I thought it was the best little town ever. I graduated high school in 1989. It has been declining for decades. It saddens Beach every time I go home. However, that’s home and always will be 🙏🏾
Hey Janice
I don't know about Cotton Plant, but a lot of these little delta towns had small factories making anything from shoes to wallets and shirts and blue jeans. Most had at least 100 employees and kept the town alive along with grocery stores and gas stations. But they all moved to asia in the late 90's and nothing replaced them
That is true.
I still try and buy made in USA Round House Jeans , but with the high prices on everything --its hard to not buy imports for half the price
Oh wow 😢😢
So sad….
And who can you blame for that, 3 2 1 go!?
Birthplace of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. A pioneer of the electric guitar. She planted the seeds for rock and roll and has never received the acknowledgment she deserves. Look her up and take a listen. She was a monumental talent.
Yes she couldn't make decent money in apartheid USA so went to Europe where she could. Smarter Americans still flee to countries with human rights apartheid Amerikkka lacks.
Can I find her on google? I'd like to know her history
@@juanitacmagallanez6518 someone by the name of Claudia Assef has a documentary on here about her life it’s called “ The Godmother of rock and roll - Sister Rosetta Tharpe” :)
@bobbybabylon1385 yeah why don't you go?
@@juanitacmagallanez6518if you want to know the life of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, you can. I am spanish, and I like very much the blues and jazz music. I have over 3.000 CDs of this kind of music. I have music and vídeos of Sister Rosetta!
My Dad was raised there long ago. He escaped by joining the U.S. Navy. R.I. P Dad, God blessed your soul, thank you for your service.
RIP, Sir. Ty for your service🙏❤️
To your DAD: Thank you for your service! Thank you for sharing.
Rip 💐 to your Dad & My Grandpa💐 Navy brother's ⛴️ 🛳
Thankful for your dad's service. My mom and dad escaped from there as well in 1963. My dad joined the army and my mom and him got married. Thank God that my siblings and I were not raised there. It was okay in the 80s, we used to visit every 4th of July or on Cotton Plant Day which is Labor Day weekend.
I met a guy from Cotton Plant while we were both in the Navy. I can’t remember his name but I believe his father was the superintendent of schools in CP. This was in the mid eighties. Great guy, he actually stopped by my parents house to say hello on his way back home from a float trip, unfortunately I wasn’t home at the time. Always regretted that.
An interesting tour of this rural town, but very sad and eerily quiet. Some of the homes would have been beautiful years ago. Thanks for showing us around, Joe, much appreciated.❤
You're welcome, CL. :)
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗💯💯💯👌👌✌🤛👍👍👍👀
Well at least SOMEONE from Cotton Plant is stupid rich, because only 5 medical marijuana cultivators got lucky enough to land a license from the State. Had 2 years of exclusive sales amongst them. Basically, someone in Cotton Plant is a filthy rich weed farmer.
P.S. Yes, Cotton Plant was 1 of the first 5.
That's what I think of watching these and seeing all the crumbling homes, that at one time kids were waking up on Christmas morning running to the living room to see if Santa came! I picture the homes all decorated for Christmas etc. It's all very sad to me.
I am from Cotton Plant and left years after graduating college. My mom still lives there comfortably. Although our town is declining I love it and it will always be home for me.
Hey Lucky❤! Cotton Plant getting some spotlight😊.
The 1992 film "One False Move" was set in Star City, but was actually filmed in Cotton Plant for the Arkansas scenes. Cotton Plant was also the birthplace of Rosetta Tharp.
I used to live in star city we would laugh at the fact it was not even close to star city.
It blows my mind how people say were overpopulated yet there are so many towns and cities that are empty.
@blobmonster9494 Not true! No area in the US suffers from overpopulation. Instead there is a lack of housing either due to affordability or poor condition.
