Forgotten Illinois: Decatur

Decatur has a rich history, tied in large part to the industrial strength of the region from the 20th century. But just like forgiving and providing second chances to individuals, being a place of opportunity again might mean adopting new mentalities – whether that’s for the state of Illinois, city officials, employers or job seekers.

[samelliott]

It’s not just Decatur that’s folding up, it’s the whole state of Illinois!! Just look at our roads and bridges

[richardbinder]

I was born and raised there. Left in 1983 for the Army and have never returned. The smell of Staleys will always be burned into my nose. There were some good times. The two drive in theaters, slot car racing at Bolays Hobbies and drag racing on Eldorado. Took guitar lessons at Ax in Hand across from Del's popcorn shop and the Lincoln Theater. Still have family and friends there.

[bit]

Illinois used to be the microcosm of the nation itself in location, economy, and culture. That's long gone now. It's over.

[cavendermary]

My Dad was born and raised in this town! He graduated 1949. There were my grandparents and so many aunts and uncles! Cousins too. I still have family there who was named after Jackie Kennedy and my aunt who turned 94 this last April! There have been many fond memories of coming to visit from central Iowa and staying a week!!! I recall all the soy bean and corn feilds and the smell of Stayeys Suryup. The land was pancake flat with polywog water underneath the rich black soil. You could see for miles in one direction. My grandma lived on a road named Needle Road on an acre of paradise that's still in my memory to this day! The jackasses built a road through her place and destroyed it!!! But I still got some pictures and the memories!!!

[rafaelbarrera]

Beautiful town, I love the charming historic buildings. Save Decatur ❤️

[drp]

Even though I've not lived there in over 30 years, I still consider Decatur my home. It makes me a little sad to go back there and see that it is not the thriving place it once was. I hope Decatur can be renewed.

[s.t.a.t]

Born & Raised In Decatur & Graduated From Eisenhower High School. Seen It All In Decatur From Poverty & Drugs To Crime. I Love My City For How It Molded Me, But I Left In ‘07 For The Army & Never Looked Back.

[bobbyglover]

I was born near Decatur & raised in the area. I graduated from Eisenhower in '63. I left in '64 but did come back for a few years in the 70's but then left again for greener pastures. It's grown since I left, but I've never seen any other town with so many thrift stores. Many relatives still live there...but it will always be my "hometown"!

[mnoliberal]

Wow, I lived in Illinois 40 years ago and moved to Florida in 1982, and return yearly. It's sad how policymakers in Chicagoland and Springfield are creating ghost towns up in the Land of Lincoln. I hope Decatur can turn things around. I remember it as one of the all round nicest towns, filled with vitality. It was a cleanish industrial town, with quality of life, good jobs and public safety.

[markiangooley]

I was born there in 1961, went to Millikin, didn’t leave until I was 20, lived a few years there after that. Parents used that service station, or an earlier version, in the 60s and 70s, mostly for fuel but occasionally for car repairs. Last visited when my parents died (2016-17). Can’t imagine returning there: it’s bleak.

[pebonifield]

Born and raised in Southside of Chicago, now live in the South. Illinois is dying due to its liberal "Fix it with tax money" attitude. (Much of which is syphoned into corrupt pockets). The only way these dying towns are going to revitalize is by having a commodity or atmosphere conducive to industry. High taxes and costs of living quickly eliminate anybody from opening or relocating a business in Illinois.

[jeffreysizemore]

My wife and I left Decatur in mid 2018. Best decision we could of made. We were both born and raised in central illinois, but we love our new home state.

[peterm.fitzpatrick]

I lived in Forsyth four about seven years some time ago. Decatur is a delightfully quiet and laid-back town, especially out on the perimeter, like where Forsyth, population around five thousand, is. But one must admit that the current financial opportunities that the greater Decatur area has to offer a young person or even an older person are indeed extremely limited. Illinois, itself, had a very strong industrial base in former times that the state's infrastructure, business practices, and political planners have had a extremely difficult time attempting to adjust to post-industrial circumstances. The population suffers as jobs simply disappear while taxation has reached ridiculous proportions. Chicago is the only viably alternative in Illinois economically and the political divide in Illinois reflects that disparity in power. Downstate cities tied to rivers and railroads that are now irrelevant economically seemingly dooms those cities to a slow extinction. But that doesn't take in the human price these large-scale social changes exact. It becomes a question of survival to leave these once thriving cities.

[JD-hfme]

Remember partying like an adult at showbiz pizza after hours when going to Stephen Decatur high school in the mid 80s man that was blast and how could anyone ever forget that smell Staleys put out.

[troywalters]

That was extraordinary. The sadness and discontent just seethes within that place. Those union jobs were a helluva drug...

[jenniferrucker]

It is so sad to see the town in which I was born and spent the first six years of my life deteriorate😢

[renehinkle]

Decatur is a great city.I love it so much.💕

[Alink]

As a Decatur resident in 2024 6 years after this video it feels virtually the same, but we finally are redoing roads, we have attracted a few more business (tilamook for example), and premiet invested 450 million into its facilities so it’s not all bad
Ps. The stink is not that bad in quite literally 85% of the city

[MrMoogle]

I have a lot of family in Illinois and I always figured I would move back there some day as they got older. But then the taxes got higher and higher and higher over time so I've ended up staying put in Indiana much longer than I ever expected. If they would lower the taxes, I would move back.

[BenWatkinsGtr]

I have been fortunate to make great friends here, ran a small guitar lesson program that paid my bills for years, worked as a local performing musician as well, was always able to hustle up extra work when things got thin, attended the local community college for a very affordable tuition rate, retrained there for another career, and after a few bumps landed in a good engineering support job. It's true that much of the opportunity that was present when I was young has dried up, but things always change, constantly. You can let things happen or make things happen, always. Our high school guidance counselors told us the factory jobs would go away, that the path our folks had was passing quickly and that we would need more education to stay in the game.

There are many good people here, also some less than good, just like every part of human society. As much as Decatur has seen considerable decline, my travels have taken me to places that face much greater challenges. As bad as your situation may seem, most of us can look around and see those who are less fortunate (and they're not all making bad choices; there but for the grace of God go all of us).

Many thanks to all near or far who have crossed my path, shared smiles, kindness, offers of help. I am always grateful for those who sat and learned music with me so I could maintain shelter and my humble wherewithal. Now I'm grateful to those who showed me the ropes at my second career. Life is good, each day the sun shines somewhere, rain is necessary, and if you appreciate it cloudy days are beautiful too.