The Cumberland Valley Photographers Exhibition, now in its 93rd year at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, has adopted a theme centered on the United States' 250th anniversary. The show features submissions from artists across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., exploring the nation's history through photography. Works range from historic landmarks and portraiture to mixed-media and digitally manipulated images, blending past and present.
This exhibition matters because it uses the semiquincentennial as a catalyst for community reflection on history, identity, and change. By including amateur and professional photographers alike, it democratizes the storytelling process and emphasizes that history is collectively created. The show also highlights photography's role as a historical tool, preserving emotional connections that will become tomorrow's artifacts, and encourages visitors to consider their own place in the broader national narrative.