@blobmonster9494Over half of all food that hits the US market is thrown away. At least a quarter of building materials is considered scrap and thrown into landfills. It's just cheaper for big companies to act like this. We don't have a population problem, ohh no. We have a profit problem.
Yeah, it's the empty houses in this towns up against the homelessness in the cities. Why haven't we figured that out? Why did we allow these towns to fall into disrepair and everyone move to the cities where there isn't anywhere for them to live? It's insane.
@@escapetoAtlanticCanada2019People follow the jobs.
@@Paul-d2y8s they sure do
My great grandma used to run an ice cream shop called Mary’s dairy dip in cotton plant, I’m pretty sure that the old building with the ice cream sign was it. Edit: I just looked closer at the building and it still has my grandma’s name on it.
I have had lunch there
When I was a student in Uni I made less then 16k a year and yeah I was poor but it didn't seem like outrageous poverty. It's really not hard to imagine entire communities of people living with around that much money. 16k a year = food on the table / rent bills paid & the occasional beer but no ski trips in banff
That has got to be the saddest town I have ever seen and it's extra sad that the children are in the most poverty.
Yeah but you see that in every Arkansas town if you drive to the right part. It's sad yeah but it's Arkansas and I bet the people aren't complaining as much as the ones on here. It's Arkansas get over it, it's in your City and town you just don't see it.
@@September_2011 May things turn around in this town soon!🙏
@@September_2011 Hi Lizzy, thanks for sharing about your papa and the fond memories you have which no one will ever be able to take from you. It sounds like you realize that this place isn't your home no longer. I recently read something and I'd like to share it with you: "The past doesn't need you anymore, but your future does." Your papa will always be apart of you and he would be pleased that you have moved away and are building a life just like he once did. Have a peaceful and very good Christmas season Lizzy and GOD Bless you🙏
@@September_2011 It's refreshing to hear about your family ties. GOD bless you always as GOD directs your paths. GO is the source of life. GOD is the creator of family ties. May you continue to cherish your fond memories as you build new ones as well.🙏🙏🙏
It is always rougher for the parents to raise children in poverty
Thanks for taking us along with you guys!!
Sobering video. Very interesting statistics. The house at 6:51 is beautiful. I love the sign advising to leave all drama outside! Appreciate a look into rural Arkansas. Hope you and Nicole had a nice Thanksgiving ! Love your videos!
Thanks, Alexandra. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well.
These dying towns make me sad for the people living in them. Just think how much it would mean to most of them to have help with repairing their homes. I think about all the money being spent on the immigrants right now when these people have lived in America and contributed for years to not be receiving a penny toward their quality of life. A warm, dry home could mean so much to them. Thanks Joe!
Illegal immigrants…
It's funny reading comments like this as a non American. You're fooled by the bizarre iconoclastic billionaires with a political bent into seeing the problem in terms of desperately poor people trying to get into America whereas in reality you're still trying to act as global cop, fomenting, funding and fighting (only when absolutely necessary) foreign wars. Look, your politicians just promised a further $14bn to fund the continuing genocide of a people whom you'd be howling about if, in their desperation to escape their situation might try to enter the USA. Imagine what $14bn could do for places like this. But of course that could be construed as socialism couldn't it? Can't have that...
You fail to accept that American Exceptionalism is not merely waning (if it ever actually existed) and your power and position on the global stage is falling away even as the global south begins to rise. You're losing control of things in your own backyard so the South China Sea and eastern Mediterranean shouldn't even be on your agenda if you wish your own population to continue to thrive.
The world is at a crossroads between a viable future for all and out & out dystopia. We need the USA to take a lead away from a dystopian future, to accept it's declined as a world superpower and to work towards a less bellicose world. The USA have it in their power to help all of this come true but whilst you worship wealth and promote sociopaths like Musk who will step on any amount of people to make another billion it ain't happening.
So, as we say in Yorkshire, think on.
