Crossroads: Change in Rural America at the Oxford Museum

Crossroads: Change in Rural America, a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition, visits St. Paul’s Church in Oxford, MD. The Oxford Museum partners with Maryland Humanities for the second Maryland stop. The church serves as the second venue of a five-stop tour of the state, presented through Maryland Humanities’ Museum on Main Street program. 

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.

The church serves as the second venue of a five-stop tour of the state, presented through Maryland Humanities’ Museum on Main Street program.