Long before the Country Music Highway was created to honor Kentucky-born country music stars, Jean Thomas created a venue to give mountain musicians an opportunity to be heard. Although not the first to recognize the value of preserving Appalachian ballads, Thomas, known as the "Traipsin' Woman", was the first to value not only the songs, but the native musicians who played and sang them. Her founding of the American Folk Song Festival in 1932 brought national attention to the folk musicians of Eastern Kentucky.

Exhibit dedicated to the memory of Diane Gussler Lobach.