@@Alloverthecouchthere's actually no such thing as an 'illegal immigrant', just those ignorant enough to be fooled into believing that there is.
"Before we ask what is fair to illegal immigrants we must ask what is fair to American families, students, taxpayers and job seekers." Donald Trump
I agree and I'm a socialist and someone who legally came to the US, waited/worked 14 years to get my citizenship, the right way.
You need to show more of the nicer parts of these towns and pop into the city halls and police departments to get information on how they're trying to turn things around.
Cotton Plant had a school. The government closed it years ago and consolidated the kids with some other small towns to save money.
Cotton Plant is my hometown and I live about 15 miles north of there. I’m surprised you didn’t include the first Cannabis grow out facility that was issued in Arkansas in your visit. It’s across from the old elementary school. That place was supposed to bring a lot of money to the community from taxes and create jobs for the town. You probably can tell that there is not a lot to show for all those tax dollars being collected. A lot of folks would probably like to know why that’s not happening. It’s sad our town looks this way.
What company is growing there?? Please tell
Born and raised in Arkansas Brinkley is my hometown Cotton Plant should be in a better viewing by now being there is a Marijuana Factory for years. Lord help
The canna factory grows boofs😂
Doug Davis, I know that I've wanted to know for a while now.
The town gets 1 percent of the sales
Cotton Plant used to have there own school district. In 2004 Cotton Plant School District closed and the remaining kids went to Augusta School District In 2004 the high school closed but Augusta let Cotton Plant Elementary School remain open until May 2015. Cotton Plant Elementary was forced to close due to declining student population. Half of Cotton Plant Elementary School was demolished. Cotton Plant School District Mascot was the Scrappers.
I thought it was the Bulldogs… inside the CPHS basketball gym “Bulldogs” and murals of bulldogs are everywhere.
It was named scrappers in 1976 that I Remember. When the school combined it was changed to Bulldogs ❤
@@demibuckner6807
It was.
I went to school in cp from 63 to 74 .. we were called the scrappers . Our mascot was a bulldog.
Wow, this was interesting. Thanks for taking us on this ride-a-long. America has seen it all, but hopefully we have NOT seen the best to come. Safe and Happy travels, Joe & Nic.
Thank you Joe & Nic, for unseen places
Went to Cotton Plant over the Christmas break. It has went down. But people are still there and happy.
I grew up in Weiner, AR. It’s about an hour north of Cotton Plant and just outside of Jonesboro. With a population of only about 650, Weiner is quite a lovely little town with practically no crime at all. Still though, so many of those little delta towns are like Cotton Plant. That’s why when I graduated high school at 17 I hit the ground running and never looked back. There a few good videos of Weiner on UA-cam worth watching, but I was hoping you went through there. Thanks for the lovely tour. It reminded me of why left lol.
We have Weiner planned for a future video. 👍
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip awesome, you just earned a sub!
I live on the other side of the state. My sons college roommate was from Cotton Plant. Love him like a son, don’t make people any better them him .
Thanks for sharing yalls Road Trip with us. i'm seeing places that i will never see but thru your lens.
Evening Joe , very informative show especially the young poverty rate . It’s incredibly interesting when you can hear all the different bird calls and sounds in the different states you visit.! Thank you again for sharing your journey!
Cotton Plant is my hometown. Raised there as a little girl and both sides of my family are from there. Some still live there. Love my time spent there
Really enjoying these from Australia hope you guys are great . I’d love to come see your country sometime I’m really interested in normal places like these videos I’d love to check out these towns and their stories and how they got to be this way . Also the statistics you give while you’re driving around help tell the story .
I’m also watching from Australia. Travelled all over the US 30 years ago but not to many of these little towns. Enjoying these videos and would love to go back one day but this is the next best thing. Merry Christmas! 🎄
@@maree1403 merry Xmas
You missed the health clinic and pot growing facility
Heartbreaking and flabbergasted. That’s the toughest one to watch so far with regarding poverty Joey, and such high crime for not a huge amount of folks. 😮
Thank you for another very interesting Vlog.
