Exhibit examines rural America

Crossroads: Change in Rural America, an exhibition examining the evolving landscape of rural American, in Blue Ridge, Georgia, at the Art Center, home to the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association.

Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition may prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects.

The exhibition is traveling to scores of American communities in the coming months.

It arrives in Blue Ridge on April 25, and will be on view there through June 6.

In 1900, about 40 percent of Americans lived in rural areas, By 2010, less than 18 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas. In just over a century, massive economic and social changes led to massive growth of America's urban areas. Yet, less than 10 percent of the U.S. landmass is considered urban.

Many Americans assume that rural communities are endangered and hanging on by a thread—suffering from outmigration, ailing schools, and overused land. But that perception is far from true in many areas. Many rural Americans work hard to sustain their communities. Why should revitalizing the rural places left behind matter to those who remain, those who left, and those who will come in the future? All Americans benefit from rural America's successes. The Smithsonian believes we can learn great things from listening to those stories.

Despite the massive economic and demographic impacts brought on by these changes, America’s small towns continue to creatively focus on new opportunities for growth and development.

“Crossroads allows us to reflect on Blue Ridge and Fannin County’s history, present and future and we are excited to explore what the future may hold for our community,” said Nichole Potzauf, executive director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association.

Visit the Museum on Main Street website to see the entire tour schedule.