Appalachian Rural Homelessness: The Case Of Watauga County, North Carolina

There are no regional studies of Appalachian homelessness because there are not enough community studies from which to correlate regional trends. This thesis addresses that situation by compiling a history of homeless service provision in Watauga County, North Carolina from archival materials, agency narratives, and community recollections. That community is then compared to other Appalachian examples through site visits, a regional survey, and additional archival materials. This research discovered that, in the absence of systematic alternatives, local community efforts begun region-wide evolved from grass-roots and faith-based initiatives into federally dependent programs developing along prevailing urban patterns. The majority of successful shelters in Appalachia developed in rural commercial centers already moving towards urban status.