Resilience and Rebirth in Appalachia: Stories of Preservation, Restoration, and Community Spirit from Coal Mining Country
Photo courtesy of Tecumseh Theater
Watch here
Shawnee is one of many small villages in Southeast Ohio that boomed during the region’s coal mining heyday in the late 19th century. One of the town’s structures that still speaks to this era of significance is the Tecumseh Theater, built in 1908 to such proportions that it was considered a skyscraper at the time. After the industry moved out of the area in the 1920s, Shawnee fell into hard times and its population plummeted from 4,000 to 500 residents. Its once grand theater fell into disrepair, but it managed to survive neglect, fire, and a planned demolition before its restoration journey began in the late 1970s. Today, Shawnee is a thriving community and the Tecumseh Theater stands as an evolving success and a cultural cornerstone.
NPC is thrilled to join with the Sunday Creek Associates, the Little Cities of Black Diamonds, Ohio’s Winding Road, and other local partners for an evening of unforgettable storytelling that will explore the legacy of the Tecumseh Theater as a historic cultural center, and a microcosm of not only the Southeast Ohio region, but our nation as a whole. From economic turbulence, to tragedy and loss, to re-growth and restoration, Shawnee’s story is one that feels close to home whether you live in a small heartland village or a sprawling coastal city.
Speakers:
Amy Grove (Appalachian Makers Coordinator, Ohio’s Winding Road)
Ohio’s Winding Road is a locally-driven economic development initiative in Appalachian Ohio, specifically in the Hocking and Muskingum River Valleys. This includes Morgan, Athens, Perry, Hocking, Fairfield, Vinton, Meigs, Washington, and Muskingum counties. Through their regional brand and network, they provide unifying stories about the vibrant future of the region, where pride of place and stewardship are strong values, and where community members are dedicated to sustainable business, local culture, food, art, and environmental stewardship.
Scott Kreps (Manager, Tecumseh Theater)
The Tecumseh Commons provides space for a variety of cultural programs, rentals for weddings, parties and conferences, a visitor’s center, and the voting place for the village of Shawnee. It provides the momentum needed to continue the journey toward the challenging, but doable task of restoring the splendid second story opera house located above and making Shawnee the center for entertainment in the Hocking Valley coal fields as it was during the boom era of over a century ago.
John Winnenberg (Founding member, Sunday Creek Associates)
from the Center for Folklore Studies: "‘Sunday Creek Associates (SCA), a private non-profit organization, was founded by John Winnenberg and Sandra Landis in 1990 to foster positive change and development within Southern Perry County, or the Little Cities of Black Diamonds (LCBD) region, more broadly. Their mission is to revitalize life and community in the area by “understanding local history and culture, supporting family and youth, housing and commercial rehabilitation, and provide support to existing community groups and local governments” (Kids Summer, 2007).’
Tiffany Piko (Board member, Neighborhood Preservation Center)
Tiff Piko is a designer, educator, and farmer in Appalachia Ohio. In 2019 she became the first woman to run for mayor in her hometown of Lancaster, Ohio, running a zero-dollar grassroots campaign designed to get more people involved in local politics. Her experience was documented and featured on Good Morning America. She continues to work politically as a consultant for unlikely candidates. Having received her BA in Sustainable System Design and a minor in Urban Planning at Parsons the New School for Design, she worked for the Neighborhood Preservation Center through college before joining the board in 2020.
In 2020 she began restoring a 1790s log cabin on the historic Zane’s Trace where she cofounded the Puppy Town Farm Project with her partner in 2022. The farm project was designed to promote the area’s agricultural / community assets, to trade locally grown foods, and to foster dogs from the local, overcrowded shelter. As an avid runner, she coaches youth track and field at the junior high level.