Household Composition in Appalachian Kentucky in 1900

Abstract

Household and family have been acknowledged as particularly impor tant institutions in southern Appalachia, yet little research has examined this component of the region's social organization prior to industrialization. In this study, data from the 1900 U. S. population census are used to compare household composition in two Appalachian Kentucky communities: one rural, nonin dustrial; and the other urban, industrial. Significant differences are found in the household composition of the two communities, even when migration status is controlled. The results suggest that the Appalachian region is a fertile area for research on the effects of rural industrializaton on social organization.