Muncie, Indiana is a terrific place to spot vintage signs and this is the crown jewel of them all. This gorgeous vintage McDonald’s sign was installed in 1958.
The restaurant has been remodeled but the sign has been well kept and still lights up. It’s even more impressive in person than it appears in pictures.
Like most kids, I was a fan of McDonald’s as a child. A cheeseburger Happy Meal with the toy and cookies was the bomb. My folks say I called it Donald’s and announced to everyone in the car that there was a Donald’s nearby once I recognized the Golden Arches. I don’t go there much anymore as they’re not hospitable to vegetarians but I do have a weakness for the Egg McMuffin without the meat and a Diet Coke. That’s a breakfast of champions for any road tripper especially when there’s a gorgeous old sign to enjoy.
If you go, it’s located at 500 East Charles Street, Muncie.
He was born in Daytona Beach and was called Robert Norman Ross. To the world, he will forever be Bob Ross, the mild mannered artist who brought the joy of painting into American households. Literally.
Yes, he’s the guy with the big hair.
His PBS program The Joy of Painting ran from 1983 to 1994 but the show continues to be popular thanks to the magic of the internet and to channels like Pluto and Tubi that offer all 31 seasons of the show in reruns.
He filmed series two through fifteen for the PBS affiliate in Muncie, Indiana in the former home of Lucious Ball. It’s now owned by Minnetrista and it is that organization that operates the museum.
I watched an episode of his show last night where he talked about “distant trees that live far away” and “what a view they would have.” His tone and attitude were charming and his ideas for painting were approachable. He said you begin to see things when you paint and that it needn’t be perfect. “We call them happy accidents and they can be your best friend.”
“I’ve painted like this for twenty years and I still get excited when I see it work,” he said. And I believed him. He seemed genuinely excited about his work.
Perhaps that’s why visitors still come to Muncie from far and wide for a glimpse into his world at the Bob Ross Experience.
Please note that this is not a large museum but what they have is quality. There’s a living room area, a gallery of his paintings and, of course, the tv studio.
It’s all well done but I found the studio enchanting. They have set up a painting on an easel, along with his brushes. If you look into the camera, you’ll see a looping clip of the episode where he painted this piece. As he happily paints, chatting with the viewer, you’re almost certain you might catch a glimpse of him in real life – if only you could look quickly enough.
There was much wisdom to be found in his life philosophies and his words are almost as prominent here as his art.
That should come as no surprise, I suppose. The Cold War era US Air Force Master Sergeant lived a full life before becoming part of the pop culture landscape. He spent free time during his twenty years of military service painting and improving his art. He was a lover of nature and wildlife who sometimes took in injured animals. He was a soft spoken man, very private and seemingly kind. He grew to hate his permed hair but recognized that it was as much a part of his brand as the line of paint supplies he sold. He seemed zen, savvy and wise beyond his years.
There’s something calming about watching Bob Ross bring a blank canvas to life with his wet on wet technique. It’s a little like an episode of Mr Rogers for artistic grown ups when he says “let’s have some fun, let’s get crazy.”
Tragically, the lifelong smoker died of Lymphoma on July 4, 1995. He was just 52.
But he lives on through the countless budding artists he inspired, through the reruns that cause us to marvel at his talent, and through the Bob Ross certified instructors who continue to teach his method.
Admission includes the grounds and public facilities of Minnetrista as well as the Bob Ross Experience. Get info on all that here and check it out if you’re in the area.
I knew I was in for a fun day when my Muncie friend took me to Cammack Station for lunch. This restaurant is exactly the sort of place I would choose for myself.
The building dates to 1931 and has housed multiple businesses including filling stations and grocery stores. In 2007, it was purchased by a man who transformed the space into a restaurant.
It’s basically a shrine to vintage gas and oil, cars and pop culture. The walls and even the ceiling are lined with vintage pieces mixed in with reproductions. TVs play videos of oldies music and it is a happening joint. There were lots of people enjoying lunch and snacks when we were there on Friday.
