Lately, life has felt a lot like one of the old buildings I write about: a little worn out and suddenly pushed into a new chapter. After I lost my job in December, I steadied myself the only way I knew how, by leaning into local history. That instinct led me somewhere fitting- an old neighborhood school-turned-community hub.
Back in December, my former employer lost a major contract. I was among the many who were let go. That subsequent loss of identity, along with the rapid cancellation of crucial benefits like health insurance, knocked the wind out of me! As I’ve searched for new professional opportunities, I’ve tried to stay intentional by keeping a routine, doing my best to hold onto a positive outlook, and pushing myself to step outside my comfort zone instead of retreating.
Increasingly, I’ve realized that leaving my comfort zone means giving presentations. I love writing about local history, but I want to share it in person! I want to tell these stories face-to-face and forge connections with fellow history fans. Fortunately, about a week ago, I was invited to talk about Delaware County’s Revolutionary War Patriots to the Veterans Project/Veterans Coffee Club at the Muncie-Delaware County Senior Center. Yesterday, I did.
The building that houses the Muncie-Delaware County Senior Citizens’ Center got its start as Forest Park School. Built in 1914 for $11,0001, the original four-room structure replaced a two-story frame school nearby that was overcrowded and unsanitary2. Even that building had been an upgrade, though, as it took the place of an earlier one-room schoolhouse known as Clay College3.
In 1939, Forest Park was expanded to the rear with a $30,000, two-story addition that included three classrooms and a gym. A few years later, my grandma briefly went there before she was transferred to Eugene Field on the old Muncie & Middletown Pike. Back at Forest Park, 1951 saw the addition of a single-story T-shaped wing with five classes, two kindergarten rooms, a clinic, and restrooms4. Unfortunately, it closed along with Riley Elementary and McKinley Middle School in 19845.
Soon after the school was shuttered, Willard Baptist Church purchased the property for $15,000. The congregation outbid United Auto Workers Local 499, which had hoped to convert it into a union hall6. The Senior Center has been at Forest Park since 1993. Remarkably, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places thirty years later!
It had probably been ten or fifteen years since I’d last stepped inside. After introducing myself and readying my MacBook, I sat in the reserved section and snapped a few quick photos of the 1938 stage and the portions of the basketball court I could spy. The stage floor was scarred with gouges and scratches- honest wear that spoke to decades of plays, assemblies, and games. The tiny basketball court was equally intriguing since it held onto its old-school narrow key despite the absence of a single basketball goal. I tried to take it all in, soaking up every last detail.
I knew a couple of people at the gathering, which was fortunate. After half an hour of catching up and visiting, the meeting finally came to order. About a hundred people settled as the program opened with an invocation, followed by the national anthem, the solemn notes of “Taps,” and the Pledge of Allegiance. I wondered whether the lyrics to “Taps” were written concurrently with the music, but then the first speaker stepped forward: Mark Kreps of the Indiana Society Sons of the American Revolution.
My turn came next. I talked about how most Revolutionary War Patriots weren’t famous generals or textbook heroes, but ordinary people -farmers, fathers, and neighbors- whose lives quietly shaped the nation. Many of them later became some of Delaware County, Indiana’s earliest pioneers, arriving decades before most of our towns even existed. Today, their graves are still scattered across our cemeteries. They tie our local landscape directly to the founding of the United States.
I explained how Kathi Hires Kesterson of the Paul Revere Chapter, NSDA and I have been sharing these Patriots’ stories week after week. Then I highlighted a few of my favorites: Campbell Dale, the namesake of Daleville, Indiana; Lemuel Peterson, who volunteered at just thirteen; William Daugherty, who was buried in an unmarked grave near Yorktown; Alexander McCallister, memorialized near his grandson at Saunders Cemetery; and William Blunk, whose paper trail is about as tangled and confusing as the Cheesecake Factory menu.
Remarkably, twenty Revolutionary War Patriots are buried in Delaware County, so many miles from any battle. Their stories link this place directly to our nation’s founding, I explained, and honoring them preserves stories that are often overlooked. Once I was done telling their stories in thumbnail, my presentation seemed well-received. After some hobnobbing with veterans who recognized my name from Lost Muncie on Facebook, I left feeling glad for the chance to share some history with an interested audience.
As I walked back to the car, I felt something I hadn’t in a while: grateful. I was thankful for the chance to share these stories at all to a group of patriots, and even happier to do it inside a building with so much history of its own. The past wasn’t just something I was describing from my laptop; it was under my feet in that old gym. The group couldn’t have been more welcoming, either: people shook my hand, shared their own family stories, and made me feel like I belonged. After a few hard months, it felt great.
If anything, the afternoon left me wanting more- more talks, more conversations, and more time to wander the old hallways of Forest Park. I hear a group of volunteers is working to restore the oldest parts of the historic building! Next time, I hope to slow down and really explore it to see what other stories might still be hiding there.
Sources Cited
1 Award Contract For Forest Park School (1914, August 14). The Muncie Star. p. 12.
2 Circulate Petition For New Building (1913, February 27). The Muncie Star. p. 1
3 Clay College (1880, December 29). The Muncie Morning News. p. 4.
4 Maxwell, C. (1951, February 9). Forest Park Plan Also Gets The Go-Sign. The Muncie Star. p. 9.
5 Metzger, J. (1984, January 18). Forest Park Parents Upset by Proposal to Close School. The Muncie Star. p. 6.
6 Terhune, K. (1984, October 24). Metzger, J.N. (1984, October 24). Church Buys Forest Park Building.
Well done! Sounds like a great day.
Thanks! It was.
It always feels great to be appreciated, and it sounds like an excellent presentation.
Kudos on your presentation and for going outside your comfort zone. Meetings like this may end up on some level contributing to a positive resolution to your job search. Not that I encourage people to use the occasion to troll for a job, but one never knows how someone who saw your presentation may mention it to someone else, who knows someone else that … may have a job opening.
I was between jobs 5 times during my career so I realize how it can be isolating in addition to stressful. Keep plugging away and keep stretching your boundaries. Wishing you much success and a quick resolution to your search!
Thanks! It was a good morning. I’ve tried to be cognizant about possible opportunities arising as I give presentations like this. Hoping to set up more in the near future.