Maryland Humanities Tour of Smithsonian Exhibition Travels to Northern Maryland

Crossroads travels the state through Maryland Humanities’ Museum on Main Street program

(Baltimore, MD) – Crossroads: Change in Rural America, a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition, a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition, opens at Rose Hill Manor Park and Museums on March 4, with a morning opening reception at 11:00 a.m. The Frederick site serves as the fourth venue of a five-stop tour of the state, presented through Maryland Humanities’ Museum on Main Street program.  

Each Crossroads partner creates its own exhibit to complement the Smithsonian’s exhibition. The companion exhibit explores how our local communities have adapted and changed as a result of the literal crossroads (waterways, roads, and railroads) and the figurative ones (local and national events.) Stories from the inhabitants of Rose Hill, other Frederick County Parks, and local Main Streets will highlight these themes throughout the exhibit while companion exhibits through the county will highlight additional county stories.   

“We are excited to host Crossroads in Frederick,” says Amanda Venable, Museum Manager at Rose Hill Manor Park and Museums. “Frederick County’s unique location has placed it at the Crossroads of local and national events throughout history. From a place where nomadic Indigenous peoples traveled through to its role as a pre-Revolution gatekeeper to the west, to a spot along the national road, Frederick has seen many people come and go via its roadways. Railroads and canals brought industry innovations to the region and continued over the years to lead the growth and changes to our small towns nestled among the rolling hills. This growth has often at times come with change, resistance, and suppression.”

Crossroads is the eighth Museum on Main Street project that Maryland Humanities has brought to small communities throughout the state. Each site hosts the exhibition for five to six weeks and develops a complementary exhibit highlighting their community’s heritage and histories.

“We are looking forward to the next iteration of Museums on Main Street, an invaluable tool for Maryland organizations,” says Lindsey Baker, executive director of Maryland Humanities. “We are so thankful to bring another tour around the state, because the program has a wide-reaching and long-lasting impact on the partner organizations and their communities.”

Crossroads programming is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Maryland, and BGE. Maryland Public Television is the tour’s Media Sponsor. Rose Hill Manor Park & Museum’s additional partners include Rose Hill Museum Council, Heritage Frederick, Catoctin Furnace, Brunswick Heritage Museum, the Delaplaine Arts Center, and Frederick County Public Libraries.

Crossroads and the companion exhibit run at Rose Hill Manor Park & Museums, March 4–April 14, 2023. The site is located at 1611 N. Market St. in Frederick. The exhibition and exhibit are both on view seven days a week, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Learn more at www.rosehillmuseum.com.  Call (301) 600-1650 for further information.

Tour Schedule:

September 8, 2022–October 14, 2022	Farm Heritage Conservancy at Serenity Farm, Benedict, Charles County
October 29, 2022–December 16, 2022	Oxford Museum at St. Paul’s Church, Oxford, Talbot County
January 7, 2023–February 17, 2023	Western Maryland Heritage Association at Allegany Museum, Cumberland, Allegany County
March 4, 2023–April 14, 2023	Rose Hill Manor Park and Museums, Frederick, Frederick County
April 22, 2023–May 31, 2023	Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area at Kent Cultural Alliance, Chestertown, Kent County

About Crossroads
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.

Despite the massive economic and demographic impacts brought on by changes, America’s small towns continue to creatively focus 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.

About Museum on Main Street
Museum on Main Street (MoMS) is a Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service program that teams up with state humanities councils to bring high-quality Smithsonian traveling exhibitions to museums, historical societies, and other small-town cultural venues across the country. These exhibits boost civic pride, as residents young and old, from diverse backgrounds come together to share and celebrate their heritage.