 The loss of timber-industry jobs was protested by the townspeople as part of the "timber wars" that erupted across logging communities in the Pacific Northwest during the 1990s.The town government looked to diversify its economy and focus on tourism as an alternate industry, creating new festivals and advertising its existing bluegrass festival and rodeo.It adopted strong land use controls to preserve its existing rural character in the 1970s, which prevented new development until 2002.