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Is that the poorest county in the entire country, I think I read that in the NY Times. I know Kentucky has 4 of the 10 poorest counties in the country, its sad that some parts of rural America especially Applachia are that poor.
It's a terrible thing that people have to lose their jobs and suffer, but maybe it's a blessing in disguise. This creates a void and maybe something will fill it with something more stable and lasting than natural resources. I can only hope...
Opportunities for the laid off miners in WV and KY at Alpha owned mining operations in Wyoming. It's not the most ideal situation but work is work and you have to take care of your own. I hope many of the miners in WV take advantage of this opportunity.
McDowell County used to have 100,000 people living, working, playing in those hills and hollers. Now it's at 20,000. Eighty percent of the population, gone. Let that sink in. Boom. Bust.
McDowell County used to have 100,000 people living, working, playing in those hills and hollers. Now it's at 20,000. Eighty percent of the population, gone. Let that sink in. Boom. Bust.
That's common when a local economy is one dimensional. The same thing happened to a lesser extent in the Northern Panhandle. At one time, those mills and factories were easily the best paying jobs in our state, but when they closed it was catastrophic. The only reason it wasn't even worse is the proximity to Pittsburgh, which was somewhat more diverse economically but the population in the Wheeling - Steubenville area is less than half what it was in the 1970s.
Many people don't realize the strong economic connection that was in place between southern WV and the Northern Panhandle. The Panhandle and Pittsburgh were the customers for that McDowell metal making coal, and when those mills closed it made it a lot tougher to find customers for it.
Southern WV is VERY one dimensional, and it lacks a big city in the area. Moving out is basically the only option. That, or go on public assistance. It is devastating for those people affected.
That's common when a local economy is one dimensional. The same thing happened to a lesser extent in the Northern Panhandle. At one time, those mills and factories were easily the best paying jobs in our state, but when they closed it was catastrophic. The only reason it wasn't even worse is the proximity to Pittsburgh, which was somewhat more diverse economically but the population in the Wheeling - Steubenville area is less than half what it was in the 1970s.
Many people don't realize the strong economic connection that was in place between southern WV and the Northern Panhandle. The Panhandle and Pittsburgh were the customers for that McDowell metal making coal, and when those mills closed it made it a lot tougher to find customers for it.
Parts of Southern WV is VERY one dimensional, and it lacks a big city in the area. Moving out is basically the only option. That, or go on public assistance. It is devastating for those people affected.
McDowell is tied with one other county (in another state) for having the lowest average (or median?) lifespan in the entire USA - according to USA Today newspaper recently.
Yes they are. They are exceptions, and are surrounded by abject poverty and high unemployment.
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