134 past events with the history tag

E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center

Class meets four Tuesdays, April 1-22, 2025; 10-11:30 a.m. at the Yorktown/Mt. Pleasant Twp. Historical Alliance, 9132 W Smith Street,  in Yorktown. Cost is free, but reservations are required (REGISTER ONLINE).

Tracing your roots is a meaningful way to document your family’s history and pass it on to future generations. With the wealth of online resources available today, genealogy has become more accessible than ever. 

This free, four-week class is designed for beginners with little or no experience in genealogy. 

You’ll learn:

• How to start building your family tree
• Essential forms and documents for research
• Tips for organizing and managing your findings
• Free online tools and genealogy software

This class has long been held at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center, but we decided to move it to the Alliance’s newly established genealogy center this semester. That way you'll have access to city directories, maps, periodicals, records, databases, and computers to support your research. And don't worry—you don’t have to be from Yorktown to take advantage of these resources!

Meet Your Instructor: Karen Good, president of the Yorktown/Mt. Pleasant Historical Alliance and county genealogist, brings a wealth of knowledge in genealogy and local history to the table. She presents monthly history programs and leads "Ancestor Hunters," a genealogy group that meets the last Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The next meeting is Monday, March 31 and Karen will discuss "Women's History and Female Ancestor Resources."

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.

Veterans will be honored and appreciated

A community-wide, non-denominational appreciation event featuring community choirs, soloists, instrumental performances, a historical presentation, and children's participation, with special recognition of all veterans in attendance

Enjoy tea and light refreshments while hearing from local glass artist Jennifer Halvorson, whose work explores family heritage, memory, and the ways values are passed from one generation to the next. Jennifer will share insights into her recent body of work—including pieces featured in her upcoming solo exhibition in Lafayette—and discuss how glass can hold both personal narrative and emotional resonance.

Preregistration is strongly preferred; limited walk-in tickets may be available—please call ahead.

Join local educators and community leaders Minister Wilisha Scaife and Dr. Eva Zygmunt for an engaging exploration of the historic Whitely neighborhood—one of Muncie’s most culturally rich and community-driven areas. Together, they will share stories that illuminate Whitely’s legacy of resilience, mutual support, and civic leadership, while highlighting its ongoing role in shaping Muncie’s cultural identity.

This program builds on conversations inspired by the Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See exhibition and Black History Month, inviting guests to connect local history with present-day community life and social justice efforts. Delicious appetizers are included, and drinks can be purchased at our cash bar during the event. Preregistration is strongly preferred; limited walk-in tickets may be available—please call ahead.

Enjoy tea and light refreshments as Diego Fajardo, Collections Manager at the Museum of Miniature Houses in Carmel, Indiana, shares the fascinating evolution of miniatures in the United States over the past century. From early collectors to contemporary artists, he’ll explore how these tiny works reflect shifting cultural values and artistic practices. Diego will also discuss the unique challenges of caring for and exhibiting miniatures within a museum setting.

Preregistration is strongly preferred; limited walk-in tickets may be available—please call ahead.

FREE ADMISSION - Open to the Public - All ages! FESTIVAL HOURS : TUESDAY - 8:30AM - 8:00PM & WEDNESDAY - 8:30AM - 7:00PM Preserving The Farmers Harvest - info on Canning, Freezing & Dehydrating Food - Enter to win a waterbath canner & accessories!

Cow Milking, Kettle Corn Making $1.00 per bag, Inflatable Corn Maze, Educational & Vendors Booths, New Farm Implements, Sheep Shearing, Black Smithing, Farm Animals, Antique Tractors & More.

Tuesday:11 A.M. - 2 P.M. BAKED STEAK LUNCH With Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cole Slaw OR Applesauce, Bread & Butter, Cake & Beverage Extension Homemakers in Heartland Hall $10 *All Proceeds Help Fund Annual Scholarships.

5 P.M. - 7 P.M. PORK CHOP DINNER in Heartland Hall -  Includes Sides, Dessert & Beverage $10 

TUESDAY: 6 P.M. - ANNUAL FARM FESTIVAL AUCTION in Heartland Hall Proceeds Help To Fund Our Farm Festival Each Year - Come Out & Bid on Your Favorite Items Donated By Local Businesses.

Wednesday: 11 A.M. - 2 P.M CHICKEN NOODLE LUNCH With Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cole Slaw OR Applesauce, Bread & Butter, Cake & Beverage by Extension Homemakers in Heartland Hall $10 *All Proceeds Help Fund Annual Scholarships.

5 P.m. - 7 P.M BBQ COOK-OFF DINNER - Vote for your favorite!  Heartland Hall - Includes Sides, Dessert & Beverage $10 

Music During Dinner By Common Ground 

WEDNESDAY: ANNUAL CHILDREN'S PEDAL PULL in Memorial Building - Sign-Up - 4:30pm - 5:30 P.M. Weight Classes - To 60 lbs. PEDAL PULL - 6 P.M.

FREE ADMISSION - Open to the Public - All ages! FESTIVAL HOURS : TUESDAY - 8:30AM - 8:00PM & WEDNESDAY - 8:30AM - 7:00PM Preserving The Farmers Harvest - info on Canning, Freezing & Dehydrating Food - Enter to win a waterbath canner & accessories!

Cow Milking, Kettle Corn Making $1.00 per bag, Inflatable Corn Maze, Educational & Vendors Booths, New Farm Implements, Sheep Shearing, Black Smithing, Farm Animals, Antique Tractors & More.

Tuesday:11 A.M. - 2 P.M. BAKED STEAK LUNCH With Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cole Slaw OR Applesauce, Bread & Butter, Cake & Beverage Extension Homemakers in Heartland Hall $10 *All Proceeds Help Fund Annual Scholarships.

5 P.M. - 7 P.M. PORK CHOP DINNER in Heartland Hall -  Includes Sides, Dessert & Beverage $10 

TUESDAY: 6 P.M. - ANNUAL FARM FESTIVAL AUCTION in Heartland Hall Proceeds Help To Fund Our Farm Festival Each Year - Come Out & Bid on Your Favorite Items Donated By Local Businesses.

Wednesday: 11 A.M. - 2 P.M CHICKEN NOODLE LUNCH With Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cole Slaw OR Applesauce, Bread & Butter, Cake & Beverage by Extension Homemakers in Heartland Hall $10 *All Proceeds Help Fund Annual Scholarships.

5 P.m. - 7 P.M BBQ COOK-OFF DINNER - Vote for your favorite!  Heartland Hall - Includes Sides, Dessert & Beverage $10 

Music During Dinner By Common Ground 

WEDNESDAY: ANNUAL CHILDREN'S PEDAL PULL in Memorial Building - Sign-Up - 4:30pm - 5:30 P.M. Weight Classes - To 60 lbs. PEDAL PULL - 6 P.M.