History of the Former Chevy Site
Muncie Chevrolet Plant aerial view, retrieved from Ball State University Digital Media Repository
Current aerial view of the former Chevy Site
Muncie’s reputation as an industrial city begins at the turn of the 20th century and it quickly becomes home to a number of glass manufacturers, iron and steel mills, industrial factories, and fabricators, with a growing working-class community. According to the Indiana Historical Society, the industrialization peak of Muncie was in the 1950s during the post-World War II boom and it was once home to more than one hundred factories and manufacturers.
Chevrolet Plant in Muncie began manufacturing transmissions for passenger cars and trucks in 1935 in its Eighth Street location. Rapid expansion followed in the 50s and 60s, and several large additions and new facilities were erected to house the plant’s growing product lines. At its peak, it employed more than 3,400 people.
But as the US auto industry struggled with recessions and competition in the 70s and 80s, Chevrolet began a long process of layoffs and facility closings. The company finally closed its manufacturing facility in Muncie in March 2006. Demolition was completed in 2009. According to the RACER Trust, which is in charge of site cleanup for the former GMC properties, its soil and groundwater are contaminated with solvents and hazardous substances due to the long history of industrial activity on the property.
In January 2021, the RACER Trust and the City of Muncie announced they have reached an agreement for the city to purchase the 53-acre main parcel of RACER’s former Chevrolet property. The city intends to build a solar field on the property with up to 24.6 million kWh of generating capacity.