2947: Skid Row Jan 15, 2025

The term ‘skid row’ refers to an urban area characterised by poverty, homelessness, and social decline, though the connotations have not always been so negative. The phrase has its origins in the 19th century, when ‘skid row’ referred to a stretch of land where logs were dragged or ‘skidded’ to be shipped, particularly in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. These ‘skid roads’ were rough, often leading to the outskirts of town where many people there faced poverty. By the early 20th century, it had come to signify a degraded part of town, or metaphorically a very difficult situation.