June 14, 2020

Crossroads - Change in Rural America, a traveling Smithsonian exhibition presented by Indiana Humanities. The North Manchester Center for History was one of six Indiana locations chosen to host this exhibit. 

The exhibit examined how "Americans come together at the crossroads. Form communities, invest in places and build their futures where their paths cross. Small towns became centers of commerce, trade, local politics and culture. Rural life revolves around crossroads communities -- towns, villages and rural hamlets. These communities are powerful, dynamic places where people connect to exchange ideas, work toward common goals, rely on neighbors and build a future."

Crossroads: Change in Rural America is part of Museum on Main Street program, a collaborative between the Smithsonian Institution and Indiana Humanities. The Smithsonian has been sponsoring exhibits through their Museum on Main Street program for 25 years. Their collaboration with state humanities councils have revitalized and educated rural communities with their diverse programs.