Egypt has been described as an authoritarian regime with limited civil liberties, but the government aims to take a leading position in Africa, spearheading efforts on issues linked to organized crime and violent extremism. Cairo, Illinois at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The Illinois Central Railroad originally ran down the street and the structures date back to the late 1850s. This town named for riches and wealth was doing nothing to improve the wallets and lives of the African Americans who had landed there one way or another. It quickly became an important steamboat port, as goods and supplies were moved further south to New Orleans. By 1960, the town supported only about 9,000 people. This set Cairo on the path to becoming a boom town within just three years. Unfortunately, this occupation by Union troops meant that much of the towns trade by rail was diverted to Chicago. The mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 1969. A hotel was built as well as a shipyard, warehouses, sawmills, an ironworks, and several residential cottages. Photo from the book Let My People Go: Cairo, Illinois 1967-73, by Jan Peterson Roddy, photo by Preston Ewing Jr. By 1970 the population had dropped to a little over 6,000 people and by the following year, there was very little left to picket as most of the downtown businesses had closed. 10. Today, Cairo is in the poorest cities in Illinois. Kress & Co. Nearly a century and a half later,Lewis and Clarkleft Fort Massac,Illinoisand arrived in the vicinity of what would later become Cairo in November 1803. Cairo crime rates are 47% lower than the national average. Unfortunately, whatsleft after decades of white flight and economic stagnation, is an expanse of abandoned buildings, bulldozed lots, and forgotten history. The Ghost Town of Cairo, Illinois | by Jamie Winfield | Medium That changed; however in 1905, when a railroad bridge was completed across the Mississippi River at Thebes, a small town northwest of Cairo. The United Front boycotted white-owned businesses but the white residents refused to give in and one by one, business began to close. It was one of the last large businesses to close. Though the passenger depot originally built by the Illinois Central Railroad still stands, the trains no longer stop for passengers. On that date, Cairo was the scene of one of the most gruesome lynchings in American history when a black man named Will James, who was accused of murdering a shop-girl, and a white man, who was charged with murdering his wife, were lynched by a mob, which numbered in the thousands. A second and successful attempt at settlement began in 1837 when the Illinois State Legislature incorporated the Cairo City and Canal Company, with Darius B. Holbrook, a shrewd businessman from Boston, Massachusetts as president. By the year 2,000, Carios population had dropped to only about 3,600 residents. Cairos residents were once entertained by numerous speedboat races on the Ohio River, as half the town sat on the concrete levee wall watching. There was a time when people believed this town should be the capital of the United States as it was such a hub for steamboats and other activities. The peninsula where Cairo now stands was first visited by Father Louis Hennepin, a Frenchexplorerand missionary priest in March 1660. Violent crimes in Cairo are 31% lower than the national average. Today, however, there is little evidence of that riverside boom town. Only about 3,000 remained in the area, but without money to buy land, people felt desolate. In Cairo you have a 1 in 81 chance of becoming a victim of crime. NewsBreak provides latest and breaking local news and reports on Cairo, IL crime and public safety, and updates from police and fire departments, so you stay informed, prepared, and safe . Crime increasing in the past 3 years. In the last 5 years Cairo has seen decreasing violent crime and decline of property crime. Cairo did not experience the post-World War II boom. Foreign criminal actors in Egypt include nationals of Sudan, Libya and various countries in Asia and the Middle East. But during those prosperous years of the 1890s, segregation took root and black residents (making up about 40 percent of the population) were forced to build their own churches, schools, and so on. The main environmental criminal markets in Egypt are those for fauna and gold. Cairo, Illinois is an abandoned town that sits at the tri-state with Kentucky and Missouri. This decline; however, would not lead to Cairos ultimate demise instead, it was racism. But, the troops who were stationed in Cairo did not like the location. The Cairo Citizen 1900 - RootsWeb Some even recommended that the city should become the capitol of the United States. The citys violent and racist history has snuffed out any hope for progress. Cotton, wool, molasses, and sugar was shipped through the port in 1859 and the following year, Cairo became the seat of Alexander County. Other concerns were the . Crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime) Cairo violent crime is 96.8. After the house was completed, it was widely admired for its