Muncie in Delaware County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Ball State University

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 5, 2023

1. Ball State University Marker, Side One

Inscription. To meet Muncie’s higher education needs, the Ball Brothers gave land, money, and the building here to the state in 1918. Their gift became the Indiana State Normal School Eastern Division and was renamed Ball Teachers College in their honor in 1922. During the 1930s and after WWII, the college experienced major growth in enrollment, facilities, and programs.

After achieving university status in 1965, Ball State University expanded with the addition of new educational offerings such as the College of Architecture and Planning. In the 1970s, BSU became a national leader in disability education and campus accessibility. Innovation continued into the 2000s, as evidenced by the pioneering geothermal energy system.

Erected 2020 by Indiana Historical Bureau • Ball State University. (Marker Number 18.2020.1.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Education. In addition, it is included in the Indiana Historical Bureau Markers series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1918.

Location. 40° 11.872′ N, 85° 24.543′ W. Marker is in Muncie, Indiana,

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in Delaware County. It is on West University Avenue west of North McKinley Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Marker is in front of the Frank A. Bracken Administration Building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2000 W University Ave, Muncie IN 47306, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Muncie American Legion Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named Muncie American Legion Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. ¾ mile away); V.F.W. Memorial (approx. ¾ mile away); In Remembrance (approx. 0.8 miles away); Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (approx. 0.8 miles away); This Boulder Marks the Traditional Site of Wah-Pe-Kah-Me-Kunk

Ball State University Marker, Side Two image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 5, 2023

2. Ball State University Marker, Side Two

(approx. 1.1 miles away); W.A. McNaughton Building (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Muncie.

Also see . . .
1. From Normal to Extraordinary: Ball State’s First Century. This student-produced, hourlong documentary chronicles the institution from its beginning as a teachers' college to a full-fledged university. (Ball State University) (Submitted on August 23, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. History of Ball State University. The history of Ball State University predates Ball State University's public-funding era by almost two decades. Previous educational institutions operated at the intersection of University and McKinley avenues before 1918. They were neither public nor did they carry the "Ball" name. (Wikipedia) (Submitted on August 23, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Ball State University Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 5, 2023

3. Ball State University Marker

The Frank A. Bracken Administration Building is in the background.

Ball State University image. Click for full size.

Dayne Baughman via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

4. Ball State University

Credits. This page was last revised on August 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 340 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 21, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4. submitted on August 23, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.