Muncie Historic Preservation and Rehabilitation Commission

07/16/2026

July 16, 2026 - Historic Preservation and Rehabilitation Commission Meeting

07/16/2026

July 16, 2026 - The Historic Preservation and Rehabilitation Commission will meet today at 5 pm at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, 2nd Floor, Founders Room.

06/30/2026

June 30, 2026

Over the month of May we celebrated Historic Preservation month. That spilled over into June to celebrate some of Muncie's historic sacred spaces. Although we focused on numerous examples of sacred spaces throughout the city, it was not possible to highlight them all. Some of the sacred spaces for faith communities in Muncie have yet to reach a sufficient age to be considered historic, under historic preservation standards.

Historically speaking, the City of Muncie's sacred spaces were predominately from the Christian faith community along with the Jewish faith community. Other faiths are a part of our community; however, their establishment occurred later in the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century. In time these sacred spaces too will be considered historic and preservation efforts will be warranted.

The MHPRC hopes that you enjoyed these daily historic preservation highlights. Our goal is not just to inform but to inspire people to appreciate and advocate for historic preservation.

Comment below on what was one posting over the last two months that was particularly of interest to you.

06/29/2026

June 29, 2026 - Sacred Spaces - Glad Tidings Church
John Wesley was the founder of Methodism and out of his teachings a focus on “entire sanctification” arose called the Holiness Movement. This movement sparked large national revivals in the nineteenth century. Denominations such as the Wesleyan Church, Free Methodist Church, the Salvation Army, and the Church of the Nazarene all come from the Holiness Movement.

Out of the Holiness movement, a Holiness preacher in Topeka, Kansas named Charles Fox Partham, founded the modern Pentecostal movement in 1901. The Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, California was a remarkably documented event that lasted from 1906-1909. From this revival, the Pentecostal movement spread rapidly throughout the nation.
The Assemblies of God, officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship,formed out of a need to organize this rapid expansion of Pentecostalism in 1914. It is understood that the Lakeview Church in Indianapolis was founded in 1918, making it the earliest Assemblies of God congregation in the state.

In 1919 a group of individuals met in a tent at the corner of 8th Street and High Street. This meeting formed the Glad Tidings Church congregation. This Assemblies of God church has been a part of the community for over a hundred years.1

The early history of this congregation is not fully understood from the historical record. There are no Muncie Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps showing a Glad Tidings Church. The current church building on Burlington Drive was constructed in 1976; however, an older church location most certainly existed.

Glad Tidings Church:
Historic Preservation includes more than structures. Historic structures are representations of the important history and life of those who occupied the edifice. The history of the early Glad Tidings Church congregation and its original church location are not fully understood. The current Glad Tidings Church is the best historical structure that represent this Assemblies of God faith community. MHPRC is honored to highlight this historic sacred space in our community.

The Glad Tidings Church is located at 3001 South Burlington Drive. It was constructed in 1976 and as such just now meets the historical age for consideration for the National Register of Historic Places. It is not listed in the SHAARD or the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. It is not listed as part of a National Register Historic District. The Glad Tidings Church is a good example of a mid-century modern A-frame Architectural style church. More research is needed in order to assess its historic significance and integrity and to make a determination of eligibility for inclusion in the National Register.

Footnotes:
1. Glad Tidings Church, “Our Story,” https://gtnetwork.org/what-we-believe.

06/28/2026

June 28, 2026 - Sacred Spaces - First Protestant Methodist Church / Main Street Methodist Church

A more full history of Methodism can be found in the June 1, 2026 post. In1828 the Methodist tradition was established in Muncie and by 1836 the Muncietown Circuit was formed. Additional Methodist congregations were founded throughout the city as new suburbs were established. The East End, today the East Central Neighborhood and Emily Kimbrough Historic District, was established in the 1880s and 1890s due to the Gas Boom, wealth and population increase in the city.

