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Muncie (IPA: ) is a city in Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University.

History

The area was first settled in the 1770s by the Delaware Indians, who had been transported from their tribal lands near the east coast to Ohio and eastern Indiana. They founded several towns along the White River including Muncietown, near the site of present-day Muncie. The tribes were forced to cede their land to the federal government and move further west in 1818, and in 1820 the area was opened to white settlers. The city of Muncie was incorporated in 1865. Contrary to popular legend, the city is not named after a mythological Chief Munsee, rather it was named after Munsee Town, the white settlers' name for the Indian village on the site.

Muncie was dubbed Middletown after a team of sociologists, led by Robert and Helen Lynd, initiated a series of sociological studies in Muncie funded by the Rockefellers' Institute of Social and Religious Research. "The aim... was to study synchronously the interwoven trends that are the life of a small American city." (Lynd and Lynd 1929: 3) Muncie was considered a typical Middle-American community. In 1929, the Lynds published their first study in a book entitled Middletown: A Study in Modern American Culture. The Lynds returned to Muncie to re-observe the community during the depression. In 1937 they published Middletown in Transition: A Study in Cultural Conflicts. The National Science Foundation then funded a third study resulting in two books by Theodore Caplow, Middletown Families (1982) and All Faithful People (1983). Caplow returned in 1998 to begin another study known as Middletown IV, which became part of a PBS Documentary entitled "The First Measured Century," released in December, 2000. These are only a few of the most notable studies. The Ball State Center for Middletown Studies continues to survey and analyze the social changes occurring in Muncie. An enormous database of Middletown surveys, conducted from 1978 to 1997, is available online from ARDA, American Religion Data Archive.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 67,430 people, 27,322 households, and 14,589 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,076.7/km² (2,788.2/mi²). There were 30,205 housing units at an average density of 482.3/km² (1,248.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.72% White, 10.97% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.

There were 27,322 households out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.6% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 24.6% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,613, and the median income for a family was $36,398. Males had a median income of $30,445 versus $21,872 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,814. About 14.3% of families and 23.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Sites of interest

Colleges and universities

See also

Economy

Ball State University is the largest employer in Muncie. Muncie's second largest employer is The Ball Memorial Hospital. First Merchants Corporation, is headquartered in Muncie on Jackson Street.

Notable natives

  • Benjamin V. Cohen - a senior diplomat during the FDR administration; noted for participation in "Bases for Destroyers Deal" with Great Britain in WWII
  • Erik Crosier, author, Long Nights
  • Dave Duerson - All-American Defensive Back for the University of Notre Dame; played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears.
  • Mary Jane Croft - Actress; appeared in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and I Love Lucy as "Betty Ramsey"
  • Jim Davis - cartoonist, Garfield comic strip
  • Brandon Gorin - National Football League offensive lineman
  • Ray Boltz - singer, Contemporary Christain musical artist
  • Emily Kimbrough - Best-Selling author during the 1940s & 1950s.
  • Allen Leavell - PG for the Houston Rockets for 10 seasons during the 1980s.
  • Bonzi Wells - NBA small forward for the Sacramento Kings

Cultural references to Muncie

External links

News & Media

Cities in Indiana | Delaware County, Indiana

Muncie, Indiana | Muncie (Indiana) | Muncie

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Muncie, Indiana".

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