The Wealth and Poverty theme holds its annual field trip to Appalachian communities on Saturday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (estimate).
The meeting place is the GoBus stop outside the first floor entrance of Baker Center. Participants should arrive 8:50 a.m.
Leaders are Dr. Barry Tadlock, Associate Professor of Political Science, and Dr. Rachel Terman, Assistant Professor of Sociology.
The field trip is open to OHIO students and faculty members. Contact Dr. Yeong Kim at kimy1@ohio.edu by Wednesday, March 22, if you are interested in participating.00
The coal industry has been a distinctive feature of Central Appalachia since the late 1800s. After a couple of boom-and-bust cycles in Appalachian Ohio’s coal industry, the industry shrank in scale and left behind an assortment of so-called company towns. Today residents of these small towns continue to deal with the impacts of the decline of coal mining as they work to maintain their communities and remember their history.
Students and faculty on this field trip will visit New Straitsville and Shawnee, both in Perry County, to obtain firsthand exposure to company towns.
Field Trip Stops
New Straitsville, OH (Perry County): New Straitsville features a nationally significant labor meeting site and is the headquarters of the Monday Creek Watershed project. Every Memorial Day weekend it hosts a Moonshine Festival. The host and guest speaker will be Cheryl Blosser, President, New Straitsville History Group. She will share information about the significant role southeastern Ohio played in U.S. labor history.
Shawnee, OH (Perry County): Located just five minutes down the road from New Straitsville, Shawnee was developed as a town for workers in the coal industry. Known for its distinctive architecture, Shawnee is also home to the Tecumseh Theater and the Buckeye Trail Association. Here, attendees will learn about the efforts of local groups to develop the community around the abundant historical and environmental assets of the area.
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