The Methodist Protestant Church of Muncie was organized in 1872. They built a wood frame church at 614 East Jackson Street. Originally part of the Luray Circuit, in 1873 became a part of the Muncie Circuit. In 1875 Muncie became a station on the circuit. In 1893 the old building was demolished and a new building was dedicated in its place in the Fall of 1893 for a cost of $7,000 (See the 1896, 1902, and 1911 Muncie Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps).1

In 1911 the First Methodist Protestant Church of Muncie bought a site at 801 East Main Street at a cost of $4,000. A new brick church building was then erected in 1912. 2

Part of this congregation merged with the Whitley Methodist Episcopal Church in 1939 to become the Gethsemane United Methodist Church. The remaining congregation flourished through the twentieth century. In the early twenty-first century the congregation size diminished. In the 2010s the church almost closed but the Garden of Gethsemane United Methodist Church helped keep it open by “adopting” the church. The church was called the Garden at Main Street. Most recently the church building will be used by the City Hope Fellowship Church congregation.
First Methodist Protestant Church:

Historic Preservation includes more than structures. Historic structures are representations of the important history and life of those who occupied the edifice. The First Protestant Methodist Church was located at 614 East Jackson Street and was replaced within the same location in 1893. That structure no longer exists. The First Protestant Methodist Church, also known as the Main Street Methodist Church and the Garden at Main Street, was constructed in 1912 and it is the best existing structure of this congregation. MHPRC is honored to highlight this historic sacred space in our community.

Architect Charles H. Houck designed the two-story Renaissance Revival church with a centralized plan and gave it a prominent dome. The two red-brick facades consist of Classical temple fronts imposed over arcades leading to recessed porches. The stained-glass windows on the first floor are rectilinear, defined by stone lintels and sills. The second-floor windows are arched. A stone entablature contrasts with the brick walls. The copper dome has a patina and is topped by a cross finial. 3

The SHAARD and the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory lists this structure as 035-442-37077. It is further listed as an outstanding example of Renaissance Revival Architecture style. The church is listed as part of the Emily Kimbrough National Register Historic District (NR-0312). Due to its architectural significance it is likely individually eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as well.

Footnotes:
1. Kemper, G.W.H. ed., 20th Century History of Delaware County, Indiana. Chicago:Lewis Publishing Company. 1908, pp. 442-443.
2. Walking Tour Series #3, Historic Architecture in the Emily Kimbrough District, Muncie, Indiana. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.muncie.in.gov/egov/documents/1621350220_4887.pdf.
3. Ibid.

06/27/2026

June 27, 2026 - Sacred Spaces - Southside Church of the Nazarene
John Wesley was the founder of Methodism and out of his teachings a focus on “entire sanctification” arose called the Holiness Movement. This movement sparked large national revivals in the nineteenth century. Denominations such as the Wesleyan Church, Free Methodist Church, the Salvation Army, and the Church of the Nazarene all come from the Holiness Movement.

The Church of the Nazarene had its beginnings in 1895 when a retired Methodist Pastor, Phineas F. Bresee first used the name “Church of the Nazarene.” In 1907 the West Coast Church of the Nazarene merged with the Association of the Pentecostal Churches of America, forming the Pentecostal Churches of the Nazarene. In 1908 the Pentecostal Churches of the Nazarene joined with the Holiness Church of Christ, marking the traditional founding date of the Church of the Nazarene denomination. In 1919 the “Pentecostal” was removed from the church name making it formally the Church of the Nazarene. The Anderson First Church of the Nazarene was established in 1919 making it the earliest Church of the Nazarene in Indiana.

The First Church of the Nazarene is likely the oldest congregation of this denomination in Muncie; however, research has not been able to confirm when this church was originally organized. It is further unclear when the earlier church or church buildings, predating the current 1988 church building, were built or located. It can be determined that the First Church of the Nazarene was established in Muncie after 1908, when the denomination was founded, and prior to 1916 when it is mentioned in the record.

