The Appalachian Mountains span from Alabama to Newfoundland, measuring 100-300 miles in width and 1,500 miles from north to south. They were named after an Apalachen Native American village and officially dubbed in the late 1800s. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail traverses 2,178 miles across 14 US states. The region has a history of poverty, which led to the development of the Appalachian Regional Commission in 1963.
The Appalachian Mountains are a range of mountains located in the eastern United States and Canada that span the North American continent from Alabama in the south to Newfoundland in the north. The mountain range measures approximately 100-300 miles (160.9-482.7 km) in width and covers an area of approximately 1,500 miles (2,413.5 km) from north to south. While generally classified as one major range, the Appalachian Mountains are broken up into a number of different groupings. As the major mountains of eastern America, they represent the highest points in the United States east of the Mississippi River. The highest point in the range is Mount Mitchell located in North Carolina, which measures 6,684 feet (2,037 m).
Discovered by Europeans in 1528, the Appalachian Mountains are named after an Apalachen Native American village. During his 1540 expedition, Hernando de Soto began referring to the mountains by Native American names, which eventually led to the designation taking hold permanently. Jacques le Moyne de Morgues, the French artist who accompanied the explorer Jean Ribault, is believed to have been the first to detail the name of the mountain range on a map in 1562. Over the next few centuries, the mountains were also referred to as the Alleghenies . It wasn’t until the late 1800s that the United States officially dubbed the Appalachian Mountains by their current name.
One of the main features of the Appalachian Mountains is the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Extending from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia, the trail traverses 2,178 miles (3,505 km) of preserved wilderness across 14 US states. The trail was established by Benton MacKaye in the early 1920s as a way for urban travelers to experience the mountain scenery. Every year, many people hike the Appalachian Trail, some even attempting the entire trail during the summer months.
Throughout Appalachian history, the region has been known for a low standard of living. While the area has numerous natural resources, the population was essentially isolated since the Industrial Revolution and lacked the modern facilities enjoyed by the rest of the country. Appalachian poverty became a central issue in President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. He developed the Appalachian Regional Commission in 1963, which is charged with assisting 420 mountain counties with development and economic reform.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
