Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street

Here's a sneak peek at our next special episode! Give a listen to the voices and the work of the next generation of rural Americans learning about their communities. Young people living in rural America are just like other American youth: interested in change, thinking about their futures, and ... sometimes feeling like adults aren't interested in what youth have to say. Our episode celebrating youth voices in rural America will be released on March 27. 

You've got to have friends! Personal and professional connections are critical to the development of healthy communities, whether they are rural or urban. In this final episode of our Spark! series, we're examing how two communities innovated around culture and heritage to overcome stagnation and division. In Helper, Utah, the city came together to design their own revitalized main street and plan a future after the coal industry left. In Franklin, North Carolina, the town had to face the past to reconcile with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians so the two communities could work together to preserve the past and build a mutually beneficial future.

In this episode, we're taking a closer look at two very different rural communities that embody technological innovation. In Taos, New Mexico, solar energy is used to power high-speed internet and a jobs training hub for locals that want to stay local. In Chenango County, New York, there's a long history of innovative companies, from aerospace parts manufacturers to Chobani, the famous yogurt brand.

Rural America is full of places of innovation--towns where people work together to conceive new ideas and spark engagement by the community to implement them. Journey with us in this first episode in our look at rural innovation to explore two stories of social innovation, visiting towns that took risks and dreamed big to revitalize their downtowns, and show the community what was possible when they worked together. First up, learn how Hillsboro, Illinois, brought energy and commerce back to Main Street. Then, hear about the creative ways Bethel, Vermont, reinvigorated a sense of community and place.

For many years, the conventional wisdom in the United States has been that rural America is hurting: facing impacts from outmigration, aging populations, and declining economies. The reality is remarkably different. America's small towns are not all the same. Yes, some are struggling, but many more are working together and utilizing the innovation and skills of their people to thrive. Stay tuned for a three-part series on rural innovation inspired by the Smithsonian's traveling exhibition Spark!  Places of Innovation. Hear from people all over the country who have helped breathe new life into their communities.

We're excited to share an episode from our host Hannah Hethmon's podcast Museums in Strange Places. Back in 2019, Museums in Strange Places featured the amazing work of the Smithsonian's state and local partners in rural communities. Starting in Moreland, Georgia (pop. 382) in 1994, the Smithsonian, state humanities councils and local history organizations began a collaboration called Museum on Main Street to bring traveling exhibitions and humanities progams to rural communities. Since that kick-off nearly 30 years ago, more than 2,000 communities (with a median population of 8,300) have participated in the program.

Museum on Main Street is all about local history: rural communities use a Smithsonian exhibition and humanities scholars in their state to immerse their visitors in the stories that make their hometowns unique. In 2011, the program launched Stories from Main Street -- the story collection initiative that helps power this podcast -- to elevate and preserve rural voices and perspectives on important topics.

Did you know that about half of the museums in the United States are in small towns? American history and culture is everywhere! Enjoy this look at the work, resourcefulness, creativity, joy and pride our communities bring to the project.

Be sure to listen to Museums in Strange Places where you get your podcasts or at: https://pod.link/1296895315

Museums in Strange Places and Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street are produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Hannah Hethmon is your host.

Apologies friends! This pod is the actual episode titled "My Vote, My Voice," which should have been originally posted back in October. "The Greater Good: Everyday Democracy" was actually uploaded. We're very sorry for this error. The other episode titles have been updated.

Please listen! You have not heard "My Vote, My Voice" yet!

Have you voted? What does voting mean to you? Hear from everyday Americans talking about democracy and what it means to them. In this episode, we're focusing on voting as a right and a responsibility. Listen to stories from first-time voters--young and old; the professionals and volunteers that make elections happen; and activists trying to expand voting access.

Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is written, produced and edited by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Hannah Hethmon is your host.

What civic responsibilities do we have as Americans? What do we owe to the process of democracy? What is the best way to voice our opinions and shape national and local policy? If we want to give back and do our part, where should we start? These are the questions asked and answered by everyday Americans in this episode.

Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Hannah Hethmon is your host.

