Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
Session 11.03 Tourism and Development
Presentation #1 Title
Moving on Out: Why People Leave Appalachia
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Out-Migration is a serious problem for present-day Appalachia, but the trend of people leaving Appalachia doesn’t seem to be a new one. Historically, the Appalachian Mountains have been an unsettled area due to difficulty getting past the mountains, and the ease of getting away from them. My paper focuses on whether this history, geography, education level, and economic factors affect the outward migration in the area today. My paper examines if the history of geography-specific industries, such as agriculture, salt production, and coal mining, push people away due to a move towards more automation and a decreased need for such products. It also touches on if education in terms of high school and college completion in a factor in the out-migration because of a lack of jobs that “require” higher education (teachers, doctors, etc.) It also discusses if this creates a distressed economic situation that also forces people out of Appalachia.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Linda McGuffey is a Huntington native and a senior at Marshall University, majoring in Geography and minoring in History.
Moving on Out: Why People Leave Appalachia
Corbly Hall 465
Out-Migration is a serious problem for present-day Appalachia, but the trend of people leaving Appalachia doesn’t seem to be a new one. Historically, the Appalachian Mountains have been an unsettled area due to difficulty getting past the mountains, and the ease of getting away from them. My paper focuses on whether this history, geography, education level, and economic factors affect the outward migration in the area today. My paper examines if the history of geography-specific industries, such as agriculture, salt production, and coal mining, push people away due to a move towards more automation and a decreased need for such products. It also touches on if education in terms of high school and college completion in a factor in the out-migration because of a lack of jobs that “require” higher education (teachers, doctors, etc.) It also discusses if this creates a distressed economic situation that also forces people out of Appalachia.
