Letcher County, Kentucky

To this, Back adds that it’s difficult to single out Letcher County’s larger projects because so much of what transpires in Eastern Kentucky, from economic development to infrastructural transformation, happens on a regional scale. Nonetheless, she insists her county has a lot to be proud of; namely, a bounty of natural wonders, including thousands of acres of woodlands on Pine Mountain and the Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve, home to one of the largest concentrations of rare and endangered species in Kentucky. “We’re one of the most beautiful parts of the state,” she says. “We have lots of hiking trails. There’s a ton of outdoor activities for people to do. We’re heavy with musical history, with Bluegrass. And lots of arts and heritage. Much of the work that’s going on here is centered on tourism. Fish Pond Lake is a 900-acre man- made lake that’s remarkable. Many of our efforts are focused on revitalizing that park. We’re essentially rebirthing industries and trying to promote and grow those industries. One of the main drivers of that is going to be tourism – bringing people to our area through eco- tourism.” “A lot of work is going into Fish Pond Lake, which has a 3-mile road along its perimeter,” confirms Missy Matthews, Chairman of County Tourism. “We’re getting ready to install tiny houses in the woods surrounding the lake which will serve as rental properties. Something we see popping up throughout the county is Airbnbs. These aren’t large businesses; not new brick and mortars with lots of employees. What they represent is a little extra income for families in the area who are remodelling, dialing up nice assets, and putting them out there for our guests. Because we don’t have a lot of choices for overnight stays. Many folks are saying we’ve got the best Airbnb selection in the region. People are choosing to stay here with us, hike our trails, and sleep in our Airbnbs. Then they’ll drive to neighboring counties – to the big chain hotels like Hampton and Holiday Inn – for their meetings.”