architecture and its setting. Your IP: Organized crime is a continuing criminal enterprise that rationally works to profit from illicit activities that are often in great public demand. . Unfortunately, they were demolished in 2012. They are all closed now and most of the buildings are gone. Everywhere, there are dismal reminders that less than 2,500 people now live in a city designed for many more. Enacted partially to revitalize dying towns, it was the perfect opportunity for little Cairo to have a second chance. However, they evidently didnt find him, if such a man ever existed. The site also included a command house and a ships mast for the colors. Crime in Cairo. Safety in Cairo - Numbeo Several federal regiments were also stationed there during these turbulent years. With burgeoning population and commerce, Cairo was poised to become a major city, with some even suggesting it should become the capital of the United States. A store was kept in a boat. Today, there are about 2,000 residents left, most of whom live in Cairo because they have no place else to go. Cairo, Ill., has a population of fewer than 3,000 people. There are multiple prominent criminal networks with a presence in Egypt. With continued shootings and bombings fueled by racial unrest, most businesses closed and those determined to hold on were boycotted. In September 1969, Cairos mayor issued a statement prohibiting the gathering of two or more people, all marches, and picketing. This project is funded bythe European Union. In 1859, the city shipped six million pounds of cotton and wool, 7,000 barrels of molasses, and 15,000 casks of sugar. However, when Comegys died in 1820, his plan died with him. However, the black protestors continued to protest. A look at the story of Cairo, Illinois' Magnolia Manor Another large 19th-century home called Riverlore, built by Captain William P Halliday, is located across the street from Magnolia Manor. The decidedly southern influence of most of the white residents and the large influx of African-Americans would spawn racial tension that would last for well over a century. By 1917, Cairo, Illinois had developed a violent reputation as the town with Illinois highest crime rate, a reputation that stuck even 20 years later. However, hundreds of men continued to search the riverfront, breaking into freight cars in the hope of finding Alexander. By the outbreak of the Civil War, Cairos population was at 2,200 but that number was about to explode. The soldiers then built 15 foot high levees around the city, making it a formidable installation. Egypt has been described as an authoritarian regime with limited civil liberties, but the government aims to take a leading position in Africa, spearheading efforts on issues linked to organized crime and violent extremism. A developer with extensive affordable housing experience has offered HUD a plan to build a 40-unit housing community in Cairo at the site of one of the previously demolished homes. Doors stood wide open on commercial buildings that displayed rubble-filled interiors, windows were broken or boarded up, Kudzu crawled up brick walls, streets signs were faded and rusty, and the streets and sidewalks were cracked and choked with weeds. Another black soldier, named Wily Anderson, who was on leave, was killed by sniper bullets. Unfortunately, this incident marked just the beginning of racial violence in Cairo, Illinois. Cairo, Illinois is an abandoned town that sits at the tri-state with Kentucky and Missouri. Egypt also commenced cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other international bodies and has some level of bilateral cooperation with countries such as France and the United States (though that cooperation mainly gravitates around counterterrorism). To give you an idea of what NIJ does: we sponsor studies on police performance, prosecution, sentencing, and corrections; we study the nature of crime and criminal behavior; we examine such topics as juvenile offending, the drug-crime link, environmental crime, family violence, and gangs. This abandoned town in Illinois is one of the most fascinating spots you can visit in the whole state. The sheriff of the town was hiding James in the woods about 30 miles north of Cairo for his protection. Birds traded illegally are primarily songbirds such as finches, pipits and larks, which are either sold in local markets (often used for cooking) or trafficked abroad. It wouldnt be until 1837 when Darius B. Holbrook entered the town that Cairo really took off. Aprs Law And Order: Organized Crime's Twist Ending, l'actrice Karen The citys future looked promising as work on the Central Illinois Railroad brought a great many people to the vicinity of Cairo. PDF McClure to Cairo Law enforcement strategies against organized crime and terrorism often rely on heavy-handed methods such as arbitrary arrests and torture rather than more coherent and methodological approaches. The Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois is still busy today by Kathy Alexander. Cairo, Illinois Was Once A Booming City Until Racist Violence Destroyed The Entire Town. The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in