Mission Statement: The "Historic Muncie: Preserving Middletown's Neighborhoods" chronicles the history of Muncie, Indiana, through an interactive online museum detailing the historic districts of the town. This site serves as a research and educational resource for students, professors, citizens, tourists, and the general public. This website draws on pictures, video, and narrative to guide reader
s through the historic districts and architectural past of Muncie. While functioning primarily as a portal to the past, this site also aims to display the continuing struggle of preserving these historic areas within a town straining toward change. About: "Historic Muncie: Preserving Middletown's Neighborhoods" is an immersive learning opportunity involving Ball State University students. Funded by a Provost Initiative Grant, the project is partnered with multiple community institutions:
Muncie Historic Preservation and Rehabilitation Commission
Center for Middletown Studies
The City of Muncie: Community Development
Indiana Historical Society
Delaware County Historical Society
Minnetrista
ecoREHAB of Muncie
East Central Neighborhood Association
Division of Historic Preservation & Archeology (Department of Natural Resources)
Muncie Public Library | Slideshow
Solid State LLC
RE.Dwell
On Campus Partners:
Center for Middletown Studies
Drawings and Documents Archives | Slideshow
Bracken Archives and Special Collections | Slideshow
Support and Funding:
Historic Muncie: Preserving Middletown's Neighborhoods was made possible from a generous gift from Hamer and Phyllis Shafer. The project was funded through the Shafer Fellows: Hamer and Phyllis Shafer Fellows Program in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, the project was also supported by Ball State's Building Better Communities Fellowship Program.
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Muncie, Indiana is a city that evolved from an early agricultural community on the White River to the location of one of the most technologically expanding and innovative colleges, Ball State University. However, the town cannot be defined by just the university, as Muncie also has a rich history of industry and culture available for display. This history is preserved by the citizens of Muncie as well as the cultural institutions invested in seeing the city thrive. These citizens and cultural institutions recognize the historical significance present in the older neighborhoods spread around the city. Historical districts are formed from these neighborhoods to preserve the aspects the civilians hold dear. A street no longer becomes just another street, but instead an important piece of history. All together, the districts form a complete mosaic of the past and present of a culture. The purpose of this website is to create a more complete perspective of Muncie. The project utilizes teams of Ball State University students to produce documentaries and essays highlighting each of the historical districts of the city. The focus of these documentaries lies in the architectural styles of buildings and their contributions to the city. These are not just random blocks of a town; significant architectural and cultural factors have been observed that led to their historical status. Some buildings provide rare examples of architectural styles representative of eras throughout history, while others were home to the celebrities of industry. These homes and buildings provide a window into the past of Muncie, and highlighting these remarkable contributions to the public will help us all to gather a greater understanding of the city we inhabit. Meet the Team:
2012/2013 Project Director: Kayla Eiler
Vignette Directors: Kyle Broyles, Eric Conrad, Hobie Crase, Dan Parish, Hobie Crase
MidWest Restoration Festival Marketing and Crew: Erika Mabee, Emily Trapp, Katie Hoffman, Lisa Walker
Stories and Legends Cinematographer: Brian Hollars
Photographers: Joe Vella, Andy Bissonnette, Lisa Walker, Jarred Scott, Chris Flook
Stories and Legends Producers and Directors: Kayla Eiler and Christen Whitney
Stories and Legends Editor: Krystal Highbaugh
Emily Kimbrough Documentary Director, Producer, Editor: Robbie Mehling
Emily Kimbrough Cinematographer: Hobie Crase
Old West End Documentary Director, Producer, Editor: Kayla Eiler
Old West End Cinematographer:Joe Sailer
Minnetrista Documentary Director, Producer, Editor:Anna Hartwick
Minnetrista Cinematographer: Dave McDermand
Audio Director - 2012/2013: Frank Reber
Audio Specialists: Ben Kruis, Jeremy Peat
Production Assistants: Mikey Whitaker, Joe Sailer, Matt Wolf, Kirsten Gent, Michael Webb, Alex McIntire, Darryl Dorsey
Graphics: Sarah Emge, Krystal Highbaugh, and Mikey Whitaker
District Documentary Directors: Ryan Casey (Emily Kimbrough, Robbie Mehling (Riverside), and Adrian Blackwell (Beech Grove)
Beech Grove Cinematographer: Andy Mesin
Historical Narratives: Jacob Bottiglieri, Joe Ferguson, Travis Humphrey, Leigh Montano
Historical Narratives: Cat Roberts, Austin Glidden, Austin Lugar
Historian: Allison Siekman and Marie Gutwein
Transcriptionists: Amanda Case, Maria Hannah, and Michelle Colpean
Historic Preservationists: Emily Weiler, Sarah Robinson, Seth Elder, Julie Edwards, Britta Rees
News and Vignettes: Jenelle Bickel, Colleen Bradburn, Elizabeth Bramble
News and Vignettes: Demetrious Lewis, Michael Smeehuyzen, Kathryn Stone
News and Vignettes: Erin Edwards, Andrew Feeback, Adam Fox, Randa Gore
Web Developer: Brian Bauman and Chris Flook
2011 Historic Muncie Project Director: Chris Flook
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Ronald Vaughn Morris, Dr. Ashley Donnelly, Suzy Smith, and Chris Flook
Special Thanks: Josh Carroll, Jackie Buckrop, Kelli Huth, Kris Scott, Mike Mavis, Heather Williams, Terry King, Joe Trimmer, Bill Morgan, Russell Irving, Tim Pollard, Betsy Pike, Joshua Burton, Joe Misiewicz
