HISTORY :
A Brief Origin History
If this is your first visit to Muncie or Indiana I'll include the following :
MUNCIE was originally known as "Munceetown".
Muncie is located at 40.19 degrees north of the equator and 85.39 degrees west of the
prime meridian, consisting of nearly 60 sq. kilometers, with over 71,000 population, and some 30,000 families.
Muncie is located in Delaware County, approximatly 60 road-miles (96 km) northeast of the State Capital of
Indianapolis, Indiana.
Muncie is where the locally famous
"Middletown Studies" in (1929) and
"Middletown in Transition : A Study In Cultural Conflicts" (1937) were done by anthropologists Robert Lynd and Helen Merrell-Lynd, which resulted in Muncie aquireing the reputation as the typical American city, and Muncie has since then become one of the most studied communities in the entire world !
Similar studies named
"MIDDLETOWN : A Series of Six Films" were produced by Peter Davis during the 1980's, another was done by Ball State University in 1999 who did an excellant Neighborhood Study, then Miss. Marie Bordet of the Paris France Magazine :
"
Challengers" , who did a week long photo study in the Fall of 2000 when she also interviewed me.
Muncie is fondly refered to as "America's Hometown".
Indiana is refered to as the "Crossroads to America".
The 'small town' spirit, which thrived decades ago here in Muncie, which was made famous during the years of those "Middletown" studies, still survives today in the countless community fibers that have together woven the grand flavor of the City of Muncie, Indiana that we know and love today in "America's Hometown".
Muncie is a great place to live, whether you are a raising a family, retired, looking for opportunities, furthering your education or career, a visiting vacationer or tourist or sportsman, or all of the above.
An old saying about Muncie holds as true today as it did at the turn of the century : "You can get anything you want in Muncie."
Several celeberities have lived here in Muncie, two of the most knowledgeable during this era of notoriety is
Garfield cartoon creator
Jim Davis, and a Ball State University alumnus, former
WERK Radio Station announcer, and CBS Late Show host David Letterman.
I was in David Letterman's first grade class, when he attended school north of Muncie at the small town of
Royerton, where two of my most vivid memories of David was his polite reserved quiet shyness, and his outstanding artistic capability for a first grader.
DELAWARE County was opened for settlement by 1820, (officially established in 1827). Founded by Oliver Hampton Smith, who was a lawyer, farmer, realitor and also founded the nearby village of Yorktown.
Delaware County Indiana and is named after the
Lenni Lenape Indians (which, roughly translated, means : "original people" or "true men") who were also known as "the eastern people of the stoney country".
The Delaware Tribe was divided into three principal Clans ( # 1 ) the "Turtle" Clan who ranked first and which is the oldest : from which the rulers and politicians were chosen, ( # 2 ) the "Wolf" (more commonly known as "Munsey" , or : "Muncee") : the clan of hunters, and ( # 3 ) the "Turkey" Clan : which is the clan of farmers.
The Lenni Lenape were one of the
first Native American peoples to come into historical contact with Europeans.
Peoples of the Lenni Lenape Nation were the dominate residents along the Atlantic seaboard where they occupied the lands along the stoney country of the headwaters of the
Delaware River where Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York meet and their land areas of occupation included the Catskill Mountains on the west side of the lower Hudson Valley.
European arrivals did not know their true Indian name so they labeled them by the name the Whites had given to the valley they occupied ; "The Delaware River Valley", hence they became known as the "Delaware Indians".
The "Delaware Indians" maintained an extensive recorded pictograph (183 wooden sticks with pictures) called the Walam Olum (Wallam Ollum),
which is an oral history covering many centuries,
containg songs about the creation of man, their ancient migration into North America, etc., all preserving their oral traditions and pre-history culture,....... indeed a pre-history that is otherwise lost to any pre-Euro-white arrival historian preservation concerns except for the prehistoric
artifacts scatteredd across the landscape of North America and certainly here in Indiana where prehistoric artifacts of Native Americans have been dated to 8,000 years B.C. and older here in Indiana.
The Walam Olum firmly upholds the Delaware Tribal nickname of "Grandfathers", as they were once refered to respectfully by peoples from other eastern Tribes.
Their Wallam Ollum history indicates the Delaware Nation had been on the East Coast for76, generations at the time of European contact, and prior to their arrival on the eastern coast their history describes generations of migration eastward from a land believed by researchers to be the Asia.
The Lenni Lenape ("Delawares") spoke in one of the multi-dialect Indian languages that is refered to as Algonquin, hence the Lenni Lenape ("Delawares") are refered to by modern researchers as an "Algonquin" peoples.
The "Delaware Indians" migrated back westward following a Treaty agreements with European immigrants, where the "Delaware Indians" become the dominate nation of several tribal peoples who resided here in eastern Indiana untill circa 1820.
