Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Chasing the Powhatan Arrow, A Travelogue in Economic Geography
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Central Appalachia and the regions bordering it represent some of the most diverse landscapes in the country – culturally, socially, economically, and topographically. Each micro-region is endowed with certain human and natural resources. Communities determine their futures by how they choose to use those resources to fail or succeed. The Powhatan Arrow was a passenger railway that steamed through this area from the 1940s-60s. This service brought people and prosperity to the communities it passed through. What has happened to these communities since then? Michael Abraham explores this question through interviews and observations along the route. Some towns withered while others showed adaptability that has brought new life. His conclusions: Economies are Darwinian, survival of the fittest. There is efficiency and productivity in uniformity, but there is resiliency and sustainability in diversity, which ultimately is more vital. As with the strength in diversity of commerce, communities benefit from racial, ethnic, and sexual identity diversity, as different backgrounds spawn creativity in innovation and problem solving. The places that put all their proverbial eggs in one economic basket – especially extractive industries – are most likely to be struggling now. Global climate change is real and is already underway. Affected communities ignore this at considerable peril. A looming energy crisis may derail economic progress essentially forever. The people, communities, and societies that properly assess these risks and the opportunities they present will fare better in the future.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Michael Abraham was born and educated in Southwest Virginia, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech. He has had a varied career in engineering, sales, marketing, and business management and currently splits his time between the management of an industrial building and his writing. He currently has eight books in print.
Chasing the Powhatan Arrow, A Travelogue in Economic Geography
Central Appalachia and the regions bordering it represent some of the most diverse landscapes in the country – culturally, socially, economically, and topographically. Each micro-region is endowed with certain human and natural resources. Communities determine their futures by how they choose to use those resources to fail or succeed. The Powhatan Arrow was a passenger railway that steamed through this area from the 1940s-60s. This service brought people and prosperity to the communities it passed through. What has happened to these communities since then? Michael Abraham explores this question through interviews and observations along the route. Some towns withered while others showed adaptability that has brought new life. His conclusions: Economies are Darwinian, survival of the fittest. There is efficiency and productivity in uniformity, but there is resiliency and sustainability in diversity, which ultimately is more vital. As with the strength in diversity of commerce, communities benefit from racial, ethnic, and sexual identity diversity, as different backgrounds spawn creativity in innovation and problem solving. The places that put all their proverbial eggs in one economic basket – especially extractive industries – are most likely to be struggling now. Global climate change is real and is already underway. Affected communities ignore this at considerable peril. A looming energy crisis may derail economic progress essentially forever. The people, communities, and societies that properly assess these risks and the opportunities they present will fare better in the future.
