Flotida would still be a major producer of lumber, seafood, citrus, cattle, and Winter vegetables.

Also mining - Florida has a majority of the phosphate mining operations of the USA.

I'm from kentucky, and I agree with your assessment. The town I grew up in has ~80% of it's gross income come from welfare. It's rural as rural can be. Tucked into the mountains, dial up internet still the norm. At one point we were ranked 26th in poorest counties in the country (next door Owsley county was second poorest).

It's a beautiful area, unspoiled, old forests lots of water, caves, just beautiful. The county over went wet (meaning they can sell alcohol) and turned themselves into a hippy tourist destination. Rock climbing, craft beer, caving, kayaking, zip lines, the whole nine yards. Over the last decade they went from 3 restaurants to supporting dozens. The place has really prospered.

My home town has a median household income of 16k/yr, vs the tourist destination at 44k/yr.

My hometown is still dry, not a tourist destination, and is exactly the same as it was when I left it.

What is the name of the hippy tourist county?

Slade is the city, Powell is the county

The area OP is talking about is referred to as the Red River Gorge, it spans a handful counties (powell, wolfe, menifee, and lee county) which are in various states of development.

Definitely an interesting place to travel around. You can go drive 20 minutes and go from fairly developed tourist-ville with gift shops and well kept cabins galore to rough oil/logging roads with people living in rundown buildings in extreme poverty.

Lots of incredible natural resources that have been poorly protected compared to a lot of wild areas out west. Unfortunately it doesn't look like things are getting any better in that regard.

Red River Gorge is a gem for the rock climbing community. I frequented the area a few years back, there's plenty of places to dirtbag around outside of the tourist cabins. Hoping the continued development stays positive.

Rock climbing is what really started this whole thing honestly. I remember my grandmother complaining about all the "devil worshipping rock climbers" at the Gorge when I was growing up.

Funny how moving to a less homogeneous place gives you a lot different perspective on different people.

tourism does bring a share of modern problems -- money does not fix everything. Also, the name "hippy" is a word from the outside media.. its not respectful and is often a slur. Maybe those "hippy" people deserve some kind of respect after all ?

source: real people

When your median household income is 16k a year, money fixes a heck of a lot of problems.

Sad that your town keeps electing the same leadership with no long term vision on how to improved the community. Sad to see towns stuck in their ways to move forward