Oh no! All of the glass is gone!
If you’re wondering why the Catalyst Sculpture looks a little odd, it may have something to do with the removal of all the glass! We thought it would take at least a week to remove the glass, but GRT Glass Design in Indianapolis was able to remove all of the glass in a single day.
Two Pilots Discuss Ball Jars
While looking for a particular photograph of Edmund F. Ball recently, I came across one of him with Chuck Yeager. Yes, that Chuck Yeager, the man who, among many other accomplishments, was the first person to fly faster than sound. It’s a great photo of two men who shared a love of airplanes and, apparently, Ball jars (more about that later).
Explorer Bags: Gateways to Adventure!
The next time you want to enjoy the weather but are at a loss of what to do, check out an explorer bag from Minnetrista. Inside these bags are interactive objects, tools, and hands-on activities to help you discover something new during your visit.
Snatched!
Do you collect anything? Personally, I’m always on the hunt for pristine vinyl records while my spouse keeps an eye out for unusual knickknacks with an historic flair. The hunt for these objects is a lot of fun and once our treasurers are brought home we are able to enjoy them whenever we want.
Do It Yourself: Faerie Garden in a Ball Jar
It’s that magical time of year when the faeries return to Minnetrista! Capture some of this magic by building your own faerie garden in a jar.
Eaton Bank Robberies
In my last blog, I wrote about Eaton’s post office robberies and speculated that those events might have been the reason for Joel Hamilton’s ownership of a set of brass knuckles. That was not the only crime wave Eaton experienced in the early 20th century. In 1924 and 1925 both banks in town were robbed and in 1925 there were several thefts at businesses and homes.
Season Your Summer with the Culinary Herb Garden
Where else can you find popular cooking spices like basil, parsley, and oregano that are fresh and for public use? The Culinary Herb Garden is yet another gathering place within Minnetrista that enhances quality of life. This garden is free and open to the community to harvest growing herbs for cooking at home.
Admiral Hayler From Muncie
In 1992 I received a call from William Hayler asking if Minnetrista would be interested in a donation of photographs, archival material, and artifacts relating to the career of his father, Admiral Robert W. Hayler. Admiral Hayler grew up in Muncie and sounded like an interesting man with an interesting story; of course we were interested.
Using SNAP and Health Bucks for Farmers Market at Minnetrista
The outdoor season of the Farmers Market began on May 5. The Market runs from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday from May through October. The market includes a wide variety of local and fresh foods – many of which you can use SNAP benefits or IU Health Bucks to purchase! Below, you will find information about using the two programs at Minnetrista.
From Home Kitchen to Company Creations
Do you do your own canning at home? Did your mother or grandma? If so, chances are they had at least a few copies of the Ball Blue Book floating around the kitchen. Full of recipes and tips, over time the publication became a go-to resource for home canners. With the iconic Ball logo or jars incorporated into the cover art, anyone picking up a copy knew that the publication came with the same quality as the company’s other trusted products.
Do It Yourself - Spring Flowers in a Ball Jar
Springtime may bring blooming flowers outside, but you can create your own DIY flowers inside. With just a few materials, we created our own indoor garden that will stay vibrant all year long!
Eaton Post Office Robberies
An interesting item in the Heritage Collection is a set of brass knuckles that belonged to Joel W. Hamilton of Eaton, Indiana. The story of why he had these is not clear although his son Herbert H. Hamilton related that a bank in which Joel had worked had been robbed and afterward he had the knuckles for discouraging further attempts. A look at crime in Eaton during the early 1900’s may provide some insight as to why he had them.
The Orchard Shop, Then and Now
Today we know The Orchard Shop for its collection of local art and other exciting finds. But the origins of the unique store go way back to an orphanage more than 100 years ago.
Children of the Delaware County Orphanage, which was located on the southeast corner of what is now Minnetrista’s East Lawn, tended and sold produce from the orchard to earn money. When the orphanage moved west of Muncie in 1906, Frank C. Ball purchased the entire site, including the approximately ten-acre orchard.
Jack Reichart and the Iron Lung
For some reason, my husband and I were talking about polio a few days ago. That subject brought to mind the project that included a local inventor, a Ball Memorial Hospital administrator, and the Warner Gear Company. It’s a story of people coming together during a crisis, working quickly, and solving a problem.
The Ball Brother Homes in the Summer and Winter
Minnetrista Boulevard is lined with the historic Ball Brother homes. The homes are beautiful in any season and each has distinctive features making them a beautiful site. We love the beautiful summer flowers as we equally love the pearl colored snow against each home. Below we have photos of each home in summer and winter. Enjoy!
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.