Thank you, Jay.
worth checking out: i read months ago that Census bureau stats do not include transfer payments, i.e. Welfare, snap cards, rent assistance..etc. another great video joe..thx.
It is my pleasure to meet you!💕😍🌹
You weren't very far from where I live in Arkansas. Awesome video and keep on keepin on.
Thanks for sharing Joe, you have a great day and safe travels
Thanks 👍
I parked at the Road Ranger truck stop near Cotton Plant a few months ago and got curios about the small town and learned about a few of the things you mentioned. So cool to see you drive through the area!
There was a place in Missouri, named Cotton Plant, now just a spot in the road,with a few farms around. Like going towards Steele, Rives, Caruth and Hornersville.Used to have a country store by the hiway. old school behind it.
Cotton Plant is my Hometown. I grew up there. I graduated 1990 from there. Loved it. It is my home.
Did anyone see the squirrel scamper across the front middle eave at about the 7:14 mark? It kinda looked like a squirrel anyway. Does it count the same as a cat spotting? Always enjoy your videos.
If you are around Finley TN in your drive, please do a video of our town.
The whole state is like this. I was born and raised in AR. Haven't lived there in 20+ years, but when i go back, it's always a reminder that im so grateful for what i have now.
I promise this is but 1 of many towns in Arkansas at this level.
And like the comment said about his dad living in the town and escaping via military service. I did the same thing.
It's one of the only ways to get out of this situation.
Edit: But even in Arkansas, we were happy not to live in the Bootheel (of MO). We called it Boothell
@IceCreamTom_official during my youth Little Rock hand more gangs per capita than anywhere else.
At least that's what that said.
@blobmonster9494 the whole state. Quit acting like Arkansas isn't top 5 poverty states in the union.
Every single corner of this state is chalked full of towns just like this.
Quit lying to yourself.
@IceCreamTom_official which one?
@IceCreamTom_official I'm confused by your statements man. You're comparing Fort Smith and Little Rock to small farm communities?
@IceCreamTom_officialI’m from Van Buren right outside of Ft Smith and our adult daughter lives there. Every city has good and bad areas. We live in Texas and the same here, good and bad areas.
It has one of the largest cannabis growing facilities in the state
Hi Joe and Nicole I hope you had a thanksgiving. Keep up the good work.👌
Thanks! You too!
Since our largest cities are beginning to look like these small towns, it becomes crystal clear that none of these "happenings" are by accident. We are looking at intentional collapsing.
You're 100 percent correct. Most people are to blind to see it. Or just don't want too. Out of fear of the truth and don't want to face the reality of it.
No it is just that smarter people flee USA to countries with the human rights it lacks.
You're right. It first starts with consolidation of schools, then closing down of schools. Then closing down grocery stores and other businesses. Thet start moving all of people's necessary staples further away from them. Developers use the types of towns as tax dumps.
@@shannonacker5215 Hey I really hope that you dont truly feel that way. You have to understand that the things you're talking about have a lot more to do with capitalism, the American consumer and employee rather than any government program. Grocery stores and other businesses have died because first, people LOVED Walmart. Forget your local business if you can go to one store and get everything cheaper. Who cares if your neighbor loses his job or his family loses their business. That was an act of the American consumer being a bit selfish by nature. Obviously this was accelerated with Amazon. People move away from these towns because there is no more opportunity. Americans are nomadic and we go where the "riches" are. At the moment, that is in large US cities. You can say major US cities are declining but that would be factually false. They have rough neighborhoods just like they did from day 1. But for every bad one there are probably half a dozen nice ones.
@@coolmanfoo2407Actually I think theres arguably LESS need to live in big cities these days for opportunity than there used to be. Many (although not all) people can work remotely these days due to the internet. If you don't have to go to an office for a fancy office job, who cares where you live?
