Crossroads and Witnessing Change in Rural America

By: Kendyl Bostic
Serving with Arthurdale Heritage

As a lifelong West Virginian, the story I seemed to hear growing up was that we here in the Mountain State had been left behind.  Before I was old enough to understand it, I learned about the “Brain Drain” and how all the people who could leave the state were going out to get better jobs in other places.  From outside sources, I learned the stereotypes about West Virginia and the idea that people here were simply stuck in the past.  Progress was happening somewhere in the world - but not here. 

I went to college in Arizona and studied abroad in Europe and South America.  When I left West Virginia, I wasn’t planning to come back except to visit family.  But it was traveling and being away from home that ultimately made me realize how much more this kind of work would mean in the place where I grew up.  During my  interview with Arthurdale Heritage, they told me about the Smithsonian Crossroads exhibit that I would help with in addition to the rest of my service at the site.  That’s what really got me excited about this position.  In being here the last few months, I’ve learned a lot and have many projects now that excite me, but Crossroads is still a very big deal for everyone here.

The exhibit, Crossroads: Change in Rural America, has five main themes: Identity, Land, Community, Persistence, and Managing Change.  The physical portion of the exhibit travels between sites, but each site also does a year of related programming.  Arthurdale was one of seven sites in West Virginia chosen to host the exhibit, and I’ve loved being part of our programming so far.  One of the first parts of Crossroads that I was part of was our Children’s Art Gala.  With our art teacher, Raquel DeLoach, children in the community made art and answered questions related to the Crossroads themes of Land, Identity, and Community.  Claire Tryon, also an AmeriCorps at Arthurdale has been hard at work on her Marginalized Voices series, which I think is some of the most important work being done at Arthurdale currently to try to tell the full history of people in Arthurdale and Preston County.  As part of our Craft Show and Fall Festival in October, we had a community square dance with a band and caller from WVU.  Square dances were popular historically in Arthurdale, and everyone who came to the current event also had a great time.  It’s something we want to bring back as a regular event in the future.  How often can you say that you square danced in the same place as Eleanor Roosevelt?

There’s a lot more programming to come as Crossroads really kicks into gear here, but already after just a few months being in Arthurdale, I’m seeing how much this work matters.  When I showed up, I thought I was at a small non-profit where interesting things were happening but nothing too big.  Now with new grant money and construction plans, Arthurdale is a shining example of change and prosperity to come.  During the Great Depression, this little town in West Virginia was envisioned as a model for rural America, and with Crossroads and all the other work being done here, we’re doing our best to become that again. 

Crossroads: Change in Rural America will be in Arthurdale from December 13 - January 21.  We’re excited to show everyone what we’ve been working on and hope that many people can come!