Owsley County Kentucky and the Perpetuation of Poverty

<p> Owsley County Kentucky is well known by journalists academics and local historians as a quintessential example of rural poverty in Appalachia. This study identifies several reasons behind Owsley County's ongoing struggle with poverty including the county's lack of natural resources a poor transportation system and a centralized socio-political power structure controlled by the entrenched elite. The author asserts that Owsley County's economic hardships are far from unique but rather are representative of a significant number of Appalachian counties and towns. Several tables and appendices provide useful demographic legislative and agricultural data.</p>