I honestly see a potential rennaisance coming for these small towns. Real estate is, very cheap and it's unaffufdsbke in big citues. We need to encourage people to move laces like this . Sadly, places like this specifically are so run down that it would be a hard sell, but slightly larger towns and small cities are ripe for redevelopment, IMHO. Food for thought.
There are several towns in Arkansas that look like this! It saddens me to see my home state in ruins!!
The interstate highway system bypasses a lot of these little towns. Before the interstate highway system started some of these
Little towns remained open to people passing through. Not touristy but just passing through.
Looks beautiful to me. Better watch out though, with houses at 22.5 the hipsters will be migrating in herds soon!
God bless those people...thanks Joe
I was looking at the real estate listings in Cotton plant. The prices were low with many showing pending sale. Maybe people are looking to get out of the bigger cities
My Grandparents had a store and restaurant in CP. Pyles Grocery and Pyles Ranch House. They also had a Gulf gas station. My grandmother’s family had a store Where she and my grandfather later raised 6 girls. Cotton Plant is embedded deeply in my DNA and morals. It will forever be a place I can say helped raise me and I have plans on bringing some beauty back to CP.
nice
2:24 Crazy narrow commercial building where adjoining building torn down.
It probably was the storage building for a larger store next to it and the owner made its front a small commercial lease space.
It used to be a row of 3-4 businesses, with the neatest retro Pepsi machine out front. It was quite a shock to see that little sliver is all that is left. 😢
What a depressing, but realistic view of a once flouishing town. They seem to be everywhere anymore.
No it is not like that in civilized countries with human rights just USA. That's why Americans flee to better countries.
Yet foreign countries get aide from the US. Thank you Joe for sharing you excursions with all of us. Without me getting political or religious, we have to get back to community and rebuilding of self worth/importance, all this begins in the household. The saddest information that can ever be heard is the poverty of children, we need to fix this to insure the success of the USA.
You can blame Sarah Huckabee Sanders or whoever her Republican predecessors are. They're in charge of that State. Arkansas is also ranked 47th out of 50 states in education as well.
A lot of post Agrarian and post-industrial towns in America receive more aid than foreign countries; it is called the Interstate Transfer, more economically productive states support those that no longer produce, or have never produced more than they consume in the budget. California and Massachusetts are the only states that pay more into the federal budget than they consume; states like Arkansas receive plenty in federal aid; they have a higher standard of living than just about any country the U.S. gives aid to.
Ya mean ,America first.yes
@blobmonster9494 hurr durr. Even when Clinton was Governor he only brought up the scores very little. Not to mention Arkansas is dead last in healthcare. There have been Republican governors after Clinton and during Bush years, Obama and Trump. But it's all Biden's fault? WRONG!!!! Your attempt at trolling is weak.
@blobmonster9494 omg you are one of those guys LOL. You aren't half as smart as you think blob monster.
Wow, I can see why the children leave. it is a ghost town now with very little life left. So sad. Even the cats are missing.
Yeah....just one dog.
Love it when you say ; a lot of stuff - so polite
My husband's family have been owners of a large portion of the farm land there. Some of his family is currently still living there and overseeing the family farm. My husband grew up in this town. The changes that have taken place here are very sad. My husband remembers the various places open and operating when he lived there. He says the changes are very drastic from what he remembers daily life. My husband has land there still. However, we live approx twenty miles away in another small community. Theses numbers stated in this video is so tragic. To know this is so close to home and just accepted as how it is is even more troubling. We know numerous ppl currently residing in this town. I never knew things were so hard for those there.
Interesting read. Thank you. .I'm in the uk but always find these videos interesting . I relate alot to this with the north of england . Times change and not for the better.
Great educational and informative video, was very interesting. Thank you for sharing!!!!