The menu isn’t easy if you don’t eat meat but the grilled cheese and tots were great. My friend seemed to enjoy his sloppy joes but they also offer burgers, hot dogs, onion rings, soup and lots of other things. The large ice cream counter has all the makings for treats like strawberry shortcake and sundaes.
If you go, know that you order at the long counter where they also serve up ice cream, seat yourself and then pick up at a different counter when they call your name. It’s efficient but it would be confusing if you’ve never been.
They also host car shows during the good weather months. Best of all, they donate car show proceeds to local charities. Check them out if you’re in Muncie. It’s a fun place for a tasty bite and some atmosphere. You can also find them on Facebook or visit their website for more information.
The first stop on this weekend’s Indiana road trip was in Muncie. A guy I went to high school with lives in Muncie now and kindly volunteered to give me a tour of his town.
The beautiful thing about seeing a place with a local is that they know their way around and can answer questions about local life. It was too rainy and cold to spend too much time outside but Justin did a great job showing me around.
Highlights of the day included lunch at Cammack Station which was once a filling station turned into a vintage gas and car themed wonderland. Then there was a visit to Minnetrista which is home to the Bob Ross Experience.
We also made a few stops for some cool photo ops.
Muncie is home to Ball State University. The college was founded by the five Ball brothers, industrialists and philanthropists who you may know for their Ball Canning Jars. They moved their manufacturing from Niagara Falls, New York to Muncie in 1887 during Indiana’s natural gas boom.
The Ball name is all over the city including at Minnetrista, a cultural center on the grounds of the old Ball family homes. All but one of their grand homes along the White River survive and some are open to the public for events and activities.
One was transformed into Bob Ross’ studio when he was filming his PBS program. That’s another story for another day.
The city was once a hub for car manufacturers too. Those good jobs dried up and the plants are long gone, leaving behind acres of industrial wasteland as far as the eye can see. They’re surrounded by a lot of struggling and closed businesses including the neighborhood watering holes where all those workers once gathered.
Still, car culture is alive and well in Muncie. There’s a car dealership, used car lot, auto parts store and mechanic on seemingly every corner. Car shows seem to be a regular occurrence here too.
The city boasts some gorgeous old homes, a lively downtown and plenty of things to do thanks to the university and the efforts of others to bring culture and fun to the community. That’s one of the best qualities of a college town.
I liked Muncie a lot. The mix of old and new is appealing. There are railroad tracks everywhere and opportunity to see trains at all hours. I was excited to see three trains, including one that held up traffic on a main thoroughfare for several minutes Saturday morning.
People here are friendly too. It’s easy to strike up a conversation. They want to know what brought you to town and are happy to help. Here I made friends with a couple in an antique mall and received help from someone at Indiana’s prized restaurant chain Pizza King.
I would absolutely like to return for another weekend when the weather is nicer. The Cardinal Greenway, Indiana’s longest rail trail, is calling my name and I would like to ditch the car for a walk around town. They have a festival in a historic neighborhood every September. That might be a good time for a visit.
Keep checking back. I’ll show you more about Muncie before we move on to the next stop on this road trip.
The blogging community is an interesting place. We make friends with people we have never met in real life, sharing stories that sometimes make us feel like we’re old friends. Many of them are people we would never cross paths with in real life.
That’s certainly the case with Jinjer. Honestly, I don’t recall how or when we met but I have followed along as she has spent recent years working remotely from Arkansas where she cared for her elderly mother.
I never knew her mom’s name but was terribly sad when she died earlier this year. Jinjer shared with her blogging pals that she wouldn’t be able to visit her mom’s grave in Indiana before heading back to the life that was waiting for her in California. Her plate was full closing up this chapter, packing, donating and selling things. She needed to orchestrate the cross country move with an elderly cat and there was no way to justify going that far out of her way.
So when she mentioned that her mom was buried in Marion, Indiana, I knew I could help. That’s because I had been thinking about a trip to that area and this provided a wonderful purpose for going. While I couldn’t help Jinjer get there, I could at least go and take pictures of the grave. It’s a small gesture but I thought it might help.
