Crossroads: Change in Rural America
October 16, 2021 to November 21, 2021
Opening reception: October 16, 2021 | 2 - 4pm
Location: 24 Reid Street, Chatham VA 24531
Hours: Monday – Saturday | 11am - 2pm • Sunday | 2 - 4pm
Additional Hours: By appointment for Group Tours, call 434-793-5644
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History (DMFAH), in partnership with the Smithsonian, the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM), Virginia Humanities, Preservation Virginia and their Crossroads Community Partners: Chatham First, Old Dominion Agricultural Complex, Pittsylvania County Historical Society, Hunt & Co., and the Reid Street Gallery in Chatham Virginia, have teamed up to bring you Crossroads: Change in Rural America.
Crossroads is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils nationwide.
About Crossroads: Change in Rural America
In 1900, about 40% of Americans lived in rural areas, by 2010 less than 18% 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% 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. We can learn great things from listening to those stories. There is much more to the story of rural America!
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 will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred.
Despite the massive economic and demographic impacts brought on by these changes, America’s small towns continue to focus creatively on new opportunities for growth and development. Economic innovation and a focus on the cultural facets that make small towns unique, comfortable, and desirable have helped many communities create their own renaissance. The future is bright for much of rural America as small towns embrace the notion that their citizens and their cultural uniqueness are important assets.
https://museumonmainstreet.org/content/crossroads
When you visit the exhibit in Chatham, you can also enjoy a walking tour of the Town of Chatham. https://www.chatham-va.gov/visit-chatham/tours
For a detailed list of all of the programming listed below, click here.
Programming during the Crossroads Exhibit:
The Pittsylvania Historical Society: Quarterly Membership Meeting
Monday, October 18 • 7 - 9pm • Lecture at 7 - 8pm • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
Program includes a speaker on Carson Davenport and the 5 Davenport originals on view at the 1813 Clerk’s Office in Chatham.
Robert Dawson: Discussion - The Public Library: An American Commons
Thursday, October 21 • 6 - 7pm • Danville Museum, 975 Main St, Danville
Join us for a presentation by Robert Dawson pertaining to Public Libraries
Piedmont Sustainable Living Panel Discussions
Thursday, October 21 • 6 - 8pm • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
Discover homestead practices by a local sustainable living group.
Panel: Kat Wilton of Fowl Fortress Farm, Matt & Jenn Miller and Amy Davis
Lisa Tuite, Director of the Pittsylvania County Library: Making 22,000 Books Available to the Community
Saturday October 23 • 10am - 12 noon • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
Families and students attending this informational session will receive free books.
Averett Bonner Student Erin Hayes: Smithsonian Crossroads Docent Training
Wednesday, October 27 • 3 - 4pm
Marilyn Waller – The Haven: Domestic Violence Awareness Month Roundtable Talk
Friday, October 29 • 10am - 12 noon • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
Violence and abuse are critical problems in the U.S. Learn how by building partnerships between healthcare organizations and community-based services can lead to increased staff engagement, comprehensive responses for survivors, and bi-directional referral protocols for patients and clients.
Dr. Ernest Pegram: The African American Migration and its effect on the Rural Dan River Region
Wednesday, November 3 • 3 - 4pm • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
Averett Economic Professor, Dr. Ernest Pegram addresses issues of urbanization: the migration from rural areas to cities. He addresses African American’s integration into the U.S. economy after slavery and the Great Migration.
Joe Scott: An Interview with the Carson Davenport Historic Homeowner
Saturday, November 6 • 2 - 3:30pm • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
Joe Scott, owner of the Carson Davenport Historic Home on North Main Street, Danville, discusses his Carson Davenport Collection and the home of the artist.
Averett Bonner Student Erin Hayes: Smithsonian Crossroads Docent Training
Wednesday, November 10 • 3 - 4pm
Diana McManus of the Fiber Arts Guild of Danville: Fiber Arts Lab
Saturday, November 13 • 10:30am - 12noon • 975 Main St. Danville Museum
Inviting all individuals interested in the first meeting of the Fiber Arts Guild of Danville to be hosted by the Danville Museum of Art. The focus is intended to create original designs in fiber works of art. RSVP to Diana McManus: 814-218-9775.
Author Bill Guerrant: Book Reading Bertie & Charlie
Saturday, November 13 • 11am - 1pm • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
Join us for this informative discussion - a second novel by the author Bill Guerrant tells a narrative set in 1917, when two young workers at a Virginia cotton mill fall in love, share secrets, and struggle to overcome troubled pasts.
Tour Old Dominion Agricultural Complex (ODAC)
Saturday, November 13 • 2 - 4pm • Tour and Lecture
Convene at ODAC’s courtyard entrance Fountain • 19783 US-29 North, Chatham, VA 24531
Director John Harris opens ODAC for a Tobacco History Tour and a discussion by Gary Grant and a team of local historians, curators, and conservationists. Join us for a tour of Old Dominion Agricultural Complex (ODAC) to see the Tobacco History Exhibition and a panel featuring Gary Grant and Gale Allen in a discussion on local tobacco legacies.
