Wiggins, Mississippi- Beginning August 28, Wiggins will be hosting “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” an interactive multimedia exhibit, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) and the Mississippi Humanities Council. The “Crossroads” tour will launch in Stone County before making its way north to other host sites across the state. The six-week event will take place at the Ferris B. O’Neal Senior Center located at 1240 Magnolia Drive in Wiggins until October 9, 2023.
“Crossroads” will serve as a community meeting place for conversations about how rural America and rural Mississippi have changed by looking at demographic and economic changes. With support and guidance from the Mississippi Humanities Council, the six Mississippi host sites will develop complementary exhibits and host public programs to raise people’s understanding about their own history, the joys and challenges of living rural, how change has impacted their community, and goals for the future.
“We are thrilled to bring ‘Crossroads’ back to Mississippi for the second time due to popular demand,” said MHC program officer and “Crossroads” state coordinator Molly McMillan. “As one of the most rural states in the U.S., the themes of the exhibition resonate with these six new host sites and Mississippi in general.”
Leah Kemp of the Fred Carl, Jr. Small Town Center at Mississippi State University will serve as the state scholar for “Crossroads.” In her capacity as state scholar, Kemp will serve as a resource for each host site as they plan for the exhibition’s tour. Kemp will also lead public discussions at the Wiggins exhibition in September.
The exhibition is part of the Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. The exhibition is made possible thanks to the generous support of Tennessee Valley Authority.
“Stone County Economic Development Partnership is proud to partner with the Smithsonian Institute for the first time to bring this significant exhibition to Stone County, the only South Mississippi host site on the statewide tour,” said Executive Director Betsy M. Rowell. “Our local partners include the City of Wiggins and Stone County. We have five areas of focus for programs: timber, music, food, recreation, and technology. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about our rich history and dream about what the future holds.”
Lawrence Franklin Regional Library (Brookhaven), Quitman County Arts & Culture Museum (Marks), West Point Clay County Community Growth Alliance (West Point), Mississippi’s Lower Delta Partnership (Rolling Fork), and Pontotoc Historical Society (Pontotoc) will each host the exhibition for six-week periods from August 2023 through June 2024. In addition to hosting the exhibition, each site will develop a local complementary exhibit and a series of public humanities programs in conjunction with “Crossroads.”
School students and group tours are available by appointment only. Contact SCEDP at 601-928-5418 for more information.