Bushnell-Sage Library is one of six Massachusetts sites hosting "Crossroads: Change in Rural America.”
“It looks at the evolving landscape of rural America. So, ‘Crossroads’ really takes a look at how rural American communities changed in the 20th century. Only 3.5% of the United States landscape is considered urban. But since 1900, the percentage of Americans living in rural areas has dropped from 60% to 17%. So, the exhibition looks at what a huge societal change that that was, and how what we know to be true in Sheffield and in South County, that rural America is very resilient and rural America is not dying, it is vibrant and thriving," said Deena Caswell, library director. “There is a program through the Smithsonian called Museum on Main Street. So, it's a partnership of the Smithsonian with local cultural institutions. So, they work with statewide humanities organizations. So, this comes from the Smithsonian and Mass Humanities. This exhibition has been touring the country for the past few years. In 2022, it came to Massachusetts. So, Mass Humanities put out a call for potential host sites to submit an application, and Bushnell-Sage Library is very excited to be one of six host sites chosen in the state of Massachusetts for this tour.”
Accompanying the traveling exhibition will be a bevy of programming over the six weeks that explore Sheffield’s history.
“Friday, March 31st, we're hosting a program at Dewey Hall at seven o'clock that will be looking at the wild animals of Sheffield, and then our capstone program will be Saturday, May 6th, at 2 p.m. That one will be off site, it'll be at the Greenagers Barn," said Caswell. "And that's going to look at the cataclysmic events that have shaped our landscape, the mountains and the valleys of the Berkshires. We all know that we've got such incredible farmland and incredible landscape- So, what does that mean? What does that look like?”
Other programs will explore the history of healthcare in the region, from before the Revolutionary War until today.
“We're also having a program looking at Ashley Falls. Like, what does it mean to be the first European settlement in the Berkshires? It's such an interesting historical- What does it mean to be a village in a small town?" asked Caswell. "So, we'll have a program of local people telling their family histories, longer histories, really making that personal.”
A look into the future is also part of the broad survey of Sheffield’s past.
“We're excited to host a community conversation. So, on Thursday, April 20th, at Dewey Hall, we'll be talking about the changes that we've seen in Sheffield," said Caswell. "The past few years have brought new people coming in, old people leaving us. We know that Sheffield is a very, a community with long, deep roots. So how do we work with those of us that have been in town for generations, and those of us like me, who have just gotten here? How can we all work together to kind of keep Sheffield a vibrant and bustling community?”
A juried art show will also take place while Sheffield hosts "Crossroads: Change in Rural America.”
“We'll have an exhibit looking at Sheffield's Farmers of the Mass 54th," said Caswell. "So, that is in partnership with the Historical Society, looking to gain more information on the historic African American population of Sheffield, the Farmers of the mass 54th. It was really neat. So, most of the 11 Black soldiers from Sheffield who served in the 54th regiment of the Civil War owned or worked farms in Sheffield, so that exhibit will look at their history and the other history of African American families in Sheffield.”
The opening reception is at 3 Sunday at Bushnell-Sage.
“We're very excited to be the only host site in the Berkshires," Caswell told WAMC. "We’re the furthest site west, and we just really want to encourage everyone to come on out and take a look.”
