First explored by Daniel Boone, the Appalachian region is part of a mountainous area stretching from southern New York to central Alabama. Despite its considerable natural resources, the Appalachian region is one of the poorest areas in the country. National attention was drawn to Appalachia in the 1960s, with John F. Kennedy’s campaign tour of West Virginia in 1960 and President Johnson’s historic visit to Kentucky in 1964. Today, low educational levels, high unemployment and great poverty persist.