For the past two centuries, Lincoln County’s economy and culture have been anchored by the rich soils of the Elk River valley, creating a diverse agricultural legacy that evolved from "King Cotton" to modern livestock dominance. In the 19th century, the county was a powerhouse of cotton and corn production, heavily reliant on mules and horses for labor, while hogs provided the primary meat source for early settlers; in fact, historical records from the 1880s show the county boasted over 40,000 hogs—quadruple the number of horses. As the 20th century progressed, the landscape shifted toward dairy and beef, bolstered by the arrival of the Borden Milk Plant in 1927 which turned the county into a dairy hub, though today it is better known as one of the state's top beef cattle producers. Throughout this evolution, forestry has remained a steady economic backbone, with abundant stands of red cedar supplying the region’s pencil industry and hardwoods like walnut, oak and hickory supporting lumber needs, ensuring that even as row crops like soybeans and corn modernized the fields, the land remained central to the community's identity.