Cairo, IL: Crime Maps and Potential employers will go where there is greater viability and an infrastructure to support businesses. In fact, things were so bad in 1990, that the Cairo High School graduating class was advised to leave the town by its principal. The 2017 Cairo crime rate fell by 70% compared to 2016. A block south of this site was the huge parade grounds. On our first visit in 2010, we passed under an arch depicting Historic Downtown Cairo to take a peek at this city that has been standing on the river for more than 150 years. Thank you! The old Illinois Central Railroad storage bins near the Ohio River were used as hiding places for slaves traveling the Underground Railroad through Cairo. Wikimedia CommonsCairos historic downtown boarded-up and deserted. White Union troops stationed at Fort Defiance swelled to 12,000. Prosecution services and courts lack training and tend to focus on low-level offenders rather than on more organized forms of crime. Photo by Kathy Alexander. Moreover, while not necessarily facilitated by criminal networks, organ harvesting continues and is highly organized. They ended their surveys at Cairo on November 19th, and proceeded up the Mississippi River, now working against the current. The flooding inundated the towns of Paducah and Louisville, Kentucky, as well as Cincinnati, Ohio, and scores of other smaller communities and as the huge crest moved downstream to the Mississippi River. Its continuing existence is maintained through corruption of public officials and the use of intimidation, threats or force to protect its operations. Cairos economy continued to develop in other ways primarily manufacturing. What has happened here? Welcome to Historic Downtown Cairo, Illinois by Kathy Alexander. Wikimedia CommonsGeneral Ulyssess S. Grant used Cairo, Illinois as a strategic advantage against the Confederates because of its location. The most recent demolishment includes theElmwood and McBride housing projects that were in were in poor condition, that were razed in 2019. The body was then dragged by a rope for a mile to the scene of the crime and burned in the presence of at least 10,000 people. The Union shipped supplies from Chicago to the far tip of Illinois via the Illinois Central Railroad, fueling Grants push deep into the Confederacy and altering the course of the Civil War. By 1890, the town was connected by water and seven railroads to the rest of the country and acted as an important way station of sorts between larger cities. Making matters more difficult, after World War II was over in 1945, the town suffered from extremely high unemployment rates rather than flourishing like many communities across the Midwest. Cairo Crime Data Crime Index 51 (100 is safest) Safer than 51% of U.S. Cities Cairo Annual Crimes Violent Crime Violent Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents) 20 15 10 5 0 1.81 3.95 National Median: 4 Cairo Illinois Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Violent Crime 1 in 553 in Cairo 1 in 253 in Illinois Cairo VIOLENT CRIMES Population: 1,659 Along the west side of the Ohio River, a number of saloons and brothels sprang up that served the military personnel until they were closed down by General John A. McLernand in October 1861. Other retail stores such as Florsheim Shoes, a music store, photography studio, banks, auto dealerships, gas stations, and restaurants all flourished. Corruption is widespread in Egypt and seemingly occurs at all levels of the state apparatus, including in law enforcement. Cairo was dealt a hard blow in 1905 when a new railway system opened up the neighboring town of Thebes as a port of trade. On our visit in 2010, we could find not a single open grocery store. Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois. Organized crime | Definition, History, Characteristics, & Facts Since then, the number of cases of human smuggling from Egypt has decreased and many irregular migrants may now use other countries in the region, such as Libya, as their platform for reaching Europe. In 1910, the historic Gem Theatre opened its doors to much acclaim. The city facilities were completely segregated, including public housing, local parks, and seating in the courthouse. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. A protest in Cairo, from the book, Let My People Go: Cairo, Illinois 1967-73, by Jan Peterson Roddy, photo by Preston Ewing Jr. The land of the peninsula was to be made into lots and sold, a portion of the money put into improvements, and the rest of it was to constitute the capital for the new bank. His half-burned head was then attached atop a pole in Candee Park at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Elm Street. Those who remained operated shops and taverns for steamboat travelers. The situation is particularly critical in the Sinai region, where armed non-state actors have a heavy presence and are deeply involved in the illicit arms trade. Featuring a Greek theatre, complete with pillars. The United States Courthouse and post office was built in Cairo, Illinois in 1942. Being surrounded by water already gives