NOTE : Research information is also available in Libraries for anyone who may care to investigate claims of any earlier European contact and inter-mating with the Delaware Indian Nation, who were described by first historical records of Sir William Penn as having European faces, being taller, whiter and standing more errect than their Native American counterparts. Such research material is indeed available and relates to a Khumric-Welsh Prince Madoc Morfran. The hundreeds of years of history of the Delaware Indians, who called themselves "Lenni Lenape", was recorded on a series of engraved pictograph sticks they called "Wallam Ollum". Anyone interested in exploring Prince Madoc's alleged discovery of North America (circa 562 AD) may also want to note that "Wallam Ollum" ('Gwallam Oll') means "The Organization of Everyone", and that "Lenni Lenape" ('Lleni Llenape') means "Secret Knowledge", in the Khumric-Welsh language. Maybe odd, but at least very interesting,... and at most - data that may someday alter the past history of North America !
INDIANA has 35,932 Sq. Mi. with a population of nearly 7 million. Our State Bird is the Cardinal, Tree is the Tulip Tree and Flower is the Peony.
The name "Indiana" was coined from the lands inside the Indian frontier, which were created by the "Treaty of Greenville" in 1795, when the
Indians agreed to move westward into the Indian lands of Indiana, which began at the western edge of the Ohio Territory and continued westward, where the 'Indians ruled', . . . . . untill the end of twenty-five more years of murderious attacks by Whites eager to obtain Indian lands for themselves. So following the greatest battle ever waged between Indians and Whites another Peace Treaty was signed , following which the Federal Government ordered ALL remaining Indians to leave Indiana lands by the 1820's and those who lingered were rounded up by armed troopers and force marched in the dead of winter westward to Kansas with only what posessions they were wearing at their time of arrest. Their home posessions were looted and their cabins burned or adopted by White squatters eager to steal their cleared farm lands for themselves.
HOOSIER is a nickname of residents of Indiana, which has its origins deeply embedded in the early history folklore of our state.
MUNCEETOWN was a nickname given in the late 1700's to one of several small Indian villages, located along the East Fork of the White River, that was visited by early
French Trappers (1670's), Ohio Soldiers with civilian mercenaries (1770's), Moravian (United Brethren) Missionaries (1801) and later by Dutch, English and German Pioneer
Immigrants (early 1800's.
Located on the East Fork of White River here in eastern Indiana, and precisely located near the present-day Walnut Street Bridge in Muncie.
Munceetown was one of several Indian villages, then located along White River, that were dominated by Delaware (Lenni Lenepe) Indians.
But Munceetown was dominated by a particular Clan (Family) of Delaware Indians, who were known as the "Muncee" ('Wolf') Family, hence the name "Munceetown"......, i.e. : 'Town of the Muncee Family' or 'Wolf Town'
The Delaware (Lenni Lenepe) Indians spoke several Algonquin dialects, of which the three primary were Munsee, Unami, and Unalactigo.
The dominate population of Indians residing in Munsee Town spoke the Munsee dialect, which was distinct from the other two used by the "Delaware" and apparently was more closely related to Mahican.
-
The awesome legends and fierce battle accomplishments of the Munsee boldly affirm their status as stratigicly capable warriors, as were their early neighbors the
Mohican (aka : 'Mahican').
- 1682 :
Prior to 1682 Munsee tribes were sometimes known collectively as the Esopus (Espachomy): Catskill, Mamekoting, Waranawonkong, and Wawarsink.
- 1740 :
Moravian (United Brethren) Missionaries arriving from Germany established a Church in Bethlehem, PA. then began studing the Lenni Lenepe Indians and started teaching about Christianity.
- 1750's :
By the mid- 1700's solgers from
Ohio Forts and pioneer mercenaries began attacking Indian villages located in present-day Delaware County. - 1801 :
A group of Moravian Missionaries came from a Mission in Pennsylvania to live in the Munsee Village, who then resided near the present-day Walnut Street Bridge in present-day Muncie, Indiana and where they documented those activities.
- 1818 :
The spelling and pronounciation of the Muncee Family of the Delaware (Lenni Lenepe) Indians : prior to circa 1818 the Munsee were known as the Minassiniu, Minisink, Minsi, Moncy, Monthey, Mundock, Muncey, Munsey, Munsi, Munsee, Muncee, and Muncie.
- 1818 :
Under the Treaty of St. Mary's Ohio the Delaware Indians ceded their holdings in Indiana and agreed to move away. Nearly all had moved away from Indiana by 1920.
- 1873 :
On November 17th 1873 the last Munsee in Delaware County died : James "Injun Jim" Musco, at age 69. He is burried in the Reese Family Cem.
