After the logging and extraction industries lost momentum in eastern Kentucky during the mid-1900s, the city invested heavily in developing Morehead State University as a means to secure economic growth. Morehead also sought to capitalize on tourism by ameliorating its natural attractions. Hiking trails were created through Cave Run Lake in the 1960s and 1970s, and in 1974, tourism was further boosted when Cave Run Lake was impounded by the city. By 1990, Morehead State University had become the largest employer in the city.