What is special about living in a small town?  Throughout the history of literature and popular culture, we know that there is something unique about small-town life.  We can all recall a story or personal experience from a small-town “Main Street” that goes beyond nostalgia to touch on values that all Americans hold dear – community, civic engagement, pride of place, and more.  

Many Smithsonian Affiliates and their staffs serve small town and rural communities in ways we want to know better.  What programs and exhibitions resonate with your audiences?  How do you cultivate your community and what role do you play in it?  What’s your story?   Let’s hear them!

“Stories from Main Street” is the Smithsonian’s new iPhone app for collecting stories from America’s small towns and rural communities. This is the place where anyone with an interest in small-town life can add his or her own personal experiences to the archive. After you share your own experience, be sure to listen to stories left by other users.  

This app was launched this month, and almost instantly, was featured in the “New and Noteworthy” section of iTunes!  As the archive grows, selected stories from the application will be featured on the Smithsonian’s “Stories from Main Street” website: https://www.storiesfrommainstreet.org.

Help us document the rich history of America’s small towns with stories that exemplify the excitement, diversity and creativity of their citizens. The Smithsonian wants to hear from you!