From the social, political and economic upheaval caused by events such as the American Civil War, the Great Depression and the COVID-19 pandemic, to shocking disasters like huge fires and floods, these American cities have faced their fair share of hardships over the centuries. While many still feel the effects of their trials to some extent, these places have all made demonstrable progress in recent times to find their feet again and welcome visitors back to their streets. These are the US cities that are rising from the ashes of their troubled pasts.
Boston was considered part of America’s Rust Belt – a region stretching from Missouri to New England known for its manufacturing, steelmaking and coal-mining prowess. The Rust Belt slid into industrial decline around the mid-20th century, resulting in widespread unemployment, population loss, ruin and poverty. Before the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, Boston profited largely from textile manufacturing. But when those factories moved south in pursuit of cheaper labour and raw materials, the city’s economy collapsed.
Almost a century later, the small businesses of downtown Boston bore the brunt of COVID-19 especially hard – but now the city is bouncing back. New openings are thriving, including the charming Beacon Hill Books & Cafe, while Boston’s Back Bay will become the home of North America’s first Raffles hotel later this year. Visitors can follow the Freedom Trail, which connects 16 historic sites telling the story of the American Revolution, or take in the ever-evolving exhibitions at ICA Boston. On 16 December 2023, the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party will be celebrated city-wide.
In the midst of its emergence as an industrial powerhouse, Pittsburgh suffered a huge loss in 1845 when a third of its area was destroyed by fire. Some 24 blocks of residences, businesses, churches and other important structures were incinerated, rendering 12,000 people homeless. In March 1907, the city was also blighted by deadly flooding. Able to claw back its fortunes for a time, Pittsburgh became labelled first the ‘Iron City’ and later the ‘Steel City’. But it was left with a flattened economy and soaring unemployment in the wake of the Great Depression.
However, the city dug deep and pulled off another renaissance. Having diversifed into the healthcare, technology and education industries, Pittsburgh represents one of the strongest success stories of the former Rust Belt. Today, it is known as the ‘City of Bridges’, with 446 of them crossing three rivers. Crowds flock here each year for festivals, sporting events and to ride the Duquesne Incline train, which reaches 400 feet (122m) above sea level. The Andy Warhol Museum, along with the city’s many craft breweries, are extra reasons to visit.
Kansas City has historically been a place of two halves. Prior to and during the American Civil War, it was divided due to its position on the border between Missouri (where slavery was legal at the time) and Kansas (where it was outlawed). It was the centre of several clashes between the Union and Confederate armies, including the largest battle west of the Mississippi River. Noted for its unkempt appearance during the 19th century and blighted by flooding in the early 20th, Kansas City has since rallied.
Nicknamed the ‘Paris of the Plains’ for its pretty boulevards, and with allegedly (almost) as many fountains as Rome, KC has well and truly shaken off its former reputation. In recent years, it has also been making waves in the farm-to-table restaurant movement: Farmhouse, Blue Bird Bistro and Westside Local are just a few of the best spots for this. A slew of boutique hotel openings, a shiny new terminal at Kansas City International Airport and its selection as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are all reasons to give the Midwestern city a chance.
Search ‘Waco’ on the Internet and the first results you’ll see will likely be about the Waco Siege. The 51-day standoff between FBI agents and the Branch Davidian religious group in 1993 led to the deaths of 86 people by shooting and fire (pictured), and was recently the subject of the Waco: American Apocalypse Netflix documentary. Forty years prior to the conflict, the city was also devastated by a volatile tornado which took the lives of 114 people. Needless to say, neither event did much for Waco’s public image.
These days, the city is winning back visitors with unique attractions that exemplify its history and creativity. Between 2014 and 2019, tourism in Waco quadrupled thanks to the popularity of the home renovation TV show Fixer Upper, headed up by Chip and Joanna Gaines who own the Magnolia Silos boutique market (pictured) in the city. Aside from shopping at the Silos, you can see the remains of a real Columbian mammoth at the Waco Mammoth National Monument, relax in the Czech-inspired beer spa at Pivovar Waco and learn the origins of your favourite childhood drink at the Dr Pepper Museum.
Many people have strong preconceptions about Baltimore, whose violent crime and homicide rates consistently rank above America’s national average, and which was ranked the third most dangerous US city for 2023 by Forbes. Concerns about the city's safety aren’t unfounded and it was chosen as the setting for long-running crime drama The Wire for such reasons. But to reduce the city to grim statistics would be short-sighted. In a bid to cast off the shadow of its notorious reputation, Baltimore has been working hard to clean up its act.
While gentrification can often be a dirty word, community-first initiatives like R. House are ensuring balance is struck between development and the preservation of local spaces. The 10-stall food hall, located in the vibrant Remington neighbourhood, pledges to be a unifying home to both Baltimore residents and out-of-town visitors alike, while championing homegrown culinary talent. Elsewhere in the city, you’ll find the largest public collection of Matisse in the world at the Baltimore Museum of Art (free to enter), while the old industrial Inner Harbor is great for vibey exploring.
