(BOSTON) – On Friday morning, State Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) joined legislative colleagues State Senator Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), State Senator Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth), and State Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester), local officials, and Smithsonian personnel for a reception celebrating the partnership between Mass Humanities and the Smithsonian and the first two stops of the traveling exhibit, “Crossroads: Changes in Rural America,” in Essex and Hull.

The “Crossroads” exhibit explores how rural American communities changed in the 20th century. Since 1900, the percentage of Americans living in rural areas has dropped from 60% to 17%. However, the vast majority of the United States landscape remains rural with only 3.5% of the landmass considered urban. The exhibition offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century.

“I am pleased that the Smithsonian, Mass Humanities, and the Hull Lifesaving Museum have been able to create such a strong collaboration that celebrates the town’s rich cultural history,” said State Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull). “I look forward to seeing the Crossroads exhibit come to Hull, and I encourage community members from Hull and all over the South Shore to plan their visit to the Lifesaving Museum this November.”

Six local organizations will host the traveling exhibit produced by the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program, including:

  • Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum: 9/10/2022 – 10/22/2022
  • Hull Lifesaving Museum: 10/30/2022 – 12/10/2022
  • Rutland Free Public Library: 12/18/2022 – 1/28/2023
  • Great Falls Discovery Center: 2/5/2023 – 3/18/2023
  • Bushnell-Sage Library: 3/26/2023 – 5/6/2023
  • Athol Public Library: 5/14/2023 – 6/24/2023

Each site will receive extensive training from the staff of the Smithsonian along with a $10,000 grant from Mass Humanities to develop public events during the exhibit, which will be on display for six weeks in each community. Organizations located in towns with populations of 12,000 or less were eligible to apply.

Each site will receive extensive training from the staff of the Smithsonian along with a $10,000 grant from Mass Humanities to develop public events during the exhibit, which will be on display for six weeks in each community. Organizations located in towns with populations of 12,000 or less were eligible to apply.