Why This Illinois City Built a Gate to Seal Itself Off

Why This Illinois City Built a Gate to Seal Itself Off

At the southern tip of Illinois, where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers converge, lies the city of Cairo, which once depended on the Big Subway Gate for flood defense. This massive iron barrier was designed to be lowered into position, effectively isolating the city during severe floods and transforming it into a fortified island. This episode delves into Cairo's evolution from a swampy misstep to a Civil War stronghold, the significance of its strategic location, and the role of the Big Subway Gate in efforts to manage the threat posed by two of North America's most treacherous rivers. It is a narrative of survival, decline, and a forgotten structure that continues to dominate the cityscape today. #CairoIllinois #AmericanHistory #HistoryDocumentary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Avsnitt(554)

The eerie history of abandoned McDonald’s 🍟

The eerie history of abandoned McDonald’s 🍟

Did you ever wonder what happens to McDonald’s after the golden arches go dim? Across the globe, many locations have been demolished, replaced, or left abandoned. From a UFO-shaped McDonald’s in Engla...

13 Mars 17min

Why does every old Pennsylvania home have a basement toilet?

Why does every old Pennsylvania home have a basement toilet?

Across America’s Rust Belt, many older homes feature a unique fixture known as the "Pittsburgh Potty," a solitary toilet located in an unfinished basement, often lacking privacy. This unusual setup ha...

12 Mars 11min

How a highway runs through a giant hole

How a highway runs through a giant hole

Just south of Chicago lies the Thornton Quarry, a limestone excavation that is nearly 500 feet deep and over a mile wide. I-294 runs directly through it, featuring sheer rock walls that plunge hundred...

11 Mars 18min

How a fatal mistake caused a train explosion

How a fatal mistake caused a train explosion

On May 12, 1948, a Chesapeake and Ohio Railway freight train near Chillicothe, Ohio, experienced a violent steam locomotive explosion due to a steam engine's boiler failure. This incident, known as th...

10 Mars 8min

How Detroit tamed the Great Lakes

How Detroit tamed the Great Lakes

Along the coastline of Detroit sit three unusual structures that resemble lighthouses — these are water cribs, manmade intake islands that contributed to Detroit’s transformation into one of America’s...

9 Mars 14min

The journey of Cleopatra’s Needle revealed! 🔍

The journey of Cleopatra’s Needle revealed! 🔍

The journey of Cleopatra’s Needle revealed! 🔍 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Mars 12min

I found America's hidden giant arrows! ✈️

I found America's hidden giant arrows! ✈️

I found America's hidden giant arrows! ✈️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Mars 11min

I discovered why New York wanted to demolish the Manhattan Bridge 🏙️

I discovered why New York wanted to demolish the Manhattan Bridge 🏙️

I discovered why New York wanted to demolish the Manhattan Bridge 🏙️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Mars 14min

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