The South Side Church of the Nazarene has a known history though. This congregation formed through tent meetings beginning in 1916. The South Side Church of the Nazarene was organized in 1919. 1

There was likely an early church structure prior to the establishment of the South Side Church of the Nazarene brick building that is located on 7th and High Streets. The earlier church location and date, if there was one, is not clearly understood at this time. However, the brick building was built in 1936. The congregation served the south side of Muncie, being located in the South Central Neighborhood. The South Central Neighborhood was platted after the Civil War. It was laid out as one of Muncie’s first residential and commercial suburbs. The South Side Church of the Nazarene stayed in this location until a new church on Fuson Road was built. After the move to Fuson Road, the 7th and High Street building was later purchased by the Legacy Church: Full Gospel Temple, where it continues to serve the South Central community. The South Side Church of the Nazarene congregation moved to the new location on Fuson Road, which county records show was built in 1963. This congregation has been serving the community from this location ever since.

South Side Church of the Nazarene:
Historic Preservation includes more than structures. Historic structures are representations of the important history and life of those who occupied the edifice. The First Church of the Nazarene is likely the oldest Church of the Nazarene faith community in Muncie, having been established before 1916; however, there are no known historic structures associated with this congregation. The South Side Church of the Nazarene is the next oldest congregation, having been formed in 1919. The oldest structure associated with this faith community is the South Side Church of the Nazarene, having been built in 1936. MHPRC is honored to highlight this historic sacred space in our community.

The South Side Church of the Nazarene (now the Legacy Church: Full Gospel Temple) is located at 212 West 7th Street. It is not assessed in the SHAARD or the Indiana Historic Structures and Sites Inventory. It is not listed in the National Register individually or as part of a historic district. This structure was built in 1936 and is a vernacular style with some Tudor Revival elements, such as the high pitched gables and brick buttresses. The building has been modified with subsequent additions as well. It is the oldest structure known that is represents this faith community. Further research is needed to determine its historical significance for inclusion in the National Register.

The South Side Church of the Nazarene is located at 3500 West Fuson Road. It is not assessed in the SHAARD or the Indiana Historic Structures and Sites Inventory. It is not listed in the National Register individually or as part of a historic district. This structure was built in 1963 and is a mid-century modern A-frame style. The building has been modified with subsequent additions as well. It is the current historical structure that is associated with this existing faith community. Further research is needed to determine its historical significance for inclusion in the National Register.

Footnotes:
1. Chalfant, Everett Otis, Forty Years on the Firing Line, Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1951.

06/26/2026

June 26, 2026 - Sacred Spaces - Union Missionary Baptist Church
The June 3, 2026 post about the Baptist tells in more detail the origins of the Baptist faith community and in Muncie. The Baptists were among the earliest pioneer faith groups to the Muncie area, having established themselves as early as 1835. Other Baptist communities were formed in and around Muncie. Whitely was one such community.

The Whitely community did not have any African American churches in 1905. Bethel A.M.E. Church or Calvary Baptist Church in Muncie were the two closest African American church communities. The first meeting to discuss the need for a church in Whitely occurred at the home of Mrs. Neely Franklin. The corner of Sixth Street and A Street (now Highland Avenue and Penn Street, which held a second hand store, was chosen for the location of a temporary mission. The church was formed on December 12, 1905 with 18 members. In 1906 a lot on the corner of Macedonia Avenue and Russey Street was purchased for a church building and it was completed in 1909. This Missionary Baptist congregation joined with the Antioch Baptist Church for a time, becoming the Union Baptist Church. The Antioch Baptist Church, however, resumed its own church but Union Baptist Church retained its new name. In time the church was known as the Union Missionary Baptist Church. 1

By 1971 the original church building was replaced with a new Union Missionary Baptist Church in 1971. This is named the Rev. A.L. Dew Memorial Chapel. The current Union Missionary Baptist Church building was constructed in 2008.