Democracy can be messy. Americans share many common values and ideals, but views on how that works out in the democratic process and in public policy can vary widely. In this episode, you'll hear stories from everyday Americans about their experiences with democracy, polarization, unity, and the issues they care about most. Our storytellers grapple with the big questions about democracy: What level of debate and disagreement is proper? What issues matter the most? How do we balance the need for dissent with the need for unity?

Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Hannah Hethmon is your host.

Coming soon! What does "democracy" mean to you? As Election Day 2023 nears and the 2024 presidential campaign is already a daily news story, it is important to reflect on the ties that bind us together. American democracy is complex. It's more than just politics. Our culture, values and history -- national and individual -- play a big role in how we each approach democracy. Listen in as people talk about voting, participation in the democratic process, and the things that motivate them to use their voices in their communities.

Is rural America endangered, thriving, or just scraping by? The answer depends on who you ask and where you ask. As we finish our mini-series on change in rural communities, we're exploring the challenges and opportunities of rural life in the 21st century. Hear from everyday people reflecting on their communities and how they are adapting and reinventing themselves.

View the episode transcript.

Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own story about rural America!

Thanks to our storytelling partners at Be Here Stories at The Peale, Baltimore's Community Museum. Use the online recording tool to tell the Smithsonian about how you experience rural America.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Your hosts are Hannah Hethmon and Bobby Harley.

Rural America has always been more nuanced and diverse than you often see in popular depictions. People have always experienced rural America in different ways -- for better or worse -- and their experiences have helped shape our rural culture. In this episode, join us in exploring rural identity. What does it mean to grow up in a small townhow? How do people in rural areas build and maintain their identities? How do they define themselves?

View the episode transcript.

Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own story about rural America!

Thanks to our storytelling partners at Be Here Stories at The Peale, Baltimore's Community Museum. Use the online recording tool to tell the Smithsonian about how your have experienced rural America.

This episode was produced for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Hannah Hethmon and Bobby Harley are your hosts. Produced, written and edited by Hannah Hethmon. Additional writing by Bobby Harley.

Listen in as rural Americans talk about the work -- creative, unique, and sometimes exhausting -- they do. It's a revealing look at how work helps form the backbone of American society, no matter where you live. We all contribute our efforts (paid or unpaid) to the life, economy, and character of our communities. Rural communities today are at a new crossroads -- a meeting point of ideas where they can chart their future. In this episode, we're exploring the past, present and future of work in rural America through the voices of everyday people. First jobs, hard jobs, odd jobs, unusual jobs, ancient jobs ... these storytellers have seen it all.

View the episode transcript.

Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own story about rural America!

Thanks to our storytelling partners at Be Here Stories at The Peale, Baltimore's Community Museum. Use the online recording tool to tell the Smithsonian about how you have experienced rural America.

This episode was produced for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Hannah Hethmon and Bobby Harley are your hosts. Produced, written and edited by Hannah Hethmon.

Welcome back to the Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street podcast! The stereotypical view of rural America is that life is quiet, people all think the same, there's not much fun stuff to do, and there are few opportunities. The truth is, just like in cities and suburbs, small-town Americans focus on family and community, work hard to make ends meet, and want their hometowns to thrive. The success of rural communities is important to all Americans. Like the rest of the country, rural America has changed remarkably in the last 100 years. Listen in as people from all over America share the good memories, hard times, and lessons learned as they reflect on how change has an impact on their hometowns.

Visit Museum on Main Street at www.museumonmainstreet.org.

Explore fascinating stories from around the country or share your own at www.museumonmainstreet.org/stories.

Our waterways are one of our most precious shared resources. But in some places, we risk losing them to pollution, climate change, or overuse. In this episode, we hear from folks around the country talk about why their local waterways matter and why they believe in protecting them.

Download episode transcript

Stories used in this episode:

Violet Spolarich on fighting pipelines and protecting water in her rural community

Climate Change at the White Earth Reservation

The Singing River Has the Blues

Why Are There So Many Weeds

Grandpa Bill's Big Lake Mistake

Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own water story!

Explore the Women Mind the Water project.

Thanks to our storytelling partners at the Peale Center! Visit their website, The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture.

This episode was produced for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Produced, written, narrated, and edited by Hannah Hethmon.

We sometimes take for granted that we humans have figured out how to swim and dive, and travel across great bodies of water on boats. But it is really quite amazing when you think about it. In this episode, we soak in stories about swimming, diving, and boating ... and think about leaving our natural habitat behind to explore.

