BAZflyer: Paducah

Flying above the mid-eastern lands of the US, that vast area drained by the great Mississippi River and it’s many navigable tributaries, Bazflyers observed broad-acres of flooding. The great Mississippi River flood of 1927 is sometimes referred to as the most underrated weather disaster of the century and remains the benchmark flood event for this great river.

It wasn’t the Mississippi River that beckoned the Bazflyers to spend a couple of days at Paducah, it was more particularly the town’s unique association with the art of quilting. However, Paducah being an old town sited on the banks of the Ohio River, just a few miles upstream from its confluence with the mighty Mississippi, unexpectedly provided some other surprising attractions.

The town of Paducah has suffered badly from river floods over the years. Nowadays it is sheltered from the Ohio River like a fortress town behind tall concrete walls. Walls that also serve as a canvas for many wonderful historical murals. The Ohio River was clearly in flood. Locals spoke of relentless record breaking spring rainfall and pointed to the town’s concrete flood walls seeing action only a couple of weeks prior to the Bazflyer’s visit. Flooding that the National Weather Service reported to be the longest-lasting since the "Great Flood" of 1927. Flooding that will keep many farmers across large areas of arable land from planting a crop this year.

An urge to see the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, especially in flood, was compelling. Experiencing the near deserted former city of Cairo, Illinois was a bonus. What was once a thriving, busy, bustling Mississippi River town is today a virtual ghost town. A drive down Main Street sees a town of abandoned storefronts, boarded up buildings, rusted street signs, and a lack of any activity. Detour down unkept wide leafy boulevards and what were once grand mansions sadly slouch abandoned, ravaged by the decay of time.

But why....? History points to a combination of things that brought Cairo to its current state. However, despite its early glory, Illinois’ southernmost town is now mostly remembered for its racial strife, which according to some, was instrumental in the town’s decline.

Segregation became deeply rooted during the town’s prosperous years and staunchly continued well into the sixties and seventies. This was despite the best efforts of both State and Federal legislators. Lynchings, mob violence, protests and riots all took their toll. Businesses left the town. Today, the abandoned, once-prosperous streets of Cairo serve as a sad monument to the destructive forces of racism. Forces of the like that not even a concrete flood wall could protect...!

On approach to land Paducah flying over the flooded Ohio River