NEWBERRY — Time is running out to see the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibit “Crossroads in Rural America” at the Newberry Opera House. Saturday around 10 a.m. will be your last chance to see the exhibit before it is packed up and sent to a new location.
In order to get a sense of the exhibit, Heather Hawkins, Box Officer manager, and Molly Fortune, executive director, did a walk through with this reporter, to get a better sense of what you can see in “Crossroads in Rural America.”
“The first section looks like a welcome sign which I love,” Hawkins said.
The sign reads, “Welcome to Crossroads” “Change in Rural America” “Where people meet, ideas intersect and change is constant.”
“So the whole idea of this exhibit has been to spark conversation. When you walk around to the back side of it (the welcome sign), it has really challenging questions,” Hawkins said.
The questions can be flipped up with information inside, all intended to start conversations.
Walking over to the next part, the exhibit talks about the resilience of the people in rural America. A video can be seen where people answer “what does rural mean to you?” Hawkins said everyone has a different answer to that question.
“As we walk inside, a couple of things to look at, a lot of things really transformed rural America, industry coming in, mechanization, transportation, the Depression,” Hawkins said. “We also have a PowerPoint slide show that mirrors this conversation, what changed Newberry County. So obviously industry coming in, the mills, obviously the lake. Lots of things that transformed Newberry County.”
Hawkins pointed out that everyone will find something that connects them to rural America. Something that connects her is a copy of “Little House on the Prairie.”
“I have memories of sitting at Prosperity Elementary School, with the windows up, on a Friday afternoon, if we were good, our teacher would read to us and she would read ‘Little House on the Prairie,’” she said.
Moving on to the next section of the exhibit, viewers will notice pictures by South Carolina Artist, one by Ment Nelson called “Old Sheldon.” You will also notice a section with different quotes from singers, something that fits well at the Opera House as some have performed there.
“We’ve had Loretta Lynn, there she is talking about growing up in Butcher Holler,” Hawkins said. “Songs are one way we talk about rural, this asks us if that is a state of mind.”
Moving a little ways down, there is a section that lets you hear the sounds of rural America, including crickets and cows.
Moving to the other side, you can see information about owning and using the land, land grants, land purchasing. For example, Sumter National Forest had an impact on Newberry County. The land, according to Hawkins, was bought during the Great Depression.
“Was worn out cotton land, had been over farmed, and the price of cotton was in the toilet,” she said. “Took a big chunk of our county, gave us this wonderful natural resource, but also took away from the tax base. That does impact your community.”
Next up, you can see about Main Street, you can learn about community organizations like 4-H or Rotary, as Hawkins put it, “can find something we connect to.” This part of the exhibit has Main Street post cards from across the country, including Union. Something this reporter noted was the fact you can look at a post card and go, “I’ve been there” then when you see the town name you’ll figure out you haven’t.
Something children have found fun is an interactive segment where they can pick out what is needed for their town, like a theater or a museum.
Walking around the corner, you’ll see information on the New Deal, and audio of people describing the first time the lights came on.
“Electrification of rural areas was that final frontier, and what are we facing right now, fiber, the electrification of the modern era,” Fortune said.
Moving along, you can find a video display of people answering, why they choose to live in a rural community. Fortune noted one person on that video lives in Chester.
You can then see how towns like Newberry have tackled change. In fact the final panel discusses managing change, persistence, community, technology and how that effects rural America.
The very end of the exhibit viewers will see post cards, that ask a variety of questions, like “Describe your town in 10 years? Who is here and why?” “Name three things you’d miss from this community if you had to leave.” “If you were granted one wish, what change for good would you make for your town?” If you were mayor, what would you do?”
“We are asking people to fill those out, stick them in the mailbox, this will help folks from the South Carolina Humanities, they’ll take these cards and come up with talking points for a forum,” Hawkins said.
Fortune also pointed out posters on the wall, that bring up Newberry, “Did you Know?” they highlight history, tourism and other avenues that are explored in a Newberry Passport.
Be sure to check out the “Crossroads in Rural America” this week before it moves to a new town.
Another item of note, Hawkins said the Final WKDK Smithsonian Exhibit Local Stories Remote will be Monday, February 4, during the 9 a.m. Coffee Hour. It will be the Ballentine Farm Museum at the Newberry County Fairgrounds.
The gate and museum doors will be open from 8:30-11 a.m.
“Make sure to wear a jacket as there is no heat in the building. We see that we have some plaques, for example, ask you what trends are emerging in agriculture, do you think rural America is behind the times,” Hawkins said.
