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CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Humanities Council is sponsoring a special West Virginia tour of the new Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition, “Crossroads: Change In Rural America,” August 2021 through June 2022.
The exhibit examines the present-day turning point at which many rural American towns find themselves. Since the early 1900s, rural America has experienced significant changes in demographics, educational opportunities, access to services and economic viability.
Today, the population of the nation’s rural areas is less than half of what it was in 1900, yet America’s small towns continue to creatively focus on new opportunities for growth and development.
Economic innovation, including investment in cultural and creative economies, has helped many communities create their own renaissance.
These venues were chosen to host the exhibit while it tours West Virginia: The Jack Caffrey Arts and Culture Center in Welch; the new Coal Heritage Discovery Center in Mount Hope; the Museum of American Glass in Weston; Arthurdale Heritage in Arthurdale, Preston County; the Wetzel County Museum in New Martinsville; the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center; and Moorefield High School, sponsored by the Hardy County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Each venue will display Crossroads for approximately five weeks, and the final schedule will be announced this fall.
“We had an incredible response from many institutions across the state,” said Council Program Officer Kyle Warmack.
“We feel the sites selected represent the best possible geographic spread, giving every West Virginian a chance to experience a unique exhibit near their part of the state,” said Council Executive Director Eric Waggoner. “What’s more, every organization that applied has so much to say about change in their community. We’re very excited to help these host sites express these visions of their communities’ pasts, presents, and futures.”
“While the Smithsonian exhibit forms the core of each stop on the tour, each host community contributes a huge amount of their own programming, exhibits, and other related events,” Warmack added. “You’ll be able to visit every one of these sites, and see and experience something very different.”
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