A federal agency that was established during the War on Poverty, the Appalachian Regional Commission was created to help develop the Appalachian region through economic development initiatives and improve residents’ quality of life. Critics have called the agency a boondoggle that ignores certain parts of the region, especially the poorer areas. An analysis of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s tourism development initiatives in Eastern Kentucky, an especially impoverished area in the agency’s purview, revealed that earlier criticisms are not quite correct. While Eastern Kentucky’s tourism industry is not as robust as its neighboring states, it still benefits the area not only economically, but also serves to preserve cultural and artistic traditions and strengthen leadership within communities. The analysis also revealed that the Appalachian Regional Commission’s tourism development methods do not prioritize certain regions over others and help prevent outside control of any tourism projects that are developed.