Minnetrista's Favorite Spring Activities
Spring is a beautiful time of the year at Minnetrista and what better way to know what to see and do when you're at Minnetrista in the spring than from an insider! I decided to send out an email to all of the staff at Minnetrista to share their favorite Minnetrista spring activities with you. Here are some of the top responses!
The Original Muncie Cartoonist
When we think of Muncie, cartoons, and cartoonists, the first thought is usually of Jim Davis and Garfield. The second thought may be of T.K. Ryan and his comic “Tumbleweeds.” But before these two cartoonists, there was the original Muncie cartoonist, Chic Jackson.
New Faces at Minnetrista
Lauren, who is a Ball State University graduate, is our newest Sales & Events Coordinator. Hired in 2016, she is responsible for assisting social, corporate, and business cliental who book spaces at Minnetrista through the entire rental process.“
Now That's Scandalous!
Let’s be honest, everyone loves a good scandal—at least once in a while. They typically come with a good dose of intrigue, rumor, and information that always seems to reveal itself at just the right time. These are the kinds of stories that the media jumps on! And what sells better than a juicy story?
The Berenstain Bears Visit Minnetrista
It’s not every day that one sees a bear walking around Minnetrista's campus. It’s also not every day that Sister Berenstain Bear comes to campus. Thankfully for us, both bears turned out to be the same.
As for what she was doing here, Sister Bear was dropping off new books in Minnetrista’s Little Free Libraries to promote PrimeTrust of Muncie’s new financial literacy program!
Fifty Years Ago This Month
February 28, 1967, was a bitterly cold night with temperatures hovering around ten degrees, when an alarm came into Muncie’s Fire Station Number One at about 8 p.m. There was a fire at Minnetrista, the former home of the Frank C. and Elizabeth Brady Ball family. The firefighters were on the scene within five minutes. The fire was so intense and widespread that a second alarm was issued soon after. A general alarm, calling in all off-duty firefighters, was issued at 9:06 p.m.
A Winter Bird Quest Happened at Minnetrista?
Minnetrista had the pleasure of inviting two girls from our community to play and discover our 40-acre campus with the Winter Bird Quest Explorer Bag. With the help of the girl’s mother, Joleen and Claire spent a fun and exciting afternoon with us!
Like Father Like Daughters
Photographs are all around us. They cover the pages of popular magazines, are included in newscasts, are highlighted on media feeds, and are scattered around our homes. The Minnetrista Heritage Collection contains thousands of photos that document life in East Central Indiana. Some are casual photos taken by everyday citizens showing daily life and events around the area. Others document schools and businesses. Many were taken by professional photographers who called East Central Indiana home.
New Year, New Minnetrista
It may only be the second week of January, but at Minnetrista, our creative team is already busy crafting and planning new programs for friends and families to enjoy this year.
Being able to provide unique programming that engages every member of your family or group is what we are striving for. We do not want your 12-year-old to be bored while your 3-year-old is having fun, or for you to feel like you’re just watching. We think it is more fun when the whole family’s absorbed in what’s going on.
Hang a Little Piece of Ball Corporation on Your Christmas Tree
Fruit jars, aerospace equipment, pop cans—those are the products that naturally come to mind when Ball Corporation is mentioned. Christmas ornaments, not so much. In the mid-1970s, Ball Corporation did get into the Christmas ornament business, one of several new products made when the company wanted to expand its product lines. In order to changes its product mix, Ball produced new products to sell directly to the consumer both in stores and by mail-order catalog.
Cheesecake for Christmas
Thoughts of home, family, and sweethearts were never far from the minds of the men and women who served during World War II. Mail call was a much anticipated time of the day, and letters were read, re-read, and read once again. Soon after the United States entered the war, the volume and bulk of mail became problematic for the Post Office and the War and Navy Departments. Officials looked no farther than the British Airgraph Service for a solution. That solution was to microfilm correspondence going both to and from the home front, thus reducing both bulk and weight.
Tips for Hanging Decorations in Trees this Holiday Season
It’s that time of year again. Christmas lights are starting to shine, adding colorful scenes to yards, waiting to be admired by passersby’s. At Minnetrista, the grounds crew has already put lights on the trees of the Center Building parking lot and down the Minnetrista Boulevard, while others have been busy planning light displays elsewhere on campus.
Winter Activities at Minnetrista
You may have noticed the temperature dropping outside, and have started to go into hibernation mode, but maybe you wrote winter off a little too soon. Maybe there’s a place near you, in Muncie, that has 40-acres filled with fun activities every season. At Minnetrista, there are 40-acres of fun every season, and winter is no exception.
From Moustaches to Mutton Chops
The Ball brothers had a lot of distinguishing qualities. They were shrewd businessmen. They possessed inventive minds. Each had a sense of philanthropy that was felt around Muncie; the community they called home.
They also had great facial hair.
Teddy Roosevelt's Whistle-Stop in Muncie
In 1900 one of the most popular men in United States’ politics hit the presidential campaign trail. And no, it wasn’t the President. Up for re-election was Republican William McKinley. Enjoying popularity across the country, McKinley’s previous vice-president had passed away in office. When it was time to run for re-election he weighed his options for a new vice presidential candidate. Although there were plenty of options, he ultimately chose New York Governor Theodore Roosevelt.
Natural Needle Drop Is Nothing to Worry About
When we think of trees in our area, there are two basic categories they fall into: deciduous and evergreen. Deciduous trees give us those great fall colors we are now seeing in the leaves, and of course, eventually, those leaves will fall to the ground.
EXPLORE. PLAY. LEARN at Minnetrista
Create a chalk masterpiece in the Backyard Garden. Play dress up in Betty’s Doll House. Discover a new favorite board game in Betty’s Cabin. Find a quiet garden spot to read a book from the Little Free Library.
Crosleys' in the Navy
October 27 is Navy Day! Beginning in 1922, the day was selected by the New York Navy League in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday. Roosevelt was a naval strategist and scholar, and believed that a superior Navy was crucial to the United States becoming a powerful nation and having influence in foreign policy.
The Joys of Reading Yesterday's News
Several days ago I needed to find a Ball Stores advertisement celebrating Japan’s surrender, in the Muncie Evening Press on August 14, 1945. I knew that the advertisement was in that particular paper, and I knew exactly where the newspaper was located. Doesn’t seem like a problem, does it? Unfortunately, it was. There were about thirty newspapers in the box dating from the 1920s to the 1990s. The rest of the afternoon was shot. I can’t pass up old newspapers.
Adopting Trees Helps Muncie’s Urban Forest
If you have read any of my articles, or have heard me speak, you have probably found out that I love trees. For as long as I can remember, and long before I knew many of their names, I have loved trees. They are the giants of the forest and being among them is always a renewing experience for me.