The Center for Historic Preservation has a great deal of experience with Indiana’s historic properties. We have worked with many communities and organizations throughout Indiana. Our services have helped these communities and organizations understand issues and overcome challenges with regards to their historic resources. These communities' efforts, along with our input, have resulted in economic growth and revitalization as well as sustainable preservation practices for these communities.
We have created two resources to help communities and educators through preservation efforts: our guide to preservation, Preservation What?, and Muncie History: A Handbook for Fourth Grade Teachers about Muncie History, which strives to aid in interpretation of local history.
Preservation What? is the Center for Historic Preservation's primer for the historic preservation field. It answers many questions, such as:
- How can community leaders help their communities, as well as the quality of life for their citizens?
- What types of funding are available for what types of projects?
- What preservation organizations exist to help?
The guide includes an introduction to the terminology, funding
sources, governmental agencies, and other organizations involved in
historic preservation and cultural resource management. This resource guide was made possible by a Historic Preservation
Education Grant from Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana and the
Indiana Humanities Council. Preservation What? is free and available online.
The Muncie Heritage Handbook
has proven to be a useful tool for educational purposes and furthering
interest in Muncie's, as well as Delaware County's, historical
resources. In 2003, the Muncie Public Library in conjunction with Ball State's graduate program in historic preservation began to develop a curriculum in heritage education for fourth graders at Burris Laboratory School. The resulting work focuses on the history of Muncie over the course of seven delineated time periods, emphasizing a range of
topics of interest to children in each period: events, businesses,
buildings, transportation, fashion, music and entertainment. Holly Beach
Ravesloot, Michael Galbraith, and Matthew Farragher, graduate
assistants for the heritage education project, researched and wrote the
handbook over a two-year time period.