this town an eerie and isolated feel. Many African-Americans who escaped the south and made it into the free state of Illinois were then transported to Chicago. Racial unrest in Cairo, Illinois - Wikipedia Unfortunately, it burned to the ground in 1942. The camp was later abandoned when the African-Americans found little work and having no money to buy farms, many returned to the South and became sharecroppers. Unfortunately the incident with Will James was not the last time a horrific moment of violence occurred in Cairo Illinois. By 1990, the town sported a population of little less than 5,000. Cairo is safer than 51% of the cities in the United States. A plan to demolish two public housing developments would force many residents to leave and cut the school enrollment in half. A federal court would later rule the mayors proclamation unconstitutional. The Norteos gang was formed in Northern California, and was specifically created to counter the growing influence of Surenos, a gang which had ties to the Mexican Mafia. The next morning, nothing was left of his body other than bones. It conjures up images of riches and finery, an empire of the ancient world. Comegys hoped to turn Cairo into one of Americas great cities, but he died two years later before his plans could be realized. The downtown sits abandoned and the signs of its once great economic promise are long gone. A town named after greed itself, this once beautiful place is now a shell of its former glory. When the Civil War was over, Camp Defiance and most of the military buildings were dismantled. What are the origins of organized crime? - History Stack Exchange This near-ghost town offers an inexpensive place to live, but there are not many businesses left for people to utilize. Mafia-style actors are known to operate in Egypt, primarily in trafficking and smuggling operations between Egypt and Sudan, Israel and Libya. The Civil War dramatically changed the citys social, cultural and demographic landscape with the arrival of thousands of runaway slaves, which the government referred to as contrabands. Additionally, in 1862, the Union Army deposited large numbers of African-Americans in Cairo until government officials could decide their fate. However, human smuggling from the Egyptian Mediterranean peaked in 2016 and 2017. A persistent and growing domestic heroin market also exists in Egypt with evidence suggesting that heroin is relatively easy to access and has a somewhat high consumer base. Organized Crime Module 1 Key Issues: Defining Organized Crime Trafficking in cultural property involves several acts that may ultimately result in the loss, destruction, removal or theft of irreplaceable . Some new businesses open up but are soon closed, and tourism is not actively promoted. The town entered the 1970s with less than half of the population it had in the 1920s. Meanwhile, it is suspected that Cairo operated as a safehold along the Underground Railroad. Camp Defiance was a prominent facility located in Cairo. 69.163.216.121 Nov. 11, 1909. The mob remained in a frenzy and order was restored only after Governor Charles Deneen ordered eleven companies of the National Guard to proceed to Cairo. Marches, protests, the bombing of buildings, and even 150 nights of gunfire took place in the 1970s. Trafficking in Cultural Property - Office on Drugs and Crime The design and development of this website was completed by Caf.art.br. But the name was cursed. The infuriated mob forcibly took James from the Sheriffs custody and returned him to Cairo. Nevertheless, the government has taken some steps to improve Egypts anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism framework and build capacity in financial investigation. I crossed the Mississippi River "The Frog" or "The Froggie" was a black man implicated in the murder of a white girl, captured in nearby Belknap and taken to the most prominent square in the city and strung up. Crime in Cairo, Illinois (IL): murders, rapes, robberies, assaults There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. But Cairos susceptibility to flooding was a major obstacle in establishing a permanent settlement, which faltered at first as the population fell by more than 80 percent. People in town were spreading rumors that James had not only committed the crime but confessed to it. Like many towns in America, here is one that began with prejudice and racism, and it is one that was swallowed up by it as well. Another lovely home on Millionaires Row by Kathy Alexander. CAIRO, Ill. (AP) - Charles A. Galigher, and his . The 2017 crime rate in Cairo, IL is 237 (City-Data.com crime index), which is comparable to the U.S. average. In 1861, General Ulysses S. Grant established Fort Defiance at the tip of Cairos peninsula, which operated as an integral naval base and supply depot for his Western Army. