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Everybody has a story to tell. The Smithsonian’s Stories from Main Street podcast shares the authentic voices and stories of people from small towns and rural communities across the United States. Gathered by the Smithsonian Institution's Museum on Main Street program, the stories featured in these curated episodes are raw, and real, and provide a unique window into the ever-changing, multi-faceted and diverse nature of America. Join the Smithsonian for a look at stories and issues that have ...
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17: Shapeshifters, Ghosts, and Red-Eyed Dogs: Spooky Tales and a Rich Heritage
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Welcome back to Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street! We're relaunching this series during an introspective time of year, with Halloween just around the corner. Come join us around the campfire for some spooky, eerie, enchanting stories from rural America. Our storyteller today is Joe Perry, a member of the Choctaw Nation in Poteau, Oklahoma. Joe…
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Special: "Hopefully, My Generation Will Be the Ones to Change It"
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Young people throughout the country bring new perspectives and attitudes to our history and our culture. But often, they don't feel welcome to the conversations that adults have about community and culture. Since 2012, the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street has been working with small towns that want to highlight youth perspectives. Young people e…
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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 …
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15: Good Relationships Build Stronger Communities
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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…
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14: Great Things Happen Here
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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 part…
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13: Comebacks and Ripple Effects
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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…
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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 …
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Special: "Museum on Main Street: A Love Letter to Small-Town America" from Museums in Strange Places
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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 organ…
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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? …
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11: Use Your Voice! Get Involved
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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 …
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10: The Greater Good: Democracy Everyday
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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…
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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 w…
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9: Are We at a Crossroads?
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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 rein…
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8: "Living in a Small Town Taught Me..." Identity in Rural America
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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? Ho…
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7: Small Town = Hard Work
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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 ne…
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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 mee…
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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 Sp…
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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 Tran…
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4: An Invitation to Play
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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, Mai…
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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, Ho…
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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 …
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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 Pr…
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Experience the voice of small-town America, one story at a time. Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is a new podcast from Museum on Main Street, a program of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service that brings Smithsonian exhibitions to small-town America. Since 2011, people in rural communities have shared thousands of stories…
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