Union Missionary Baptist Church:
Historic Preservation includes more than structures. Historic structures are representations of the important history and life of those who occupied the edifice. The first Union Missionary Baptist Church that was at the corner of 6th and A Streets is no longer in existence. The second church building is still standing across the street from the current church building, on Macedonia Avenue. Since the new building is too modern, the 1971 Union Missionary Baptist Church is the best historic structure associated with this significant faith community. MHPRC is honored to highlight this historic sacred space in our community.

The Union Missionary Baptist Church is located at 1101 North Macedonia Avenue. It was constructed in 1971 and is a typical mid-century modern A-frame Architectural style church building. The SHAARD and the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory does not have it listed, likely due to it being too recent of a construction in the last survey conducted in 1985. The building is not listed individually or as a historic district in the National Register of Historic Places. The church building is likely significant for its local history but further research is needed in order to recommend this building for inclusion in the National Register.

Footnotes:
1. “Our Story,” Union Missionary Baptist Church, https://www.umbcmuncie.com/aboutus.

06/26/2026

A special thank you to Ball State PBS for this amazing documentary, highlighting the history and inspiring stories of South Muncie.

The southside of Muncie stands as a reminder of Muncie’s Golden Age...

06/25/2026

June 25, 2026 - Sacred Spaces - Industry United Brethren Church/ Industry United Methodist Church

The June 17, 2026 post about First Brethren Church tells a fuller story of the Brethren faith community. However, the Brethren came to Muncie in 1898 and was officially organized soon after. Later Brethren congregations formed out of the larger Brethren community in Muncie as the population of Muncie grew. These churches were planted in areas of new growth of Muncie to serve these newer subdivisions.

Industry neighborhood was one of these areas of new growth. The neighborhood was not officially platted. It grew organically around established residential areas and industry in the late nineteenth century. The Mock addition was platted in 1903.

In 1889 the Industry United Brethren Church congregation first held prayer meetings in a barn at Memorial Drive and Mock Avenue. 1 The history of this church and congregation is uncertain. Named for the Industry neighborhood, the church is just south of the Industry Neighborhood boundary of Memorial Drive; however, it was originally established to serve the Industry Neighborhood,.

The SHAARD state database lists the church as the Industry United Brethren Church and not the Industry United Methodist Church. It is assumed that this church was a United Brethren Church and then the merger between the United Brethren and the Methodist Episcopal churches in 1968 led to the church being called the Industry United Methodist Church. There are no historic Muncie Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for this part of Muncie.

What is known is that the current church building on Mock Avenue was erected in 1923. The cornerstone states this and that it was called the Industry United Brethren Church. After its merger and renaming as the Industry United Methodist Church the church continued to grow and flourish. As with many churches, attendance began to decline at the end of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century. In 2024 the Industry United Methodist Church closed its doors and gave away the building to the Muncie Mission. The City of Muncie has announced a deal to own the church building and plans are being discussed now for its future use to serve the community.

The Industry United Brethren Church/ Industry United Methodist Church:
Historic Preservation includes more than structures. Historic structures are representations of the important history and life of those who occupied the edifice. The Industry United Brethren/ Industry United Methodist Church is the only known historical structure that represents this particular faith community. There was likely an earlier church structure but it is unknown what became of that. MHPRC is honored to highlight this historic sacred space in our community.

The Industry United Brethren Church / Industry United Methodist Church is located at 1910 South Mock Avenue. The SHAARD and the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory lists the church as 035-441-45327. It further lists it as a contributing 1923 Neoclassical Revival Architectural style church. The SHAARD also states the church was moved ca. 1950 but no further detail is given. The Neoclassical Revival elements of note are the brick columned portico, the Gothic stained glass windows, limestone capped pedimental parapet, and limestone molded belt courses and ornamental basses under the pediment. The structure is not listed in the National Register individually or as part of a historic district. Further research is needed to determine its significance for its eligibility for inclusion in the National Register.

