coming october visitmuncie.org | 800.568.6862 2020 visitors guide welcome We are excited that you have chosen to visit Muncie as part of your travels! We are happy that you will be visiting in 2020 and hope you will enjoy the many outstanding attractions that await you. During your visit, we invite you to venture into our energized downtown area. A new full-service hotel, lots of unique gift shops, a wealth of art and cultural offerings plus the only facility of its kind, a training institute for people with disabilities. All of this and more adorn our revitalized downtown community. The Muncie/Delaware County community prides itself in greeting our visitors with genuine Hoosier Hospitality. Within our community, you will find we have numerous lodging and dining facilities to fit every size pocketbook. Delaware County can boast of countless famous brand retail stores as well as several unique shopping experiences. The cultural and recreational opportunities abound and await your trip to Muncie/Delaware County. We want you to enjoy the aspects we already know and love, and we are confident your visit will be a rewarding, memorable experience. Jim Mansfield, Executive Director Muncie/Delaware County Convention & Visitors Bureau contents Resources & Services 02 Ball state university 05 Arts & Entertainment 13 recreation & leisure 19 Food & Drink 23 Shopping 29 Where to Stay 34 Meeting Venues 41 In the Area 44 Indicates a business located in Downtown Muncie: Indicates a business located on Ball State University’s Campus: 1 • Don’t miss a moment! Resources &resources Services resources GOVERNMENT & COMMUNITY OFFICES Muncie/Delaware County Convention and Visitors Bureau Jim Mansfield, Executive Director 3700 S. Madison St., Muncie 765-284-2700 / 800-568-6862 visitmuncie.org CITY OF MUNCIE Dan Ridenour, Mayor 300 N. High St., Muncie 765-747-4845 cityofmuncie.com delaware county government center 100 W. Main St., Muncie MUNCIE-DELAWARE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & economic development alliance Jay Julian, President/CEO 401 S. High St., Muncie 765-288-6681 / 800-336-1371 muncie.com delaware county economic development and redevelopment 1208 W. White River Blvd., Muncie 765-808-1484 02 co.delaware.in.us 05 POPULATION & WEATHER 13 POPULATION City of Muncie: 70,500 +/- 19 Delaware County: 117,600 +/- 23 State of Indiana: 5.5 million +/- Weather 29 The average temperature in January is 33°F and in July 85° F. 34 41 Muncie, approximately 50 miles northeast of Indianapolis, is conveniently located just off of I-69 and a few minutes north of I-70 in East Central Indiana. Our memorable attractions, entertainment, and dining will have you wishing you had planned a Muncie tour sooner! Many of our attractions offer bookable space, providing you the opportunity 44 to host a unique reunion, conference, or retreat. For more information on planning your visit, contact the Muncie Visitors Bureau and let us help you make your visit memorable. Don’t Miss a Moment in Muncie/Delaware County! Don’t miss a moment! • 2 3 • Don’t miss a moment! Resources & Services ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SERVICES Bracken library Muncie/Delaware County Convention and Visitors Bureau Ball State University, Muncie | 765-285-1097 3700 S. Madison St., Muncie | 765-284-2700 bsu.edu/academics/libraries visitmuncie.org City of Muncie Muncie Libraries 300 N. High St., Muncie | 765-747-4845 munciepubliclibrary.org cityofmuncie.com Carnegie Library Delaware County Government 301 E. Jackson St., Muncie | 765-747-8208 munciepubliclibrary.org 100 W. Main St., Muncie co.delaware.in.us/government Connection Corner 1824 E. Centennial Ave., Muncie | 765-747-8216 Muncie indiana transit system Kennedy Library 1300 E. Seymour St., Muncie | 765-289-MITS 1700 W. McGalliard Rd., Muncie | 765-741-9727 mitsbus.org Maring-Hunt Library MITS provides public bus service throughout Muncie, 2005 S. High St., Muncie | 765-747-8200 including service for the Ball State Campus Monday–Saturday. For more information, visit our website, which features access Yorktown Public Library to our automated trip planner and details about our MITS 8920 W. Adaline St., Yorktown | 765-759-9723 Time app. yorktownlib.org Muncie/Delaware County Chamber of Commerce 401 S. High St., Muncie | 765-288-6681 muncie.com Don’t miss a moment! • 4 HISTORY OF MUNCIE WHY GARFIELD? Over the years, Muncie has been defined by two things: the area Many people ask why history, and Ball State University. These both have helped shape Garfield is often used the community, physically and culturally. The area has a rich in conjunction with heritage of Native American culture, which slowly developed the Muncie Visitors into what the early pioneers referred to as “Munsee Town.” Bureau. The answer The Gas Boom of the late 1800s drastically changed Muncie is quite simple: Jim from an