U.S. Custom House, Illinois, United States

5007Mac 5:00 PM Aug 3, 2013

Excellent!
I was born and raised in Cairo. Yes it is heartbreaking indeed to see what time has done to a once great hometown. But thankfully, many volunteers have devoted untold hours to organizing and building informative displays of the rich history of Cairo, now housed and beautifully displayed at the Customs House Museum. The building itself is what I would call one those 'Wow' buildings. One must lookup and check out the arched brickwork that makes up the ceiling of the first floor. Craftsmanship like that is hard to come by nowadays. The cast iron elevator still works, but not open to the public. And, despite the great history of this building, and what it contains today, there are visible scars of more tumultuous times in Cairo on the exterior western face of this formidable structure. Pockmarks are readily apparent -made by high caliber rifle fire from dissidents holed up West of this location, during the "Civil Unrest" of the late 60's. This museum is crammed full of photos, trinkets, articles, and well made displays. Any traveler interested in history, architecture, geology, river, rail, and highway transportation must stop by. This collection of Cairo history should be a required visit for any current or past resident of Cairo. I guarantee that you will learn something you never knew, and will have a renewed heartache for what once was, and what could have been, a great place to grow up. Better hurry, the wonderful old buildings and homes of a once Majestic Cairo are disappearing at an all too fast rate. While there, you should also check out the Cairo Public Library, one block north and across the street form the Customs House Museum. Another fabulous architectural gem, and home to tons more historical items related to Cairo and the three state region. Ya gotta stop!

4waldentenn 5:00 PM Mar 12, 2020

The last vestige of Cairo's Prosperity
Cairo was once an important town located at the confluence of two of America's greatest rivers. Now, it is one of the most depressed places you are likely to see anywhere in the Midwest. However, thanks to the efforts of a handful of dedicated volunteers, the Customs House of the 19th century still operates as a local history musuem. The building itself is worth seeing and in the huge hodge-podge of artifacts and photographs on display visitors can grasp Cairo's rich history. They charge $2 per person but give them $10. They need it because if this place dies, there will be nothing left of sad Cairo.