145 past events with the history tag

A celebration of the Muncie Gas Boom Era! The Old Washington Street Festival is a showcase for regional artisans and artists that connects the history of Muncie to the modern era. Join us for arts and crafts vendors, food, and free entertainment!

A celebration of the Muncie Gas Boom Era! The Old Washington Street Festival is a showcase for regional artisans and artists that connects the history of Muncie to the modern era. Join us for arts and crafts vendors, food, and free entertainment!

Beech Grove Cemetery

Held at Beech Grove Cemetery
No Charge—Reservations Required
Please reserve online at https://commerce.cashnet.com/BALL_EMS057

The Sultana was a wooden steamboat that exploded on the Mississippi just outside of Memphis on April 27, 1865. It was considered one of the deadliest maritime disasters in US history. The boat, built to carry 376 passengers, was vastly overloaded with paroled Civil War prisoners of war. On board were an estimated 2,300 people, 1,700 of whom lost their lives, including 55 from Delaware County. A monument in the Beech Grove Cemetery honors the 55 Delaware County members who died in the disaster. Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, the Sultana disaster received very little coverage as it was overshadowed by the end of the war and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln just days prior. 

Presenter: Jennifer Lewis Sparks, historical and genealogical researcher, lecturer, and cemetery enthusiast

All are invited to a presentation by BSU Political Science Professor Dr. Darren Wheeler who will delve into The Constitution in Black & White. “Interpreting the Constitution should be easy, right? Well, yes - and no. Join Dr. Wheeler in a discussion of the challenges that judges face when interpreting the Constitution in the judicial decision-making process." Sponsored by the Paul Revere Chapter (Daughters of the American Revolution) in recognition of Constitution Week (September 17-23) For more information https://www.facebook.com/share/tpemSFvYkkadHDee/?mibextid=qi2Omg or email paulreveremuncie@gmail.com

Join Minnetrista and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Team for activities, history, and culture at the Kick-Off to Black History Month Celebration at Minnetrista!

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Minnetrista Heritage Collection on a guided tour with Archivist Susan Smith and Collections Manager Mindy Price. Learn more about what we collect and see artifacts not currently on public display. Dive into the rich history and fascinating stories behind these treasures.

Pre-registration is required. Please visit our website to register for this tour.

Important Notes: 
This tour has a maximum capacity of 10. 
To book a tour for a large group or organization, please contact us directly. 
No food, beverages, or large bags are permitted in Collections storage areas.
There are stairs in our collections storage areas - please let us know if you need any accommodations.

Broadway’s COME FROM AWAY is a Best Musical winner all across North America!

This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.

Don’t miss this breathtaking musical written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, directed by Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley and musical staging by Tony-nominee Kelly Devine. The tour is directed by Daniel Goldstein with musical staging by Richard J. Hinds, based on the original Broadway direction and choreography.

Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!”

On 9/11, the world stopped.

On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

It's too chilly, so the Muncie Makers Market is on hiatus for our sidewalk setup until May 1st - but we still have a fun First Thursday planned this month! We look forward to telling you all about our busy 2025 Season! Come see us Thursday, April 3rd from 5-8p at Cornerstone Center for the Arts as we join many local Artisans for the evening. Shop INDOORS with FREE parking for the April 2025 First Thursday! 
 

The Muncie Makers Market is a community farmers market with fresh homemade food, locally grown produce, live plants, and handmade arts of all kinds! You’ll find the Muncie Makers Market monthly on the sidewalks at Adamns & Walnut every First Thursday, indoors at MadJax Maker Force every Third Thursday, and at special events like ArtsWalk, Fire Up DWNTWN, and Light Up DWNTWN throughout our community all year! Please JOIN us on Facebook and Instagram and please SHARE our posts: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627047027524961/ ;

E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center

Class meets three Tuesdays, June 3-17, 2025; 2:30-4 p.m.

Designed for those who have a desire to write down their memories to keep, for themselves, for family, or to publish. If you’ve started a memoir but need to get more chapters, this class is for you. If you’ve always wanted to write down pieces of your life, but had no idea where to start, this class is for you.

In this three-session class, you'll create a series of vignettes in either prose or poetry - the choice is yours. You will learn about Hermit Crab Essays, Braided Essays, and Lyric Essays. Guided by prompts designed to "capture your life," you'll bring your memories to the page while sharing your work, ideas, questions, and discoveries along the way. Open to beginning and intermediate writers. 

Miss your chance for a summer vacation? Come travel vicariously through the Minnetrista Heritage Collection! Get a behind-the-scenes look at travel-themed artifacts on this guided tour with Archivist Susan Smith and Collections Manager Mindy Price. Explore items that are not currently on public display and gain a deeper understanding of the historical significance behind them. This is your chance to engage with history in a way you’ve never experienced before—up close and personal!

Ladies, gents, ragamuffins and rosy-cheeked rascals of all ages—step right up and lend me your ears, for the most glorious, gallivantin’, and gaslight-glowin’ event of the season is set to RETURN!

Yes sir, yes ma’am, yes indeedy—it’s the annual extravaganza, where history waltzes with whimsy and every cobblestone hums with the spirit of the Gas Boom Era!

Marvel at the Victorian homes—some open for tours and brimming with tales of old!

Stroll past over handcrafted artisan booths—jewelry, pottery, plants, candles, glass, and curios galore!

Tap your toes to live music, street performers, and tunes that'll tickle your tin ear like it's 1925 all over again!

Feast like a king on a variety of vibrant victuals and the sweet kiss of homemade ice cream!

Kiddos, don’t be shy—this is a family-friendly event with fun for all and smiles wide as the White River!

