'Between Fences a Crowd-Pleaser'

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce and the Foundation for Pinckneyville in cooperation with the Illinois Humanities Council, continues its exploration of the cultural history of fences and land use as it hosts the local showing of Between Fences, a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. Between Fences will be on view through November 23, 2008 at the Exhibition Hall in the Fairgrounds of the Pinckneyville City Park.

Foundation for Pinckneyville and the surrounding community was expressly chosen by the Illinois Humanities Council to host Between Fences as part of the Museum on Main Street project - a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. After it leaves Pinckneyville in November, the exhibition will travel to five more communities in Illinois before it returns to the Smithsonian.

Through a selection of artifacts, photographs and illustrations, Between Fences examines the multiple meanings behind this everyday icon. Whether made of split rails, decorative white pickets, or tall chain link, a fence conveys information about the people who built it, how they view and use their property, and the nature of their relations with their neighbors.

"We are very pleased with the community's reaction thus far to Between Fences," said Tibretta Reiman, General Manager for the Foundation for Pinckneyville. Over 50 people attended our opening event and our visitor count so far has been over 1,100. People are coming from as far away as St. Louis, MO, to see the exhibition and visit our community. It's great exposure for the museum and the town. And our public programs have been fascinating and well-received." Upcoming program events include a program about Virginia Marmaduke to be held November 15th beginning at 6:30 pm. Jak Tichenor a producer with WSIU will be leading a panel discussion about the barriers Virginia Marmaduke over came as a journalist.

Between Fences is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more visit www.museumonmainstreet.org, www.sites.si.edu, or www.prairie.org

The United States Congress and the Illinois Humanities Council have provided support for Museum on Main Street.