The late 19th century was a particularly dark time in Seattle's history, marred by rising anti-immigrant sentiment and then a catastrophic fire in 1889 which turned some 30 square blocks of buildings and railway terminals (an important economic asset) to ash. More recently, Seattle was the epicentre of the United States' first widespread COVID-19 outbreak, with the pandemic exacerbating rates of homelessness and violent crime. The Pacific Northwest city's harsh winters have also reportedly driven up cases of depression among almost half of its adult population. But there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel.
Seattle is tipped as the fastest growing big city in the US and is also a leader in green energy. In terms of attractions, the Northwest African American Museum reopened in January 2023 after a three-year closure, while the city’s central waterfront is undergoing a massive reimagining, due for completion in its entirety in 2025. There are a bunch of hipster hangouts too, the top spot being Pike Place Market (seek out the smoked salmon chowder).
With the waterways of Lake Michigan at its disposal, Chicago has become one of the biggest and most resilient hitters in the Rust Belt. After suffering a great fire in 1871 which razed a third of the city, killed 300 people and consumed 20,000 buildings, it was rebuilt in record time. This was in the midst of the Great Depression, which took a terrible toll on Chicago's manufacturing sector: by 1933, only 50% of employees had retained their jobs in the field from 1927. But the city survived, and Illinois remains a key producer of iron and steel today.
Sometimes called the crossroads of America on account of its extensive rail network, Chicago is now one of the most visited cities in the United States by international tourists. With unmissable landmarks such as the Cloud Gate sculpture (or "The Bean"), Magnificent Mile, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago History Museum, the only difficulty is knowing where to begin. Need somewhere swanky to stay? New for 2023 is the much-hyped St Regis Chicago, which stretches over 101 storeys.
Detroit has had a rough ride, officially filing for bankruptcy (the largest US city to do so) in 2013 after amassing $18 billion (£12bn at the time) in debt. A Rust Belt city famed for its automotive industry, Detroit saw rapid expansion in the first half of the 20th century and was once the fourth-most-populated city in the US. In its heyday, 1.8 million residents lived here. But the city's motor industry collapsed in the middle of the 20th century and, by 2018, the population had fallen to 673,000.
But a decade on from its bankruptcy, Detroit’s fortunes are in much better shape than they used to be. Although still ranking among the poorest and statistically most unsafe cities in America, Detroit has made notable steps towards recovery. It has paid off $7 billion (£5.6bn) of its debt, with investments being made in city planning and revitalising vacant land. Its nickname 'Motor City' has new reason to stick, as the USA's first electric-vehicle charging roads will soon launch here. Meanwhile, new hotels and eateries are popping up all the time, and a $55-million (£44.2m) expansion of the world-class Motown Museum is ongoing.
Columbus was founded in 1812 and lies on the Scioto River, which burst its banks frequently during the city's formative years, causing particularly devastating flooding in 1913, claiming at least 93 lives and nearly 500 buildings in Columbus alone. This naturally sparked a period of economic hardship, from which Columbus ultimately emerged as a lucrative Rust Belt city until the manufacturing industry’s regression. Since then, Columbus has been circumventing many of the challenges faced by other post-industrial heavyweights and has gradually reinvented itself as an affordable, liveable, forward-thinking city.
The comeback of Columbus has partially focused on access to green space, with the creation of John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons park and its programme of 200-plus free events each year, ranging from movie nights to themed concerts. Diversifying from its former hard industry, the city is now regarded as 'Silicon Heartland', where huge tech companies like Intel have opened manufacturing hubs. It's a great destination for adventurers and sports fans too, with America's first urban Via Ferrata having recently opened at Quarry Trails Metro Park, and the new football stadium Lower.com Field.
By the 1850s, Rochester had emerged as one of America’s first "boom towns" after making its fortunes in flour-milling and garment-making. Then, as is common in the Rust Belt, the dawn of deindustrialisation saw the city's population and revenue decline. As a medium-sized Rust Belt city that had already diversified somewhat into industries such as mail-order plant seeds, photography, healthcare and education, Rochester rebounded quicker than many other metro areas in the region. But a culture of racial injustice and disinvestment added to issues of unemployment and poverty, later inflamed by COVID-19.
Rochester has committed to increasing wealth in its communities in recent years, particularly by supporting local entrepreneurs and businesses owned by people of colour. Further afield, the city gained global attention from golf buffs when it hosted the PGA Championship in May 2023. For families, the Strong National Museum of Play will unveil a 90,000-square-foot (8,361sqm) expansion later in the year, while the planetarium at the Rochester Museum and Science Center is great fun too. You can also learn about the history of Kodak cameras at the home-come-museum of their creator, George Eastman, or take an Underground Railway tour downtown.
