The Emily Kimbrough Historic District is a historical neighborhood in downtown

Muncie, Indiana Muncie ( ) is an incorporated city and the county seat, seat of Delaware County, Indiana, Delaware County, Indiana. Previously known as Buckongahelas Town, named after the legendary Delaware Chief.http://www.delawarecountyhistory.org/history/docs ...

, USA. Established as a Muncie local historical district in 1976, it was eventually added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

on November 13, 1980. The district is bounded by Monroe, East Washington, Hackley and East Charles Streets. The boundaries were later increased to roughly East Gilbert, Beacon Street, East Charles Street and Madison Street on June 29, 1989.

History

The district was named after the author and journalist

Emily Kimbrough Emily Kimbrough (October 23, 1899 – February 10, 1989) was an American author and journalist. Biography Emily Kimbrough was born in Muncie, Indiana. In 1921 she graduated from Bryn Mawr College and went on a trip to Europe with her friend Cor ...

, who spent much of her childhood there. Her former home, located at 715 East Washington, is still standing. Muncie and her old "East End" neighborhood are reflected in much of her writing.East-Central Neighborhood Association
official website Muncie became a commercial and industrial center of east central Indiana after the discovery of natural gas in 1886. Most houses in the district were built after the discovery; citizens who profited from the natural gas enterprise built many of the houses. The district soon became the neighborhood of Muncie's socially elite and prosperous citizens. The Great Depression brought a decline in Muncie's economy, and many of the homes in the district fell into decay. The neighborhood experienced even more neglect after the end of World War II, some even being demolished. In the late 20th century, the city of Muncie began redeveloping the downtown area and also began restoring the historic neighborhood. Many homes in the district have now been renovated and restored to their original state.

Architecture

The district contains several of Muncie's significant late

Victorian architecture Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian we ...

and Post-Victorian houses, many of which were designed by local architects. Many of the homes built after 1886 were more Italianate, which was a largely popular style in Indiana during the 1870s and 1880s. Styles such as Queen Anne, Free Classic,and Colonial Revival are also very popular in the neighborhood.

Contemporary significance

The district remains a significant part of Muncie history and culture. Since 1976, the East Central Neighborhood Association in Muncie has sponsored the Old Washington Street Festival. The festival is held annually in the neighborhood, promoting the historical gas boom days and the unique architecture of the homes. The festival offers house tours of the many homes in the district.

Notable residents

Many of Muncie's most famous residents resided in the district. *

- author and journalist; spent much of her childhood in the district and included the neighborhood in many of her writings *C. M. Kimbrough - president of the Indiana Bridge Company *John F. Wildman - owner of ''Muncie Times'' newspaper *Charles Over - owner of Over Glass Works *

Cathy Day Cathy Day is an American novelist, short story writer, and English professor. She is the author of the linked story collection, '' The Circus in Winter'' ( Harcourt, 2004), and a memoir, ''Comeback Season: How I Learned to Play the Game of Love'' ...

- novelist and short story writer

References

{{National Register of Historic Places Colonial Revival architecture in Indiana Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Italianate architecture in Indiana National Register of Historic Places in Muncie, Indiana Neighborhoods in Muncie, Indiana Queen Anne architecture in Indiana Houses in Delaware County, Indiana Historic districts in Muncie, Indiana