Appalachian Food: Industrial Period

The impact of industrialization on Appalachia was uneven, with some communities modernizing quickly and others maintaining traditional ways long into the twentieth century. Although electricity reached some rural areas in the 1930s, other areas were not electrified until the 1950s to 1960s. In some areas one- and two-room schools were the norm until the late 1950s, and a rural lifestyle was dominant. Those living in the country often worked in mines and factories but continued to raise livestock, with chickens and new vegetable varieties such as sweet corn becoming new frontier traditions. Families canned meats, fruits, and vegetables. During this period the glass canning jar and walk-in can house became the dominant method of food storage; freezing required electricity. While farmers in the Deep South often survived on cornmeal, fatback, and molasses, this diet was not complete and they sometimes suffered from pellagra. The Appalachian diet, however, was more diverse and pellagra was not a problem.