At the Confluence
At the very tip of Illinois is one of the poorest counties in the state. But it is rich in stories.
About 9,000 people live in the county — fewer than 3,000 in its largest city, Cairo — and the Ohio and the Mississippi rivers converge here.
While that location might suggest the county was well positioned for economic success, history had proved otherwise.
Prone to flooding and now bypassed by rail and highways, the county has been for years a land forgotten.
Yet, there are people who make a living here and who celebrate life every day. The human spirit finds a way to survive and flourish.
The demographics are an intriguing blend of races, religions and economic/social status. Beyond the confluence of the continent’s two largest rivers, Alexander County represents a confluence of human forces, too.