What is Rural?

What is rural? Ask this question to ten people and you will get ten different answers. The DeKalb County History Center wants to hear your answer, but in a photograph that might be selected as part of their upcoming traveling Smithsonian exhibit.

One of the themes explored in the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street exhibit Crossroads: Change in Rural America is “What is Rural?” The display includes nationally recognized paintings that idealize rural America along with photographs that show a more realistic view of what life can be like in smaller agricultural communities. The DeKalb County History Center will be providing a companion piece to this Smithsonian exhibit that tells our county’s story. Part of the display will include selected photographs submitted by the general public answering this question.

The History Center is encouraging people to be creative and thoughtful. Photographs can be current or historical, they can be of festivals, farming, people, historic down towns, and can represent the variety of seasons.

Guidelines include:

1. Making sure your camera or Smartphone is set to the highest resolution for quality and your photo is sent at its original size.
2. The submitted photo must be the photographer’s original work.
3. Email your pictures to info@dekalbcountyhistory.org with your name, a brief description of the photo and the story behind it.
4. All photos submitted become property of the DeKalb County History Center, and maybe reproduced in an exhibit, shared on social media or other History Center publications.
5. Photographers will be given credit for their photos. For all of the guidelines visit dekalbcountyhistory.org.
6. All participants acknowledge that if there are people who are easily recognizable in your photo, you have their permission to submit their image for use by the DeKalb County History Cente

The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2019. For more information please call the DeKalb County History Center at 815-895-5762.

Note: The photo here is of a crossroads in southern DeKalb County near Rollo.