Riverside United Methodist Church records
Scope and Contents
This collection includes directories, scrapbooks, building plans, postcards, publications, certificates, news clippings, programs, photographs, artifacts, audio recordings, and video recordings from Riverside United Methodist Church in Muncie, Indiana ranging from 1902 to 2003 regarding the church's history, the congregation, and church activities and events.
Dates
- 1902-2003
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.
Administrative History
In 1900, what became the Riverside United Methodist Church began as a Sunday School class led by Henry Marsh at the Old Mound School House that stood across the street from the present church. After Reverend G.H. Hammond and Dr. J.T. Roberts (superintendent of the White River Conference of the United Brethren Church) led a revival in the winter of 1902-1903, the congregation decided to hold regular worship services. Jackie Wills provided his bakery (later known as Wills' Chapel) at 913 Wheeling Avenue as a meeting place in the fall of 1902, and 28 charter members organized the church the following spring. Riverside's first pastor, H.S. James, began his ministry preaching at Wills' Chapel.
Using funds provided by its members, and with the assistance of the Ball brothers, the congregation expanded and improved its properties. In 1917, the congregation purchased a parsonage on Wheeling Avenue for $3,000. The Ball brothers later donated $10,000 to the congregation and funded the addition of a slate roof. Individually, W.C. Ball contributed $1,100 and a grand piano, and G.A. Ball gave $1,000 and velvet drapes.
Beginning as member of the United Brethren denomination, the congregation joined the Evangelical Church in 1946, and the Methodist Church in 1968. After joining the Methodist Church, the congregation officially changed its name to the Riverside United Methodist Church. Since its founding, the church continues to grow.
Extent
5.4 Cubic Feet (14 boxes, 3 oversized folders, 1 VHS tape)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1: Riverside United Methodist Church subject files, 1917-2003
Series 2: Riverside United Methodist Church scrapbooks, 1903-1983
Series 3: Riverside United Methodist Church artifacts, undated
Series 4: Riverside United Methodist Church puzzle and scrapbooks, 1947-1961
Series 5: Riverside United Methodist Church certificate, 1916
Series 6: Riverside United Methodist Church photographs, 1902-1999
Series 7: Riverside United Methodist Church negatives, undated
Series 8: Riverside United Methodist Church Congregation photographs, 1929, undated
Series 9: Riverside United Methodist Church oversized photographs, undated
Series 10: Riverside United Methodist Church audio cassettes, 1971-2001
Series 11: Riverside United Methodist Church ECI Renaissance audio reels, undated
Series 12: Riverside United Methodist Church VHS cassette, undated
Series 13: Riverside United Methodist Church website archive, 2019-2020, 2022-
Custodial History
This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation. Addition was received 2003/11/12 by Tony Huffer.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
EAD finding aid created 2012/06/05 by Lisa Barney. EAD finding aid revised 2012/06/19 by Bethany Fiechter.
- Church history Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Delaware County (Ind.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Delaware County (Ind.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Delaware County (Ind.) -- History -- 21st century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Methodist Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Muncie (Ind.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Muncie (Ind.) -- Church history -- 20th century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Muncie (Ind.) -- Church history -- 21st century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Muncie (Ind.) -- History -- 20th century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Muncie (Ind.) -- History -- 21st century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Photographs Subject Source: TGM II, Genre and physical characteristic terms
- Religion Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Scrapbooks Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Sound recordings Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Stoeckel Archives of Local History Subject Source: Local sources
- Video recordings Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Title
- Riverside United Methodist Church records
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Stoeckel Archives of Local History Repository
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA
libarchives@bsu.edu
