Charles Alden Meranda Architectural Records Collection

Charles Alden Meranda (1907-1982) was born in Howard County, Indiana. He graduated from Kokomo High School in 1925. His documented course of study was “vocational” as opposed to “general” or “academic,” and there are no records indicating that Meranda received any additional education beyond this.

Meranda began practicing in 1925 with Thomas McGraw in Kokomo, Indiana. It is likely that his employment with McGraw was short-term as he was listed as a draftsman for Vonnegut Mueller Bohn Architects in Indianapolis in 1928. By 1933, Meranda was listed in city directories as an estimator and designer for Marietta Manufacturing Co., Indianapolis. Marietta Manufacturing produced a product that was referred to as “vitreous marble,” a pigmented opaque structural glass (comparable to Vitrolite). This material became quite popular, particularly in Art Deco and Art Modern architecture. His exposure to this material during his stint as a designer and estimator for the company influenced some of his own designs as seen on the façades of both the Rio and Crump theaters. From 1936 until 1939, Meranda served as a draftsman for Stewart-Carey Glass Company of Indianapolis, a company known for their stained glass windows. The June 7, 1943 Kokomo Tribune issue indicates that it was during his period of time as a draftsman for Stewart-Casey Glass that he designed the window for the Tabernacle Baptistery.

Meranda began practicing privately in 1939 under the firm of Bowers and Meranda at the Board of Trade Building located at 143 Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm’s partnership only lasted for 1-2 years before dissolution. After this, Meranda continued to practice on his own, still retaining his office at the Board of Trade Building (until approximately 1967). The 1966 city directory lists his firm as Meranda and Associates and in 1967 the firm is listed as Meranda, Campbell, and Meranda though many of the projects in this collection are listed as Meranda, Campbell, Meranda during the 1940s. The other two partners in this firm were his brother, Robert A. Meranda (1921-2002) and Robert E. Campbell. When Robert Meranda and Robert Campbell joined as partners, the firm moved to 3051 N. Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. Meranda retired in 1973 to Rochester, Indiana though the firm still continued to operate as Meranda and Associates, likely under the direction of Robert A. Meranda. Alden Meranda died on July 23, 1982.

Meranda had many notable works including the Flanner House Homes of Indianapolis (c. 1950) which he designed with Leslie Cohin. He also designed a number of theaters including:

Rio Theater (Columbus, IN), 1939

Crump Theater (Columbus, IN), 1941

Artcraft Theater (Franklin, IN) 1948

Gibson Theater (Batesville, Indiana)

Indiana Theater (Bedford, IN), 1950