what happened to the Illinois-side of St. Louis?

[ButterflyBlood]

The actual city of St. Louis is known for high crime, however most of the western Missouri-side suburbs are rather wealthy, even though some are mostly blue-collar (like Gephardt's district I believe). St. Louis county has a rather high median household income and low crime. The eastern suburbs on the Illinois side however, are apparentely the total opposite. East St. Louis according to one site I saw has the second highest crime rate in America, with Washington Park, another community in the same area having the 3rd. Also median incomes in these communities appears to be just around $20,000. What exactly happened to this area that hit it so hard?

[buddy22600]

1. East St. Louis

There are two parts to East St. Louis.

1) Gated Communities where the rich live
2) Some of the worst slums I have ever seen with no trash pick-up (went on for 12 years back in the 80's and 90's) and nothing but strip clubs and night clubs and homeless living on the streets

[ButterflyBlood]

2. Do you mean East St. Louis the area or city?

there is a city called that on the Illinois side that sounds like what you describe. St. Louis the city is apparentely rather diverse, but it has some terrible slums.

[MissMarple]

3. East St. Louis is a different city than St.Louis.

It was virtually bankrupt some years ago, but I thought they were trying to make a comeback. I think it is primarily black, with almost no business base. St. Louis has some bad areas, both black and white. But the city does have stable working class neighborhoods.
I hope that helps some.

[ButterflyBlood]

4. my mom said she was down there in college

while driving down south with some friends they got lost and ended up in the city. So they stopped and went to a McDonald's to ask for directions. Everyone inside was black, and they walked up to the front to ask for directions. The guy then told them, and then said "and I would advise that you get out of here NOW." They then drove as fast as they could out of what she described as the dirtiest and scariest city she's ever seen.

my friend also goes to college in St. Louis. He says E. St. Louis is so scary he has gone there once-and is never going back again.

I'm curious though in how it ended up this way, and far different from the west St. Louis suburbs.

[MissMarple]

6. It is across the Mississippi River from St. Louis.

There is a lot of industry in St. Louis, but for some reason not in East St. Louis. It may have something to do with a difference in state laws. There is also a tremendous amount of money in St. Louis. However, around East St. Louis are a number of middle class towns that remain not wealthy but somewhat prosperous. It seems to be a farming area and I believe there were mines there until recently.

[izzie]

5. I lived in St Louis in the 50's and started out looking in E. St Louis

Well we were a service family and did not have a lot of money. For a person who grew up on the coast of Maine, in my fathers home, went to BU and for high school grad went to Europe I almost fell over. I had never seen such a place. One women took my paper and crossed out all the places she said I could not live in so I guess I saw the better side of E St Louis.I went back to St Louis and it was a step up but a hard place for a protected person. After that I could live any place nothing shocked me.