A Lifelong Love of Nursing
Very often when items are offered to the Heritage Collection it provides collections staff with the chance to learn something new. Many times, additional information about local businesses is uncovered, and more often than not we hear the stories of people. Personal memories, narratives, and histories are definitely my favorites. It’s like sitting down and getting to know someone. You may laugh, you may cry, and more often than not you can definitely relate.
So, What is Nocturnal Week at Minnetrista?
Calling all nature lovers! You’re invited to the first Nocturnal Week in Betty’s Cabin the week of January 16–21.
In preparation for this new event, we interviewed Experience Guide Rachel Foster, who is one of the creators behind this program, and the staff member who will be implementing Nocturnal Week. See our interview below.
The Many Uses of the Muncie Field House
It was built for basketball, of course, but for so much more. Check out the original configuration of the building and you’ll find classrooms for woodworking, drafting, building trades, and auto mechanics. There was a print shop, an electrical shop, and a mechanical shop. These classrooms, configured in a number of ways, were used for many years by students from Muncie Central High School and by McKinley Junior High School.
Do It Yourself Ball Jar Snow Globes
Since Minnetrista is the home of the Ball Jar, we decided to do a do-it-yourself video using one of our jars just in time for the holidays! Learn how to make a snow globe out of a Ball Jar with your friends and family!
Muncie Field House
In the last year or so, there has been a lot of discussion about the Muncie Field House (or Fieldhouse, whichever you like). What with the structural issues, Muncie Community School’s money problems, and the storm damage that let torrents of water rush in, there has been no shortage of discussion topics. It seemed like a good time to talk briefly about the history of the building.
What is Minnetrista’s staff grateful for?
The weather has gone from sunny and hot to cloudy and cold. People have put away their shorts and flip-flops in exchange for jeans and boots. Skies are darkening earlier and the trees here at Minnetrista are starting to lose their colorful leaves. For a lot of people, these are all signs that the holiday season is right around the corner.
A Halloween Masquerade
Halloween season is upon us. For weeks I’ve been surrounded by displays of pumpkins, candy corn, and costumes whenever I’ve run to the local pharmacy or grocery store. Seeing these festive items always transports me back to my youth. Each year I spent months carefully planning my costume—always giving lots of consideration to all of the options. Once I had selected my desired persona, putting together the perfect costume became my obsession.
Fall at Minnetrista
It is fall in East Central Indiana and Minnetrista is no exception. Throughout campus, you can see pieces of summer hanging on and fall making its way in. We hope you enjoy these shots of our campus and possibly even a fall stroll through Minnetrista to see the sights for yourself.
Bertha and Sarah, an Unlikely Pair
If you live in Muncie or Indiana for that matter, you’ve likely heard about the philanthropic work of the Ball brothers. They were major contributors to the building of the local Y.M.C.A. and Masonic Temple Buildings, and also critical in establishing Ball State University and Ball Memorial Hospital. In general, these men were invested in the well-being and growth of their community . . . so were their wives.
Changes and Community Outreach Happening in the Orchard Garden
Tucked away behind The Orchard Shop lies the Orchard Garden. Unlike many of the other gardens at Minnetrista, we grow vegetables and other produce in the Orchard Garden. Additionally, local community members are welcome to stop by, remove a few weeds, and take home a cucumber or an onion with them.
Once I Saw a Fairy...
Are you heading out to Faeries, Sprites, & Lights tonight? If you can’t find the time this evening, come by tomorrow or Saturday to experience the wonder and magic of Oakhurst—a place where Elisabeth “Betty” Ball’s youthful imagination was able to explore the world around her.
What To Expect On Our Faerie Mainstage
In the latest Other Happenings Blog I had the pleasure of speaking with our new Theatre Connections Manager, Mason Absher. Absher is a 2011 graduate of the University of the Indianapolis and has been interested and practicing theatre for over 23 years. We asked him a few questions about our upcoming mainstage play that will be performed at Faeries, Sprites, & Lights. We wanted to get an idea of what was happening behind the scenes to know what we can expect at the upcoming event.
The Hidden Art of Bookplates
Do you like treasure hunts? How about finding hidden works of art? A lot of artwork can be seen in predictable places. You’ll definitely find paintings in museums, and beautiful illustrations are often found in the pages of children’s books. Occasionally murals pop up in public spaces. And it’s not surprising to find a sculpture just around the corner in a lush garden. At other times, artwork shows up when you least expect it.
Get Ready for Nature Play Days
As a kid growing up in East Central Indiana, June, July, and August were my favorite months of the year. School was out for the summer, and the warm summer air that had been beckoning me and my friends all May was finally ours for the taking!
Catalyst
From the time that planning for Minnetrista began in the mid-1980s, there was always to be a sculpture in the middle of the circle drive in front of the Center Building. Minnetrista Cultural Center opened in 1988 with no sculpture, and it took another sixteen years before one was erected. But what a sculpture it is!
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!