REVITALIZING A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE
Capital Campaign for the Restoration and Preservation of the Historic Emily Kimbrough
Museum
“Emily Kimbrough was born in Muncie, Indiana on October 23, 1899. After graduating from Bryn
Mawr College in 1921, Kimbrough worked as an advertising copywriter and later as an editor for
Fashions of the Hours, a Marshall Field and Company publication. In 1926, she became fashion
editor of Ladies’ Home Journal in New York City, later rising to managing editor. Kimbrough also
wrote articles for Country Life, House & Garden, Travel, Reader’s Digest, Saturday Review of
Literature, and Parents magazines. Her career as an author made her a household name in the
1940s. In 1942, Kimbrough and her friend, Cornelia Otis Skinner published Our Hearts Were
Young and Gay, recounting their European travels they had taken after graduating from college.
The book became a New York Times bestseller and was developed into a movie in 1944. Most of
her works have a humorous and lighthearted tone in which she reminisces about her early
childhood in Muncie. In her autobiographical memoir, How Dear to My Heart (1944), she writes,
“A childhood that was happy, in great part, I think, because it was spent in a little town, where I
was not a stranger to anyone.” Publishing sixteen books and countless articles, Kimbrough
remained active until her death in 1989. Much of her writing reflects her hometown of Muncie’s
past, with reminiscences of the “East End.” . . . The city honored her by naming a section of her
old neighborhood the Emily Kimbrough Historic District in 1976. In 1978, the local historical
district was placed on the national registry. Today, it is part of the East Central Neighborhood
District.” (Source: https://www.in.gov/icw/files/20160327_Kimbrough_Emily.pdf.)
In 2011, the East Central Neighborhood Association purchased the historic Emily Kimbrough
home and designated it the Emily Kimbrough Museum, Since then, it has been a place where
neighbors gather, ideas are shared, and community is built. Today, we have the opportunity to
preserve and revitalize this important space so it can continue serving our neighborhood for years
to come.
We are launching a $50,000 Capital Campaign to restore, preserve, and maintain this historic
community house. This investment will allow us not only to address urgent repairs and restoration
needs, but also to ensure the long-term sustainability of the building as a welcoming neighborhood
gathering place.
Why This Campaign Matters
Communities thrive when people have places to gather. In a time when meaningful connection is
increasingly rare, spaces like the Emily Kimbrough Museum serve as an essential “third space”—
a place outside of home and work where relationships are formed, creativity is nurtured, and
neighbors become friends.
Our vision is to continue using the house for neighborhood functions and community-centered
programming, including:aa
- Community meetings and neighborhood events
- Poetry readings and writer gatherings
- Artist workshops and creative collaborations
- Book clubs and educational classes
- Cultural programming and small group events
By revitalizing this house, we are preserving more than a building, we are protecting a place of
belonging, creativity, and connection for the entire community.
Building on Recent Progress
Thanks to ongoing community support and dedicated stewardship, important improvements have
already been completed in recent years, including: - Installation of a new HVAC system
- Updated electrical work
- Replacement of the rear roof
- Complete restoration of the entry room ceiling
These investments have laid a strong foundation for the next phase of restoration.
Our Revitalization Plan
The campaign will move forward in two phases:
Phase One: Exterior Revitalization
Our first priority is restoring and stabilizing the building’s façade, improving both structural
integrity and curb appeal while preserving the character of the house.
Phase Two: Interior Improvements
The second phase will focus on interior restoration and improvements that make the space more
functional, welcoming, and accessible for community use.
Every Dollar Has Greater Impact
We are currently pursuing two matching grant opportunities, meaning every dollar donated to this
campaign has the potential to be multiplied and make an even greater impact. Community support
now will strengthen our grant applications and help unlock additional funding for critical repairs
and restoration work.
Investing in the Future
Our fundraising goal of $50,000 will help cover immediate upfront restoration costs while also
creating a reserve for ongoing care and preservation.
Importantly, any funds raised beyond the amount needed for revitalization will be placed into a
dedicated maintenance account earmarked specifically for the long-term upkeep of the house. This
ensures that the investments made today will continue to benefit the community well into the
future.
Join Us
This campaign is about more than restoring a building. It is about investing in community,
preserving a shared space, and creating opportunities for connection, creativity, and belonging.
We invite you to be part of this effort. Together, we can ensure that the Emily Kimbrough Museum
remains a vibrant gathering place for neighbors, artists, readers, writers, and community members
for generations to come.
“A childhood that was happy in great part, I think, because it was spent in a little town, where I
was not a stranger to anyone. And so I am setting down these things, partly out of a debt of affection
to the town, and partly because I would like to say over, for those of us who remember them, some
of the things which we shall never see nor hear again. The lamp on the newel post lighted with a
wax taper held high in the winter dusk. The gas fire which burned against an asbestos shield in my
grandfather’s den. The used carbon from the street corner lamps that made a good chalk for
marking hopscotch squares. The street cry of fresh lye hominy and horseradish. And the squeak of
wagon wheels on the snow. I shall not, I know be accurate, because I shall not even try to verify
my memories. This is no historic chronicle of a period. It is only an effort to say aloud some of the
things which the smell of burning leaves in the fall brings back to my mind every year.”
— Emily Kimbrough, How Dear to My Heart, 1944
Please consider making a contribution to the Capital Campaign today.
Possible Ways to Give
By check made out to the East Central Neighborhood Association
Mail checks to 715 E Washington St, Muncie, IN 47305 or drop the check off in the door mail slot at the same address.
Online payment options
You may set up reoccurring payments for a year (coming soon) or a one time payment with some of these suggested levels.
Neighbor — $50
Friend of ECNA — $100
Community Builder — $250
Facade Supporter — $500 if you give at this level or higher you will get 2 free home tour tickets at festival and entry to any special event for free.
Neighborhood Champion — $1,000
Historic Preservation Partner — $2,500
Community Visionary — $5,000+ A plaque with everyone that gives at this level or higher will be placed in Emily’s.
Other – You will be able to pick the amount you would like to give outside of these levels.