Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street
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 an impact on rural communities. Listen in and hear the patterns and connections in the stories—there may be differences between the miles, but there are probably a lot of similarities, too.
- Update frequency
- every 14 days
- Average duration
- 22 minutes
- Episodes
- 29
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
7: Small Town = Hard Work
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 whe…
Season 2 Trailer: Change in Rural America
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 the…
6: Worth Saving
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 t…
5: Over and Under
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 e…
4: An Invitation to Play
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 s…
3: How We Grow
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 ou…
2: Work and the Water
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 livelih…
1: Take Me to the Water
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:
Season 1 Trailer-Water Stories
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…