Joe!!!! Go check out devalls bluff arkansas. Just roughly 30 miles southwest of cp. Prairie county
great video as always thanks for sharing joe and Nic 👍
Thanks for these videos. I really enjoy them!
2:23 I've seen many "shotgun houses" before, but what do you call this place?...a musket gun building? The long rifle saloon? I wonder what the business was, did they store and stack coffins in there? Cigars? Property taxes must have been based on the width of property when it was built
It appears that the structure was tied into other store fronts on either side which have been razed. We couldn't view the other side so I'm going to assume it has bricked up door openings on the first floor and a few windows that replaced doors on the second floor. That long section probably served as a two story storage for a larger business next door that rented out a small business space in the front.
@@September_2011 > Makes sense. I guess then, it can be called a "sawed off shotgun building." 🙂
I love your videos. I've been watching since the Lorde days😂 I've always wanted to do this with my wife in retirement. Until then, I have you guys ❤
Nice! :)
Just wanted ask, is this educational video. By looking at this video Im educated now about small town Cotton plant. Now how do we help to be apart of solution of the 90% poverty. We have UA-camrs that travel to cut these types yards . This would be a start. These UA-camrs have connections and resources. Talking the town is going to die we can be a help for the town being restored.
Joe and Nic, I watch your videos, and find myself being concerned for you guys safety, because some of those places you go seem so dreadful. Stay safe and watch ya back, and ya front. 🤣. Great vid.
Thanks 👍
Cool video Joe. As for the value of that one nice house, you should be able to find it through the county tax assessor's office. At least here in San Diego, California you can. If current value not available, you should be able to see what it sold for last.
Hi Joe
Thanks for the video. The name of the town is itself interesting. It's bit sad and depressing but a reality after all. Times change.
Most people who work there drive to other towns to work but they have a marijuana factory there that pays very well. I live about 8 miles east of there outside of Brinkley. Older folks have told me it was thriving in thw fifties and once had a theater.
Thanx Joe 4 another eye opening vid. So sad. Its amazing what is happening in the United States 😢. Stay safe
I'm so intrigued by the building with the green front at 2:27
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a local celebrity.
Thanks for another great video. Love the stats and info. Another continuation of a lot of dying small southern towns. I like small towns and I’m sure you’ve seen ones like I’m talking about. The nice little small towns that have pretty much always been small towns. Unlike the towns that became small because of them dying. And then you see all the abandon houses and junk and just death. Safe travels my friend keep filming I’ll keep watching.
Awesome!
Thanks
Thank you!
Still bigger then Leslie,Ar... Leslie was once going to be the State Capitol of Arkansas until the railroad moved and Little Rock became the State Capitol.. Leslie once had a population of over 150,000 and know it only has a little over 400.. A little bit of history for you...
You should continue up to Augusta, McCrory then over to Hickory Ridge, Fishcer, Weiner for another look at once thriving town,
Yes sir you are correct that was the school... most are bussed to augusta schools... most of these are farm towns the rent is relatively low due to income levels
11:19 I did a little research and for the one house he pointed out that was by the grocery store was assessed at about $40,000
I know the chances are slim to none, but I wish that ice cream cone sign could be saved by someone. It's probably not fancy enough to put on display in Joe's man cave, but it would be a worthy addition to a sign/advertising museum.
I agree.
🦃Day + 1 = Black Friday! ...This town started to decline the year I was born! Even the ice cream shop went belly-up! ...One lonely soldier (@2:23) stands alone on the block! What a depressing place this is! Didn't see even 1 cotton plant! Even YOU look depressed, Mr. Joe!