Sonja Ingram, Preservation Virginia: Rosenwald Schools
Tuesday, November 16 • 7 - 9pm • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
Learn about the Preservation Virginia’s project to record Rosenwald Schools in VA that were built in early 20th century through a program by Booker T. Washington, the Tuskegee Institute and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald.
Community Engagement Projects – Nurturing a Local Arts Community
Wednesday, November 17 • 6 - 7pm • 975 Main Street, Danville Museum
Take part in a panel discussion on the importance of nurturing a local arts community and on a community engagement project. Panel: Felice McWilliams - Director of Making Danville Smile, Annie Chappell - DMFAH Collections Manager, Daniel Shogan - DMFAH Education Coordinator, Alisa Davis - Director of Reid Street Gallery, and Liz Cervantes - Co-founder of Collidescope.
Anita Royston, President, NAACP: Inadequate consideration and documentation of Union Hill’s scenic, historical and archeological resources
Thursday, November 18 • 6 - 8pm • Danville Museum, 975 Main Street, Danville (location update)
Anita Royston speaks on the topic of Union Hill and the recording and mitigating of any potential destruction of historical or archaeological resources at this site.
Carson Davenport: A discussion by Annie Chappell & Elsabé Dixon
Friday, November 19 • 6 - 7pm • 24 Reid Street, Chatham
The DMFAH Collections Team presents the fascinating stories behind the Carson Davenport collection, the artist who created the works in the collection, and the important role Carson Davenport played in the Work Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930s.
Thank you to our DMFAH Crossroads Community Partners:
Old Dominion Agricultural Complex (ODAC) (Tobacco Museum Artifacts)
Chatham First (Volunteers, Exhibition Install and Shipping)
Pittsylvania NAACP Chapter (Lecture Program)
Pittsylvania Historical Society (Lecture Program and Tour of 1813 Clerk’s Office)
Danville Historical Society (Lecture at ODAC and Tobacco Tour)
Preservation Virginia (Lecture Program)
Reid Street Gallery (Exhibition Space)
Hunt & Co (Restaurant)
Piedmont Sustainable Living (Local Homesteading)
Averett University (Faculty Lectures)
About the Virginia Association of Museums
The Virginia Association of Museum’s mission is to help our museum community succeed. VAM’s vision: A united museum community inspiring the world around us.
VAM is governed by a 24-member Council. Included are directors representing geographic regions of VAM membership (Central Virginia, Mountain & Valley, Northern Virginia & DC, Southwest Virginia, and Tidewater & Eastern Shore) as well as the various disciplines of museums (Art, History, Historic Houses, Science & Nature, Specialized Audience, and University and College Museums and Galleries). Additionally, VAM council includes a director for emerging museum professionals.
Executive oversight is provided by five officers - President, Vice President for Member Engagement, Vice President for Planning and Resources, Secretary and Treasurer. There are two directors-at-large, two ex-officio members, and the immediate past president.
About the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History
Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History’s mission is to promote history and art in the Dan River Region. The DMFAH is the Dan River Region’s leader for integrated awareness of history, culture and community. Inclusion and Diversity are cornerstones of the Danville Museum experience. We seek to ensure that Danville Museum is representative, follows best museum practices, and creates a climate of inclusion.
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History offers a wide variety of exhibitions, classes, workshops, camps, and educational programs. The museum is a member of the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) and is a designated site of the Virginia Civil War Trails, Time Travelers programs and holds the Danville Civil Rights Timeline.
The Museum campus is located at 975 Main Street, Danville, VA 24541/ https://www.danvillemuseum.org/
About the Reid Street Gallery
The Reid Street Gallery is located conveniently between Danville and Lynchburg in Chatham, Virginia. Housed in a renovated former farm supply warehouse, Reid Street Gallery showcases art against preserved historic architectural elements, highlighted by innovative lighting, high-tech security, and the latest audio/visual systems. The Gallery opened in 2016, representing local and regional artists and quickly became a cultural center for the community. https://www.reidstreetgallery.com
Hunt & Co., owned by Tred Hunt, manages the building and is open for lunch during the Exhibition Hours of Crossroads.
Participating Virginia Museum Partners for Crossroads: Museum on Main
Hanover Museum of History and Culture • Aug 28 - Oct 3 / Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History • Oct 16 - Nov 21/ Reynolds Homestead • Dec 4 - Jan 9 / Historic Crab Orchard • Jan 22 - February 27/ Nelson Memorial Library and Nelson Historical Society
A Museum on Main Street exhibition organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Funded by the U.S. Congress. Brought to you by Virginia Humanities and the Virginia Association of Museums. www.museumonmainstreet.org
This exhibition was made possible by:
Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History (DMFAH), Smithsonian, Virginia Association of Museums (VAM), Virginia Humanities, and Preservation Virginia
The DMFAH Community Partners are:
Averett University, Chatham First, Old Dominion Agricultural Complex/ODAC, Danville Historical Society, Piedmont Sustainable Living, Pittsylvania Community Action & Danville Neighborhood Development Corporation, NAACP, Pittsylvania County Historical Society, Hunt & Co., and the Reid Street Gallery in Chatham Virginia
Contact: Elsabé Dixon, Executive Director, elsabe@danvillemuseum.org / 434.793.5648
