A Ball State professor with a fascination for local history has finished a new documentary featuring one of Muncie's most intriguing landmarks—¬the city's downtown Masonic Temple, built 100 years ago this year.
Chris Flook, a senior lecturer in the Department of Media and historian at the Delaware County Historical Society, has written books including “Native Americans of East-Central Indiana” and “Lost Towns of Delaware County.” He also writes the ByGone Muncie column for The Star Press.
His new film, “Illuminate the Arts” is about the 20-year anniversary of Cornerstone Center for the Arts and the 100-year anniversary of the building in which Cornerstone is located, the historic Masonic Temple, built in 1926 on Main Street.
The documentary will be premiered at Cornerstone’s annual fundraiser on March 19. The center offers educational programs, arts and other enrichment opportunities, and hosts a range of community events from performances and proms, to wedding receptions.
“What's really great about Cornerstone is that it is arts for all,” Flook says. “It is open to everybody. You have young people there, old people… you go there and you get a little bit of everybody experiencing the arts.”
His wife, Kourtney McCauliff, is chair of the center’s board. When she suggested a video to commemorate the dual anniversaries of the center and its historic home, Flook, a lifelong Muncie resident, was an eager volunteer.
“It’s about the history of the building, its impact in Muncie, and just how it came to be,” he said of the film. He hopes to encourage others to support the center—and through it, the preservation of a historic landmark.
“Supporting Cornerstone is absolutely critical to maintain the mission, their arts programming, but also to maintain the building,” he said. “Funding helps to keep the lights on—helps to repair the elevator, to do the brick-and-mortar kind of things as well as to celebrate the arts.”
Cornerstone anchors that end of downtown, Flook said, part of the arts corridor taking shape that includes the growing Muncie Civic Theatre and the MadJax maker space.
“That part of Main Street is becoming an art center,” he said. “You’re going to meet people from all over the community. It’s a place that physically brings people together for the arts and other events.”
- John Strauss
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