A truly depressed place.

As we drove to our location today it became quite the topic of discussion, as we recognized the incredible number of foreclosed, abandoned, vacant, or evicted houses along the way, how shockingly depressed the area is. I have never seen so many dilapidated, empty houses before. It seemed like there were more empty houses than there were inhabited ones. The neighborhood looked like it was quite the happening place at some point in the past, even. Lots of character in those houses. I wonder what their story is? How did this incredible loss take place?