Ball Women Fashion
From big and extravagant to slender and elegant, the evolution of women’s traces self-expression through history. Style showcases personality without ever saying a word. This was the case for the Ball women. For decades, they used clothing as a way to display not only their personality, but their social status. Let’s take a look at some of these beautiful pieces that have stood the test of time, pieces that have been entrusted to Minnetrista for safe-keeping.
Creative Ventures and Colorful Dreams
Did you watch the Academy Awards ceremony last month? Like usual, the event was filled with celebrity appearances, musical performances, and of course the presentation of Hollywood’s most coveted award – the Oscar. While the awards have been given out since 1929, the film industry has been around much longer. In fact some entrepreneurs achieved success in producing motion pictures in the late 19th century, and by the early 20th films had become a full-fledged industry drawing countless viewers.
Delaware County Airports
Aviation excitement caught on early in Delaware County. On September 27, 1912, nine years after the Wright brothers’ first successful flight, the Muncie Aero Club was established. According to a Star Press news article that day, it was thought that “Muncie, the Magic City, should occupy a prominent space in the annals American Aviation. It possesses the intellectual, mechanical and financial ability to make it an excellent aviation center.”
Black History Month in Delaware County
February is finally here, and it’s a very special month for more than one reason. Not only is it a time to celebrate love with Valentine’s Day, but also to honor the strength and resiliency of African-Americans who paved the way in our communities.
Winifred, The Artist
Winifred Brady Adams, wife of well-known Hoosier Group artist J. Ottis Adams and a fine artist herself, is stepping front and center in an upcoming exhibition at the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State. The exhibition titled Impressions of Love: J. Ottis and Winifred Brady Adams, a Ball State University Centennial Exhibition will feature an almost equal number of paintings by the husband and wife artists.
A Christmas Carol
Each year the Holiday season seems to get busier and busier. Hanukkah and Christmas have now passed us by and New Year’s is fast approaching. Last month it seemed like I had plenty of time ahead of me to bake treats and make plans to see everyone on my list. Now that we’re in the home stretch to turning the calendar I mainly feel tired and frazzled.
Meet Our Grounds Team
In one of our last blog's you were introduced to our Horticulture Team—some of the people that keep Minnetrista looking its best. This week, it's our pleasure to introduce you to our Grounds Team! The Grounds Team is comprised of Manager, Steve Scott; Supervisor, Olaf Larson; and assistants Tim Smith and Brian Peterson. These gentleman work tirelessly every single day to make sure Minnetrista's roads are clear, the paths are clean, and the grass and grounds are well-cared for and looking their best.
Sand Eating Cult
When staff was brainstorming ideas for “Tea and Talk” programs for 2018, someone suggested that we do one on the weird and wonderful in Muncie. I gladly took the suggestion as I had recently found a newspaper story about the Muncie sand eating cult. How are you going to find a story weirder than the one about people who ate sand?
Meet our Horticulture Team
Minnetrista has some of the most beautiful grounds in East Central Indiana. We take immense pride in the work that is done and seek to hire the best team around. Meet our Horticulture Team! Led by their fearless leader James Edwards, the Horticulture Team is comprised of Lindsey Cox, Parker Gagliano, Amelia Rule, James LeCount, and longtime volunteer, Brian Beale.
Muncie Transient Camp
In May 1934, it was announced that a camp for transients would be established on 35 acres north of the Indiana Steel & Wire factory site. The camp was a Depression era project through FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration) to relieve the burden of local agencies trying to deal with transient and homeless men. It was expected that the cost of housing men at the camp would be less than paying relief money to individuals.
Delicious Minnetrista Cider
For years Minnetrista has been known for our full apple orchard and our in-house, pressed apple cider. We happily continue that tradition.
Stop by the Minnetrista Orchard Shop and purchase the perfect size for you, your family, and friends! We love having the cider range from a full gallon all the way down to a single serving size. It allows you to have delicious cider anytime.
Garden Imagery
Visiting or looking at photographs of other people’s gardens not only gives us insight into their thoughts, ideas, and lifestyles but it can also be a source of inspiration for how we organize our own spaces. Gardens can be a sign of wealth, a means of putting food on the table, or just beautiful spaces in which to relax. These elements are all reflected in the garden photos that are part of the Minnetrista Heritage Collection.
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.