Footnotes:
1. “Industry Methodist Church set to close at year’s end, donated to Muncie Mission,” Douglas Walker, Star Press, December 20, 2024.

06/24/2026

June 24, 2026 - Sacred Spaces - Second Baptist Church of South Muncie
The history of the Baptist faith community in Muncie is detailed in the June 3, 2026 post. The Baptist faith community first came to Muncie in 1835 and were among the earliest faith communities established. As subdivisions sprang up around Muncie the need for places of worship in those areas were needed.

One such subdivision was Congerville. Congerville was platted ca. 1890 as a factory subdivision. It was named for the Conger family who were industrialists. It was never incorporated as a town but merged with Muncie in 1919.

The Second Baptist Church of South Muncie was established April 16, 1893 with 13 members. The members came from Pennsylvania to work the steel mills. They felt that First Baptist Church downtown was too far away, so they established their own local church. Two lots were donated to the congregation by the Muncie Land Company to build a church. A church was built at Jefferson Street and 17th Street in 1895 (See the 1902 Muncie Sanborn Fire Insurance Map). The church changed its name to the Congerville Baptist Church. In 1906 a new church building was erected on the same lots at Jefferson and 17th Streets. It was at that time the congregation changed their name to the 17th Street Baptist Church. As the church congregation continued to grow, three lots were purchased at Memorial Street and Walnut Street in 1910. The church building and parsonage were moved then from 17th Street to these new lots on Memorial Drive and Walnut Street in 1910. Again the congregation changed the name of the church to the Walnut Street Baptist Church. The congregation remained in this location until 1972. The church again experienced a period of growth and a new church building was needed. The congregation left this location and built a new church building on Fusion Road. When they moved to this new location the church name was changed to Shawnee Heights Baptist Church. It was at this location in 1993 that the congregation celebrated its 100th anniversary. Over time the congregation eventually declined and the church was closed in 2025. 1

The 1906 church and parsonage that was moved to Walnut Street and Memorial Drive were wood framed buildings as shown on the 1902 Muncie Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. The existing church building at this location is brick and was constructed ca. 1915, according to county records. The church building at Walnut Street and Memorial Drive continued to house different faith communities after the Walnut Street Baptist Church moved to Fusen Street. Light of the World Church (La Luz Del Mundo) currently serves the community at this location. The Shawnee Heights Baptist Church building is currently run under Bridgeway.

Second Baptist Church of South Muncie/ Walnut Street Baptist Church:
Historic Preservation includes more than structures. Historic structures are representations of the important history and life of those who occupied the edifice. The first church building for the Second Baptist Church of South Muncie congregation is no longer standing. The 1906 church building at 17th Street and Jefferson Street was moved to its current location at Walnut Street and Memorial Drive. It appears to have been replaced by the current brick structure ca. 1915. This brick building is the oldest existing historical structure that represents that Baptist faith community; however, the Shawnee Heights Baptist Church building is also a historical representation of this faith community. The MHPRC is honored to highlight this historic sacred space in our community.

The Walnut Street Baptist Church / Light of the World Church is located at 1824 South Walnut Street. The building is recorded in the county records as being built in 1915. The SHAARD and the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory do not have any information concerning this structure. It is not listed in the National Register individually or as part of a historic district. The building has Tudor Revival Architectural style elements. These elements are the brick structure, steep gables, and brick buttresses. Further research is needed to establish the significance of this structure to consider it for inclusion in the National Register.

The Shawnee Heights Baptist Church / Destiney Christian Center is located at 1600 East Fuson Road. It was constructed in 1972 and is not listed in the SHAARD or the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory. The structure is not listed in the National Register individually nor as part of a historic district. The structure is an iconic mid-century modern A-frame style of architecture. The most notable element is the A-frame building design but also the functional and innovative design. With further research, this structure may be eligible for inclusion in the National Register for its architectural style.

Footnotes:
1. “Shawnee Heights plans to mark 100th anniversary,” Ed. Shaterfield, Muncie Star, April 1993.