She’s buried at Marion National Cemetery and I went there late Saturday afternoon, not realizing how enormous it would be. Turns out, I went to the wrong section – I needed section CS and was in section C. The wind picked up, the temperature dropped and rain set in so I surrendered and went into town for Mexican.
Luckily, Jinjer had emailed me a map that day so I figured out my error and returned at sunrise on Sunday morning. It was a piece of cake to find my way around with the map but I would have spent the entire day looking if necessary. It was important to me because I know how hard it is to lose someone important and what it means to visit their grave.
So I knelt on the ground, introduced myself to Jinjer’s parents and told them why I had come. Sadly, you can’t leave flowers this time of year so I just placed the flowers for a few minutes and snapped some pictures for Jinjer.
Jinjer laughed when I said that I apologized to her mom for being unable to leave the flowers. Haha! “After all, I don’t make the rules,” I said.
It’s a tiny gesture but hopefully one that helped my friend. I’m so grateful that I found her mom and the weather cooperated so she could have pretty pictures.
Jinjer’s parents have a beautiful resting place. It’s awe inspiring to be surrounded by these elegant marble headstones as far as the eye can see and to think of all the people they represent.
We all deserve to be remembered after we are gone and the living we leave behind deserve to find peace.
Here are some immortal words from one of the world’s great thinkers, Winnie the Pooh……
If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever.
The first quarter of each year is defined by three rituals for me.
The first is that I become preoccupied with work at this time. There’s a big project on top of my regular work and I tend to think about the job a lot. The other eight or nine months of the year I focus on separation of work and home but this becomes less and less a priority as the weeks drag on through the winter months. It’s the nature of the beast and I have no regrets or complaints. It’s just the rhythm of my year.
Then there’s the No Spend Challenge that I do each January. This year it stretched into February as well. It’s designed to keep me happy at home, staying healthy and using the things I have. What did our Greatest Generation grandparents teach us?
Use it up, make do or do without.
The money I save in the winter helps pay for adventures the rest of the year. It also promotes rest and a sense of quiet.
The third ritual is that I take a long weekend trip as soon as my project goes to the printer and as soon as I can dig myself out from under the non essential work that piled up.
This weekend was that weekend and it was exactly what I needed. I didn’t go far and my destination wasn’t exotic. Heck, it wasn’t even as warm as home. But it was quintessentially American and it was a solid start to adventure season. It was good for my mental health.
I haven’t felt like myself in some time. In addition to making you tired, causing you to gain weight, messing with your voice and cholesterol and causing the worst brain fog, the thyroid toys with your mind and emotions too. I saw glimmers of the old Brandi here and there this weekend. She pops up sometimes when I’m out adventuring and it’s a relief to know there’s hope she’ll come back to stay someday.
I’m home now and am starting an eating plan meant to help my thyroid. After all, my body is attacking this little gland. The least I can do is stop calling it names for being so useless and start trying to help it through better nutrition. Ha! It’s no wonder it feels like it’s not even trying. I’m mean to it! Expect to hear more about this another day.
There are lots of stories to tell from this trip through eastern Indiana, checking off my list a few things I have wanted to see for a while.
In case you’re thinking that Indiana doesn’t sound very exciting (I know you are because nearly everyone I know looked at me funny when I told them my plans) know that you are wrong by my standards. It doesn’t sound exciting but this area is defined by lovely countryside, small towns, friendly people, interesting history and lots of the things I enjoy. There are so many old churches, Carnegie libraries and vintage signs, it was a feast for my eyes and wandering imagination.
Friends, I read a quote from Bob Ross this weekend that supports part of my worldview. You know the PBS painter with big hair and a gentle voice who inspired a nation to paint? He said “Beauty is everywhere. You only have to look to see it.”
Right on, Bob. Right on.
Come back and I’ll tell you about some places I went and my observations on the world. It’s true. Beauty is everywhere. There’s something interesting to be found everywhere. You only have it look to see it.