On 19 April 1995, Oklahoma City was the target of the deadliest homegrown terror attack ever to strike America. There were 168 people killed and 700 more injured when anti-government terrorists Timothy J. McVeigh and Terry Nichols partially blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. As well as the devastating human cost, the tragedy had a significant economic impact, causing hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of damage. The city and its suburbs have also been pummelled by several fatal tornadoes over the past three decades. But, in spite of its hardships, OKC has always come out swinging.
In 2022, Oklahoma City was declared the third-fastest bounce-back economy in the United States, having emerged as a national leader in the aviation and aerospace industry. For visitors, the city offers a smattering of fascinating museums, focused on everything from Native American history and cowboy culture to banjos and pigeons (yes, you read that right). Base yourself at the quirky new Bradford House boutique hotel, before heading out for a pint of something local at Bricktown Brewery. OKC also lies on world-famous Route 66, so be sure to stop by on your next American road trip.
Birmingham was one of America's biggest producers of iron and steel in the early 20th century – becoming known as the 'Pittsburgh of the South'. But by the 1980s, demand for steel had waned, sending the city careering into economic decline. This, coupled with a legacy of racial segregation and race-based violence which rose throughout the 1960s, rendered Birmingham a shadow of its former self. The city's troubles didn't end there – in 1971, Birmingham's air was so badly polluted that it became the first US city to have its industrial plants closed by law. A forceful string of tornadoes in 2011 wreaked further costly destruction.
Like Baltimore, Birmingham's violent crime rates remain high above America's national average. But the city has levelled up in other areas. While progress in Birmingham has been slow, it's happening: once-empty historic buildings, like Pepper Place (a former Dr Pepper factory), have been reinvented as recreational hotspots; neighbourhoods such as Woodlawn and Five Points South have flourished with independent shops and restaurants; and the city was ranked in the top 10 mid-size American cities of the future by the Financial Times' fDi magazine in 2020.
Following a long struggle for power and dominance among the city's earliest settlers (Solomon Juneau, Byron Kilbourn and George Walker) that ended with the Bridge War of 1845, a unified Milwaukee joined the Rust Belt; flour milling, leather tanning, ironworks and brewing were the key industries. But the port city’s economy started to dip in the late 19th century with the arrival of railways and was further slowed by the Great Depression. By the 1980s, manufacturing and beer production had fallen steeply and, at the turn of the millennium, there was only one major brewery remaining in Milwaukee.
But the city has undergone something of a renaissance, driven by the regeneration of its downtown. The RiverWalk development connects Downtown Milwaukee with the Historic Third Ward and Beerline B neighbourhoods, and is the place to go for culture and nightlife. Brewing culture is back, with beer festivals and craft breweries sweeping the city, while the dining, retail and hotel scene is flush with new openings. Later in 2023, construction of a revamped home for Milwaukee’s Public Museum is due to begin – but if you want a top attraction to visit right now, head to the much-renowned Milwaukee Art Museum.
After the Second World War, Atlantic City’s once-iconic resort trade was already in decline. New Jersey legalised gambling in 1976, which signalled a short-lived spike in revenue and employment, but any wealth accrued barely went beyond its emblematic boardwalk. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy – one of the costliest hurricanes in history – made landfall in Atlantic City. Then, in 2014, a third of Atlantic City’s once-twinkling casinos closed down (including the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino). Add to that a global pandemic and the effects of climate change taking its toll on the shoreline, and you could say the city just can’t catch a break.
But, following several attempts at revitalisation, could things finally be looking up for Atlantic City? Despite the pandemic, it was named one of the top-trending US beach destinations by TripAdvisor in 2020, and casinos took more than $95 million (£76.4m) in gross profit during the first quarter of 2021. The year 2023 is tipped to be another big one for America’s Playground, with a newly-opened Nobu outpost at Caesars Atlantic City offering the up-market brand’s signature take on sushi. And, when it opens later this summer, Island Waterpark at Showboat Atlantic City will be the US’s largest indoor waterpark.
Take a look at these vintage photos of America’s historic attractions
A Confederate stronghold during the Civil War until it was captured by Unionists in 1862, Memphis was the site of one of the country’s worst race riots in 1866, resulting in the murders of 46 Black people. In the 1870s, a yellow fever epidemic claimed more than 5,000 lives and led to the exodus of 25,000 residents, causing Memphis to lose its charter and declare bankruptcy. The city was issued with a new charter in 1893 after its economy rebounded, but more devastation followed in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, with the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr at the Lorraine Motel in 1968.
Poverty and crime levels are still high, but Memphis is moving in the right direction. It’s one of the top cities for millennial population growth and has seen billions invested over the past decade to revive its downtown – an effort which includes the just-refreshed Tom Lee Park and upcoming The Walk on the Union development. With an ever-growing smattering of new hotels, bars and restaurants, plus a world-class music heritage that nurtured the likes of B.B. King, Al Green and Elvis Presley, Memphis has never been better.