I was. :)
That last house looked very much like where I grew up but that was torn down in the 1980s
Our little town of 3,000 just passed an ordinance that homes like you’ve sown here in disrepair need to be torn down. And we had a few of these broken down houses in our town that were such eyesores. Glad they were bulldozed. Plus is dangerous if kids go in there and explore
Awesome video. A lot of interesting towns around Harrison area too. A lot of history. Some bad some good
My whole family is from there how did you find it, it’s a ghost town until September
Hi Joey and Nicole! You always do such a great job with your vids. Not much to say except it's sad to see these places as they are, but, in my vision I see so much that can be done to these towns that can benefit whoever still lives there, and for all that live in the US. And I'm going to keep choosing to believe that the world has to do what it's doing (collapsing as they call it) to have more people awaken (to possibly living more simple lives)And, that in Divine Timing we will have a much better world developing for us all--and especially for our younger generation. We all deserve to be happy! ☺Thanks for taking us along~ Stay well, much Love to both of you ~💞
The building at minute 3:51 was the high school. It burned a few months ago.
You live day to day and then you die. There must be an ember of hope somewhere in Cotton Plant. I escaped the grasp of poverty. I needed help to do it. It was difficult. My mother died in a one room shack. I only went back for her funeral.
It appears that Cotton Plant is hanging on due to former residents that returned to retire there. Their poverty level is low so must have worked elsewhere earning a higher income and received a pension upon retirement.
What a shame that you only went back when she died or did I not understand correctly? I hope you visited or offered to help her move
Just so sad. I live in Memphis - not that far away - and had no idea of the town's existence.
@@September_2011 When did you leave Cotton Plant, and why?
@@September_2011 Thanks for sharing your history. I lived in Tipton county for 12 years, then divorced and moved to Bartlett, where I've been for the past 10 years. Jackson, TN is the town where I grew up, but Memphis is home now.
May We Flourish Again.❤
Appreciate the tour
was waiting for the video from you sir - in fact today i was thinking if i had missed your latest one. by the by sir the video seems to be a little out of focus / blurred. any reason? regards
It may be a poor section of Arkansas but it's also the home of BOLD cultivation. They do a excellent job in growing some of the finest quality of medical cannabis in Arkansas
It doesn’t matter how big the house is and how much it really is worth,if it’s in a dying town. It most certainly isn’t worth much.
Joe that is the poorest of the poor. Makes me feel so good about living in Washington State (southeastern) and the professional people and great economy You cannot build an economy with good goverment , it will not happen. I did not see Felix the Cat anywhere, thankyou Joe.
Hi Joe, something I learnt the other day about the UK: if not including the levels of London and its Home (i.e. surrounding) Counties, on a national average the rest of Britain is as poor as the poorest state in the US, Mississippi.
Egad!
London and the South-East have a disproportionate amount of government money funnelled their way. The North and Scotland receive the crumbs off the table.
HS2, London focused. Elizabeth Line, London focused. Crossrail....you guessed it. Trans Pennine rail upgrade , move along, nothing to see here
That is untrue .
@@janielow8719 is it though? But enough of broken Britain. Let's all appreciate the efforts Joe makes
You do this so well, thankyou
Could I ask, where do you get all the info on these towns like the median home values, age etc.??
US Census.
The schools and town was beautiful when I was growing up there. We had stores, clinics, banks, laundry mat and etc. Everyone looked out for each other. Anmazing people came out of Cotton Plant. It has declined now
Beautiful People 💞
Wow..... heart-breaking video.
I always wonder about the families that grew up in all those homes. It is like their life and childhood is being wiped out of existence.
How can a town of 500 People afford to have a police department, or anything else for that matter.?
Federal grants and what little sales taxes that can be had.
I would be curious to know the distance of a hospital and or medical clinic
The closest medical facilities, including hospitals, clinics and nursing homes is 122 miles. They are located in Forrest City, AR
North Little Rock is 60 miles away on I-40.
go to city data page
Satellite dishes in front of abandoned houses . They made a living in recent times !
Do Birdsong Arkansas small town with a population of 30-40 residents.
You need to check out Cairo Illinois grand houses that are totally and just north of Memphis Tennessee the bridge was closed over the Mississippi so we had to go just north to get over the Mississippi River and that took us through