{"id":115,"date":"2025-04-08T01:29:49","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T01:29:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalresearch.bsu.edu\/the-village\/?page_id=115"},"modified":"2025-05-02T19:33:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T19:33:31","slug":"a-brief-introduction-to-muncie-ball-state-university-and-the-village","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/digitalresearch.bsu.edu\/the-village\/a-brief-introduction-to-muncie-ball-state-university-and-the-village\/","title":{"rendered":"The City, The University, and The Village"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Muncie’s History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From ‘Jars and Cars’ to ‘Meds and Eds’ Muncie’s history has established itself as a rapidly advancing community from its late 19th century establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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About the city <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Muncie originated as a home to the Lenape Native American tribe. The Lenape established themselves along the White River, naming their settlement \u201cMunsee\u201d. The name would stick after being taken over by White Settlers and being established as a city in 1865. Following the new establishment, Muncie thrived in the natural gas boom of the 1880\u2019s. This natural gas boom made Muncie an up-and-coming hotspot for industrial growth, inspiring the Ball Brothers to move their glass manufacturing company from Buffalo, New York to Muncie in 1887. The Ball Brothers furthered Muncie’s new economic growth, and gave way to many philanthropic developments including Minnetrista garden, Ball Memorial Hospital, and Ball State University. In 1924, just two years after Ball Teacher College\u2019s founding, and thirty years after the Ball company moved to Muncie, Robert S. and Helen Merrell Lynd came to Muncie to study the Muncie residents as the city grew from an agricultural community in the 1880\u2019s, to a factory town in the early 20th century. In 1929 Helen and Robert Lynd published Middletown: a Study in Modern American Culture<\/em>. <\/em>The book establishes that although the city has rapidly changed, many of the core beliefs have stayed the same. Earning the title of Middletown<\/em> established Muncie as a representation of the generalized and broader presentation of American life. In the 1930\u2019s Helen and Robert Lynd returned to study Muncie during the Great Depression, and in 1939 Middletown in Transition: a Study in Cultural Conflicts. <\/em>This book finds that despite vast economic hardship, most people reverted to their pre-depression way of life and values, further representing greater American culture. The books helped to provide updated interpretations of ethnography applying to the modern world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, There is a summary of what middle town was, and check out Ball State’s Center for Middletown Studies below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was Middletown?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Muncie, Indiana, famously known as Middletown, has a rich history that unfolds from the original case study conducted by the Lynds in 1924-1925. Their aim was to examine patterns of religious behavior in a contemporary urban setting, amidst the backdrop of a growing anxiety between capital and labor, a concern that also captured the attention of notable figures like J.D. Rockefeller. Muncie was chosen for its specific criteria\u2014primarily a mid-sized community populated mostly by native-born citizens and lacking a significant number of minorities, which became a shocking revelation for activist Burly Goodall during later studies. The initial focus was on six key areas: getting a living, making a home, training the young, using leisure time, engaging in religious practices, and participating in community activities. The original intent was to understand the migration phenomena from rural to urban areas between 1890 and 1920, particularly examining the divisions between the business and working classes. However, as the notion of Middletown developed, it became emblematic of average American life, despite its typicality being disrupted by pop culture. By the 1970s, research began to take a more inclusive approach, acknowledging the overlooked African American population that had long been absent from the early narratives of Muncie’s identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Center for Middletown studies<\/a>
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About Us<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ball State University<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ball State origins can be traced back to 1918 when a plot of land was built into \u2018Eastern Indiana Normal University\u2019, this lasted until the Ball brothers bought the land in 1922 establishing Ball Teachers College. As the college grew it developed seven more colleges and became \u2018Ball State University\u2019 in 1965. Since then, Ball State has grown into an accredited, Division 1 University with notable alumni including David Letterman, Jim Davis, and Stedman Graham. For more information regarding Ball State’s history, click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n



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Late Nights, Big Bites, The Village:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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What is The Village?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Village is a neighborhood of shops and restaurants located conveniently off of Ball State’s campus. The Village can date back to the 1930’s offering a variety of shops, although many changes have been made over the years the Village is fondly remembered by students, faculty, and alumni alike.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What is changing with the revitalization plan?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Very few things will be taken away! The revitalization plan focuses more on addition, than the subtraction of establishments. The Village will gain a Barnes & Noble, apartments for Ball State and IU memorial hospital staff, the performing arts center and hotel, The center of innovation, and a food and event hall. For more information click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What shops and restaurants does The Village feature?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Village hosts restaurants like Chavas, China Express, Roots Burger Bar, Yats, Everbowl, Insomnia Cookies, Hotbox Pizza, Greeks Pizza, La Casa Italian, Jacks Donuts, D-Ice Cafe, The Cup, and Jimmy Johns. The Village contains stores like Screenbroidery, The Lash Boutique, Wild Side Smokeshop, Evergreen Tobacco, and Well Made Vintage. Finally, The Village offers late night spots like The Chug, Brothers Bar and Grill, and Be Here Now DIY Music Venue. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How Long has The Village been around?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Village can date back to the 1930’s offering a variety of shops, although many changes have been made over the years the Village is fondly remembered by students, faculty, and alumni alike. Although the change may seem daunting, we have seen insurmountable change over the decades and hope to see nothing but improvement in the near future.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Got questions?
Feel free to reach out.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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