From the 15th to the 18th century, the region was relatively prosperous due to sheep raising, light agriculture, Beekeeping, and primitive handicrafts.9 As a result of the first partition of Poland in 1772, the Lemko Region was absorbed by the Austrian Empire as part of the province of Galicia. By the end of the 19th century, all pastoral lands had been taken over by Lemko farmers. However, the plots were not large enough to support the growing population, plunging the Lemko Region into a state of extreme poverty. This set the stage for a large emigration to the United States, Canada and South America, which began in the 1870's.
Culturally, however, the region progressed under Austrian rule. Two thirds of Lemko villages had elementary schools, and high schools (gymnasia) were established in Nowy Sacz, Gorlice and Sanok. The Kachkovs'kyj Cultural Society based in Lemberg/L'viv was active in the Lemko Region, setting up reading rooms in 109 villages, and promoting the Old-Rusyn10 ideology among the Galician population. Through the Society's work, the Old-Rusyn (and also Russophile 11) cultural and political orientation became dominant in the Lemko Region. It was in the early 1900's that the name "Lemko" was introduced in the region, partially to counter the new "Ukrainian" identity that was being promoted among the Eastern Slavs of east Galicia.