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments. Arms trafficking is a serious issue in Egypt and controlling the circulation of arms has been a challenge for Egyptian law enforcement agencies andauthorities. An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. The building was designed by Alfred Mullett, who also designed the San Francisco Mint, the US Treasury Building, and old State Department building in Washington, D.C. However, the old problem of racism would ultimately be the town's demise. Camp Defiance became an important supply depot for General Grants Western Army and a naval base, as the Union and Confederacy battled for control of the lower Mississippi River. On July 19, 1950, $20,000 worth of gambling equipment was confiscated from simultaneous raids on six night clubs and taverns in or near Cairo. In the meantime, the other part of the mob fled to the county jail, where they hammered at the cell of a man named Henry Salzner, for more than an hour. That same year, though, the town had the highest murder rate in the state. By 1917, Cairo, Illinois had developed a violent reputation as the town with Illinois' highest crime rate, a reputation that stuck even 20 years later. The climate was humid, disease-carrying mosquitoes and rats were everywhere, and to make matters worse, unscrupulous business operators were known to cheat and even rob many of the troops. The rate of crime in Cairo is 152.50 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. The town was hit hard during the Great Depression and was quite a dangerous place to live - at one point, Cairo had the highest murder rate in Illinois and was a hotbed for organized crime. However, today, the park is owned by the city of Cairo. Cairo, IL Crime Rates & Map - areavibes.com When the Illinois Central Railroad was completed in 1856, which connected Cairo to Galena, Illinois in the northwest corner of the state, the town really began to grow. Egypt is a source, transit and destination country for men, women and children subjected to forced labour, and sex and organ trafficking. This unique town in Illinois was perhaps cursed from the start because it was born from violence between the Native Americans and the colonizing settlers. This reputation, which would get worse before it was over, still lasts to this day, even though Cairos meanness is long past and its citizens work together to do what they can to save their dying town. Many of these people also returned to the South or moved elsewhere, but, more than 3,000 decided to remain in Cairo. Unfortunately, a fire completely gutted the theatre in 1934, but it was rebuilt two years later including a new, elegant marquee. Holbrook more than anyone else was responsible for the towns establishment and early growth. Demonstration of the segregated pool in Cairo, by Danny Lyon, 1962. Halliday Hotel, Cairo, Illinois By 1861, when the Civil War began, Cairo's population had increased to 2,200, of which, only 55 people were African-American. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. ENACT is implemented by the Institute for Security Studies and INTERPOL, in affiliation with the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime. In 1905, a new railroad bridge was built which crossed the Mississippi River, except this one stopped in a town just north of Cairo. An abandoned business in downtown Cairo, Illinois. Just a month later, at the height of the gambling raids, five State Police were charged with theft of $150 from slot machines confiscated during a raid in Cairo. This discovery reveals a lot about the underlying social tension of the town during the Civil War. A general definition has limitations, however . Wikimedia CommonsThe lynching of Will Froggy James. James was strung up at 8:00 pm, but the rope snapped. The 14-room home was built using locally fired red brick with substantial wood trim and stone. Hays, Christopher K.; The African American Struggle For Equality And Justice In Cairo, Illinois, 1865-1900; Illinois Historical Journal, 1997 The city and its residents have worked hard over the recent years to stabilize the small town; however, these attempts are often short-lived, as there is simply no money. African Americans From Slavery to Equality, Federal Writers Project; Illinois: A Descriptive and Historical Guide; A.C. McClurg & Co, Chicago, IL; 1939. Working along with Comegys, was Shadrach Bond, who was the first governor of Illinois. He told a brief story of how the town was destroyed by its own residents and points out a building that once served as a fine dining and dancing establishment that he and his wife enjoyed decades ago. Though both the federal and state governments had gotten involved, they were ineffective in controlling the continued segregation and inequality that existed in Cairo. Not any more. When the rope broke, mobsters shot his still breathing body and then dragged it through the town before setting it on fire. Almost all public and private offices employed only whites. By Kathy Weiser-Alexander. By this time, the old scars of racism had hardened, and Cairos racial divide was starkly drawn. Crime in Cairo, Illinois - Best Places To counteract the White Hats, the black community formed an organization called the United Front of Cairo in 1969. Cairo, Illinois, Lee Russell, 1937, Before long, the railroads began to bypass the city and severe problems were created by water seepage on the low-lying land.