Download Episode Transcript

Stories used in this episode:

Hok-Si-La Municipal Park, Minnesota

Swimming with a Horse in Minnesota

Diving in Minnesota Lakes

Diving Beyond the Cliff, Caribbean Sea

Kayaking with Seals, Maine

Mississippi Gulf Coast Waterways

The Green Dean and Hurricane Gloria, Rhode Island

The Ocean as a Retreat, California

Canoeing Adventures in Minnesota

Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own water story!

Explore the Women Mind the Water project.

Thanks to our storytelling partners at the Peale Center! Visit their website, The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture.

This episode was produced for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Produced, written, narrated, and edited by Hannah Hethmon.

What is it about water that can instantly improve our mood, stir up joy, or awaken our inner child? In episode 4, we dive into the joy of playing in the water as we listen to stories of swimming in summer, splashing in puddles, and letting the waves lick our toes.

Download Episode Transcript

Stories featured in this episode:

One Dock at a Time, Maine to Florida

Summers at the River in South Georgia

A River Girl and Her Fly Fishing and Outdoor Business in Todd, North Carolina

Learning to Swim

Trout Fishing and the Love for Water

Building the Fish Pond with Dad, Hawaii

Camping on the Blue Earth River, Minnesota

Playing in the Mud, Virginia Beach

Catching Fish in Mud Puddles, Missouri

Baptisms at Games Lake

Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own water story!

Explore the Women Mind the Water project.

Thanks to our storytelling partners at the Peale Center! Visit their website, The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture.

This episode was produced for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Produced, written, narrated, and edited by Hannah Hethmon.

Simply add water and watch it grow! In episode 3, we dig into the ways water contributes to almost everything we need to survive, and drink in stories from the people who grow our food and tend to our gardens. How does water help sustain you and your community?

Download Episode Transcript

Stories used in this episode:

How Chester Worked: Cotton, Hogs and Dairy

DeKalb County Community Gardens, Illinois

Colonial Farming Practices

Seaweed Farming in Connecticut

Farming Near the Cobb River, Minnesota

Rhubarb Farming in Minnesota

Minnesota Fish Hatcheries

These things are certain: the passage of time, the flow of water, and the labor of humankind. In episode 2, we navigate stories of work and the water, stories that highlight the wide range of livelihoods that exist for the water and because of the water.

Stories used in this episode:

Mississippi Gulf Coast Waterways

The Ancient Warren River Valley and the Vetter Stone Company, Minnesota-Donn Vetter

A Winding Career Path Leads to Water, Florida

A River Girl and her Fly Fishing and Outdoor Business in Todd, North Carolina-Kelly McCoy

Watermen Community of Crisfield, Maryland

Watermen: Observers of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

History, Recreation and Preservation--Bruce Conmy Talks about Minnesota Lakes

Download Episode Transcript

Visit the Museum on Main Street Stories from Main Street to share your own water story!

Explore the Women Mind the Water project.

Thanks to our storytelling partners at the Peale Center in Baltimore, Maryland

This episode was produced for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Produced, written, narrated and edited by Hannah Hethmon.

Welcome to the water. In episode 1, join host and producer Hannah Hethmon as she explores stories that highlight the many ways water connects and defines us.

Stories used in this episode:

Take Me to the Water

Seaweed Farming in Connecticut

Violet Spolarich on fighting pipelines and protecting water in her rural community

History, Recreation, and Preservation--Bruce Conmy Talks about Minnesota Lakes

Baptisms at Games Lake--Carolyn Lange Hatlestad

From Bulgaria to Boston: A Water Journey

Angela's Memorable Encounter with the Dead Sea

Connections to Water in Greece

The Magic of Water

Spirit of the Water, New York

Water as Spirit in Minnesota--Mike Swan

The Need for Wetlands Restoration--Scott Glup

A Magical Encounter with Whales in Hawaii

Download Episode Transcript

Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own water story!

Explore the Women Mind the Water project.

Thanks to our storytelling partners at the Peale Center! Visit their website, The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture.

This episode was produced for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Produced, written, narrated, and edited by Hannah Hethmon.