Watch live demonstrations from tradesfolk, artists, and old-timey wizards of craft — some’ll even let ya try your hand!

Admission is FREE, though home tour tickets will cost you just a song.

Come one, come all, for a festival where Muncie’s past becomes your present!

So mark those calendars, press those suspenders, and join us at the Old Washington Street Festival—where the spirit of yesteryear is alive and jivin’!

Ladies, gents, ragamuffins and rosy-cheeked rascals of all ages—step right up and lend me your ears, for the most glorious, gallivantin’, and gaslight-glowin’ event of the season is set to RETURN!

Yes sir, yes ma’am, yes indeedy—it’s the annual extravaganza, where history waltzes with whimsy and every cobblestone hums with the spirit of the Gas Boom Era!

Marvel at the Victorian homes—some open for tours and brimming with tales of old!

Stroll past over handcrafted artisan booths—jewelry, pottery, plants, candles, glass, and curios galore!

Tap your toes to live music, street performers, and tunes that'll tickle your tin ear like it's 1925 all over again!

Feast like a king on a variety of vibrant victuals and the sweet kiss of homemade ice cream!

Kiddos, don’t be shy—this is a family-friendly event with fun for all and smiles wide as the White River!

Watch live demonstrations from tradesfolk, artists, and old-timey wizards of craft — some’ll even let ya try your hand!

Admission is FREE, though home tour tickets will cost you just a song.

Come one, come all, for a festival where Muncie’s past becomes your present!

So mark those calendars, press those suspenders, and join us at the Old Washington Street Festival—where the spirit of yesteryear is alive and jivin’!

PaulRevereMuncie@gmail.com

All are invited to a celebration of the enduring legacy of the Constitution featuring BSU Alexander M. Bracken Distinguished Professor of History, Dr. Nicole Etcheson who will delve into Revising the Work of the Founders: The Reconstruction Amendments. 

"The Civil War caused Americans to believe that the Founders' work had been imperfect. They revised the Constitution by adding amendments to free enslaved people, granting them citizenship and rights, including the vote. Why did the post-Civil War generation write the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments?"

Sponsored by the Paul Revere Chapter (Daughters of the American Revolution) celebrating Constitution Week (September 17-23) with The League of Women Voters of Muncie-Delaware County.

For more information https://www.facebook.com/share/tpemSFvYkkadHDee/?mibextid=qi2Omg or email paulreveremuncie@gmail.com

Take a guided tour of Muncie's largest landmark and meet the people who shaped our past locally and nationally.

Learn more about Muncie’s rich and fascinating history by taking a guided tour through a portion of historic Beech Grove Cemetery. Reenactors positioned along the route will bring local historic figures back to life!

Tours are approximately 1 mile, generally leave on the half hour and are limited to groups of 20.

Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-historic-beech-grove-cemetery-tour-tickets-1671810924479?aff=oddtdtcreator or available to purchase at the Main Gate the day of the event until 6:30pm. Children under the age of 12 accompanied by an adult are admitted free.

Refreshments will be available near the fountain for guests as they wait for the tours to depart. Guests can test their fact-or-fiction skills by playing a round of Dueling Historians in the Chapel.

This is an outdoor, family-friendly event which does require walking a substantial distance and taking some steps on uneven ground. Accommodation can be made in advance for those who need them.

Should the event be postponed due to inclement weather, our rain date is October 12th and tickets will be transferred to that date (or, if requested, refunded). Eventbrite will, however, retain their fee. All ticket holders will receive an email (sent to the address provided to us) as early as possible should we move the event to the 12th.

Parking will be available across from the main cemetery gate. Please take caution when crossing Kilgore. Accommodation for those needing parking accessibility will be made.

This event is proudly brought to you by Old West End Neighborhood Association. Proceeds

will benefit the neighborhood and the cemetery Preservation Fund.

Celebrate artistry and joy at Happy Little Fest, honoring the beloved Bob Ross, his lasting legacy, and his famous “happy little” approach to art. Spend the day surrounded by all things Bob—watch live painting demos, view original Bob Ross masterpieces, and test your knowledge with Bob Ross trivia. Hop on a shuttle to explore WIPB’s studio at Ball State University, where later seasons of “The Joy of Painting” were filmed, then refuel with refreshing drinks and delicious bites from local food trucks. Enjoy live music from local artists and take part in the Bob Ross Look-Alike Competition!

Want to paint like Bob? Purchase a $55 ticket for one of our Bob Ross Painting Workshops—kids paint at 1 p.m. and adults at 3 p.m.—and create your own “happy little” masterpiece to take home. No experience necessary—just bring your creativity and let your imagination flow! Preregistration is strongly preferred for painting workshops; limited walk-in tickets may be available—please call ahead.

Please note: Your Happy Little Fest ticket covers admission to Minnetrista Museum & Gardens ticketed exhibitions (including the "Bob Ross Experience").

Happy Little Fest is presented in partnership with Ball State PBS, Bob Ross Inc., and Minnetrista Museum & Gardens.

This event is made possible by the generous support of Bob Ross, Inc., Masters Insurance, Dillman's Furniture and Mattress, and Parker Electrical Service.

Step into a hauntingly evocative journey through time on a guided tour of the Minnetrista Heritage Collection with Archivist Susan Smith and Collections Manager Mindy Price. This immersive experience takes you behind-the-scenes to explore where the boundaries between medicine and mortality intertwine. Examine artifacts not currently on public display and learn more about funerary traditions and medical marvels of the past.

This tour is best suited for guests ages 13 and older and includes standing, stairs, and exposure to loud HVAC noise. Pre-registration is strongly preferred; limited walk-in tickets may be available—please call ahead. If you need accommodations, please notify us in advance.