Fifty years ago puts us back to 1972. I'm pretty sure at that time, miners were no longer working hard for a poverty income. A century ago, yes. But there were a lot of improvements between 1922 and 1972, thanks to unionization. Miners became well paid workers. Still far from the CEO pay, but miners could afford a reasonable house and nice car.

There is a myth of the poor miner that is no longer there. I would bet that most of the miners left in Loretta Lynn country are making $100,000 a year.

Likewise, the agricultural industry likes to perpetuate the myth of the hard working farmer, eking out a subsistence living to keep us all fed. That image helps keep the subsidies rolling in. But that image is mostly not there anymore.