agricultural community to a leading manufacturing Davis, the creator of center in just a short time. As new businesses came to take Garfield. advantage of the natural gas for energy, the workforce and population grew. In 1880, there were 5,200 Muncie residents. Jim Davis was born By 1910, this number had risen to 24,000. This new economic and raised in development brought the Ball family, internationally famous neighboring Grant for manufacturing of the canning Ball Jars, to the community. County. He attended The five Ball brothers made Muncie their home, staying for Ball State University, where he several years to manufacture their products. studied art and business. Jim Davis started publishing his character, Garfield, in 1978. Garfield is one of the world’s Ball State University opened as a small teachers college over most widely syndicated comic strips. Davis’s other comic 100 years ago. Now, Ball State has transformed into a world- works include Tumbleweeds, Gnorm Gnat and Mr. Potato class university, preparing students to meet the challenges of Head. For decades, Jim has lived and had his creation studio, the 21st century. Two famous alumni of Ball State University Paws Inc., located in Delaware County. left their mark in the community. The David Letterman Communication and Media Building is named after the TV It is an honor to be the home of the famous, Emmy-winning late-night talk show legend. In addition, Ball State Alumnus feline. The Muncie Visitors Bureau is extremely grateful to Jim Davis — creator of Garfield the Cat — has called Delaware Jim Davis and Paws, Inc. for allowing the use of Garfield as County home for many years. Muncie is now a place that a marketing tool for the community. On your next visit to nurtures artists, science, agriculture, philosophers, athletes, Muncie, be sure to travel the Garfield Statue Trail. Twenty- and musicians. It has become a community of excitement, five statues created during Garfield’s 25th birthday celebration ideas, and inspiration. With every year filled with exciting are located throughout the community. Maps with statue events, attractions, local commerce, and festivals, you don’t locations are available at the Muncie Visitors Bureau office or want to miss a moment of what is going on in Muncie and by contacting the office at 765-284-2700. Delaware County! Are you a Garfield Fan? During your next visit to Muncie, stop by the Visitors Bureau and see the large selection of THE BALL FAMILY Garfield and Muncie items for sale. Also be sure to visit www.garfield.com and www.professorgarfield.org. In 1887, the Ball family moved its glass manufacturing business from Buffalo, NY to Muncie. Ball Brothers Glass Company became one of America’s best known manufacturers of canning jars. The Ball family purchased most of the land along the north bank of the White River between Wheeling and Granville Pikes in 1893. The name chosen by the family for the property was taken from a Sioux word, “mna” (pronounced mini) which means “water” and combined with the English word “tryst” to form “Minnetrista,” or “a gathering place by the water”. The origin of Minnetrista dates back to 1978, when Margaret Ball Petty wrote to her cousin Edmund F. Ball, suggesting that the Ball Brothers Foundation provide a museum in which to exhibit fine art along with some Ball Jar artifacts. Every year Ball Jar collectors from all over the U.S. will travel to Muncie for a convention to show off their antique collection of Ball Jars. 5 • Don’t miss a moment! WHY GARFIELD? BOB ROSS Robert Norman Ross (October 29, 1942 – July 4, 1995) was an American painter, art instructor, and television host. He was the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, an instructional television program that aired from 1983 to 1994 on PBS in the United States, and also aired in Canada, Latin America, and Europe. Ross went from being a public television personality in the 1980s and 1990s to being an Internet celebrity in the DAVID LETTERMAN & BALL STATE 21st century, becoming popular with fans on YouTube and many other websites after his death. Ross was well known for the catchphrases he used while Another famous alumnus of Ball State University is late- painting such as “happy little trees.” Ross wore clothes that he night talk show legend David Letterman. Letterman was believed would be a “timeless look” (jeans and a button-down born in Indianapolis and graduated from Ball State in 1969. shirt). He also used a minimalist set and spoke as if he were Letterman launched his career in radio on the Ball State radio only addressing one viewer. During each half-hour segment, station WBST and later WAGO AM 570. Ross would instruct viewers in oil painting using a quick- After graduation, he took a position as a weatherman on study technique from the imagination that used a limited a local Indianapolis television station WLWI.