- 1910 :
Only 73 Delaware Indians of the Munsee Family remained alive in the U.S., nearly all then living in Kansas.- 1926 :
The 672 acre Hackley Indian Reservation was sold by the last Delaware Indians,(without Presidental approvial), then re-sold by Goldsmith Gilbert as property lots, to become todays north-central Muncie, Indiana. - 1931 :
In just one humdred (100) years after the Delaware Nation left Indiana the 1931 Census listed a total of only ninety-three
( 93 ) remaining Delaware Indians in the entire United States, from all Clans, who primarily lived in western Oklahoma, with some also residing in Kansas. Later the Delaware Tribe underwent a Tribal reorganization in the 1930's and 1940's to preserve their culture.
MUNCIE area history can be documented from personal accounts that begin in the mid-1700's, when the first battles were fought nearby with solgers from Ohio forts, then again in 1801, when the first Christian Missionaries arrived, (and Christianity has played very significant roles in the evolution of this region since then.)
"Munceetown" was altered to the name of Munsee during the mid-1800's and various other spellings, that concluded with the most accepted spelling that we know today as "Muncie".
Although some residental controversary over the correct spelling was continued from the
1850's into the late 1950's, the official version has become accepted as "Muncie". - Mid-1600's :
French Fur Trappers began arriving. Some stayed on to spend the winters with the Indians.- 1750's :
Cornealious VanOrsdoll came from Ohio as a solger to wage unprovoked attacks against Indian villages in eastern Delaware County, then during his retirement he returned to one of the battle sites in the 1770's, where he was one of a handfull of survivors from that particular battle, and where he bartered with the Delaware for hunting rights, but then begin building a log cabin, that was responded to with several attacks.- 1801 :
Perminate resident population of Muncee Town was under 100. - 1818 :
Under the Treaty of St. Mary's Ohio the Delaware Indians ceded their holdings in Indiana and agreed to move away.
- 1820 :
The government opened Delaware County for settlement.
- 1823 :
Goldsmith Gilbert (age 28) arrived along the Mississinewa River (near the present-day village of Grandville) in northern Delaware County, to become the first major Trading Post, then moved to co-found present-day Muncie as a Merchant and the first major Realitor. - 1827 :
On 26 January 1827 Delaware County was organized, and then had about 1,000 residents.
- 1827 :
Dr. Levi Minshall arrived and was Muncie's second Doctor.
- 1829 :
Minus Turner build Muncie's first brick house. He had a company that manufactured bricks and burnt lime.
- 1831 :
Dr. Samuel P. Anthony arrived, who was also a Merchant.
- 1831 :
Charles F. Willard arrived from Dayton to assist a resident Merchant named Thomas Kirby. His brother Dr. William C. Willard was one of Muncie's first Physicians.
- 1833 :
Abraaham Buckles organized the First Babtist Church of Muncie.
- 1838 :
A.M. Klein arrived as Muncie's 1st Jewler.
- 1840's :
Roads began being built in the late 1830's and early 1840's.
- 1850 :
The population of Muncie was 666.
- 1850's :
During the 1850's the first turnpike linking Muncie with Cambridge City opened.
- 1851 :
The Indiana Constitution.
- 1852 :
The Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad was extended to Muncie.
- 1865 :
The population of Muncie was nearly 3,000.
- 1880 :
The population grew to some 23,000, as a result of the
Civil War years when Muncie made a transition from an agricultural town and began to evolve into an industrial city, with nearly fifty factories.
- 1888 :
Five glass manufacturing brothers of the
Ball family arrived from Buffalo, New York to became one of the largest employers in Muncie.
- 1890's :
Our
Delaware County had many small towns also increasing in populations, while
additional industries were attracted to Muncie as a result of the Citizens Enterprise Association, which raised over $200,000 to encourage and finance new industry, and who set a trend that survives over one hundred years later to this very day !
The industrial growth of Muncie was an era lasting over 100 years and attracted citizenry from across North America to fill those manpower requirementss.
Muncie's many industries, R & D, and locally rich educational resources have produced a wealth of skilled workers, gifted technicians and invisionary inventers of their own accord.
Today Muncie is reflecting the social / economic mood of rest of North America , but afterall that's exactly what should be expected of "America's Hometown".
Yet Muncie is also a trend setter, as evident in continious planning, investments, international expressions and projections into the next century.
Indeed we are very fortunate to call Muncie our Home Town, where the community is in a fertile partnership focused on the future growth of "America's Hometown".
MORNINGSIDE is a small community some four miles north-east of the center of Muncie, where I reside at.
My family has lived in Morningside since the early 1930's.
Morningside can be seen on Indiana maps during the early 1900's being identified as a small town of its own identity, and that identity extended into the late 1950's.
Morningside was objectively annexed into Muncie during the 1960's, following a decade with two failed attempts by local government to do so to increase its tax base.
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