Like many other neighborhoods across the country, University Heights began when the demand for housing increased greatly at the end of the Second World War. What had been farmland west of Muncie became the site of new homes in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, as the postwar baby boom began in real earnest and returning veterans and others sought homes for their new and growing families. The response to the growth of University Heights and other similar neighborhoods included the opening of West View Elementary School in 1953 and Storer Junior High (later a middle school and now an elementary school) in 1960. The neighborhood went through a cycle of change as those young families grew and then moved off into their own neighborhoods. For some years the neighborhood has had a number of retired persons, but in recent years more young families have entered the area, starting the cycle all over again.
Neighborhood Association Meetings
A steering committee began meeting fall 2014 with their first meeting on, Thursday, April 9th of that year.
2016 Neighborhood Association meetings will be held on March 10, June 9, September 8, and December 8 at the Riverside Baptist Church, 3700 W. Riverside, from 6:30-7:30 PM. All are welcome!
University Heights Bylaws These bylaws were utilized by the previous neighborhood association; they may be updated or redrafted by the currently forming group.
In 1927 Edwin Faye Kitselman was one of four brothers who were industrialist leaders in Muncie Indiana. The inventive Kitselman brothers originally made roller skates in a factory east of Muncie in Ridgeville, Indiana, and eventually the company became a manufacturer of steel and wire fences. Mr. Kitselman, who was also a golfer, hunter, politician, and fisherman, bought several wooded acres at what was then the west end of University Avenue. He and his wife, Edna F. Leach Kitselman, had four children: Richard, Alice, Nancy and Jean. They built the stately brick home pictured here. Unfortunately, a short time later, in 1928, Mr. Kitselman died, leaving the land and the home to his wife and children. Almost three decades later, in 1956, the surviving Kitselman children, Richard, Nancy and Jean (all now deceased) deeded the Tudor Gothic home and 2.65 acres to the Ball State University Foundation. The home became known as the Kitselman Center and was utilized by Ball State University in succeeding years as a venue for conferences and special events.
On October 12, 1956, the Gatewood neighborhood plat was proposed by J. Roberts Dailey (local realtor and civic leader) and other partners, and on November 8, 1956 the Gatewood subdivision was approved with 92 lots all designed as single-family residences with the exception of three lots on the south side of Riverside where duplex rentals were permitted. Over the next thirty years homes of varying styles were built and occupied.
In 1987, Lot 4 of the Gatewood subdivision was split into a north half and south half and sold to the homeowners of lots 3 and 5, thus ending the 60 years of Kitselman ownership of this segment of wooded land west of the city of Muncie. Gatewood has 92 homes and is a thriving neighborhood.
In 2000, Virginia B. Ball, local philanthropist and active supporter of education, the environment, the arts, and the humanities, established the Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry at Ball State University. With the approval of the Ball State University Foundation, the Kitselman Center was chosen as the home of that center which still exists today.
Gatewood is bounded on the North by Riverside Avenue, the south by Gilbert Street, the west by Greenbriar Road and Bittersweet Lane and on the east by Forest Avenue, comprising 92 homes and approximately 80 acres. Today Gatewood is a neighborhood made up of accountants, artists, bankers, business men and women, children, counselors, doctors, engineers, fathers and mothers, grandparents, inventors, judges, lawyers, musicians, nurses, pharmacists, plumbers, professors, realtors, school administrators, teachers and very good neighbors.
In the early 2000’s, student rental properties continued popping up in residential neighborhoods in Muncie. The Gatewood Neighborhood Association was formed in an effort to sustain and support the Kitselman families’ original intent to develop a single family residential neighborhood and to support good neighboring.
In 2018 Gatewood completed neighborhood sponsored leveling, cleaning, tuck-pointing and restoration of the 1927 Gate Pillars at University and Forest Avenues.
Neighborhood Association
President: John Pinckney Vice President – Dan House Secretary-Treasurer: Sue Whitaker
Other Board Members and Street Representatives:
Bittersweet: Susan Leffler
Gatewood: Dan House
700, 704, 707 N Greenbriar + 3509 Riverside: Jim Wingate
University: Don Whitaker
Brentwood (north of University): Larry Stange
Brentwood (south of University): Larry Strange
Forest (west side of street – University to Riverside: Pat Nelson
Forest (west side of street – University to Gilbert + 3300 W Gilbert
Greenbriar: Molly Graybeal
Wildwood: Ron Martin
Committees:
Social Media Committee—Casey Stanley
Welcome Committee—Molly Graybeal and Anna McGlinchy
Government Liaison—Larry Strange
Newsletter Editor—Sue Whitaker
Neighborhood School:
West View Elementary, MCS 3401 W. Gilbert Street
Landscaping and neighborhood sign completed with ARP funding280 Items were collected at the Gatewood Holiday Party in December 2025 for the Clothing Closet at West View Elementary School.Below: Neighborhood Children building an igloo following the January 2026 SnowstormNeighborhood Easter Egg Hunt
The Forest Park Neighborhood Association meets every other month on the third Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Delaware County Senior Citizens Center, 2517 W. Eighth St.All are welcome.
The Eastside Neighborhood Association was established in 1988. This neighborhood is bordered by Muncie Bypass on the East, E. Jackson St (SR 32) on South, E. Manor St. on North, and N. Bellaire (Railroad Tracks) on the West. Three housing additions are located here:
Mayfield: Bordered by N. State / E. Jackson / E. Manor / N. Manhattan)
Echo Heights: N. Grande Ave
Eastwood: N. Eastwood Ave
This photo is used with permission from the Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
The Association members value families and children and Mr. Cummins worked tirelessly to keep Claypool School open for the neighborhood. Bill Chambers, former Trustee of Center Township, purchased the land north of E. Manor to create the park which, at one time, hosted the Eastside Eagles Baseball Team. The Center Township Trustees is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the park.
Spring 2015 may very well see Kitselman Pure Energy Park build on this property.
Neighborhood Association
Robert Green was the first president but shortly replaced by Perry Cummins who remained in office until 2013 when the association was closed. There have been many active members but none with the longevity and dedication as Mr. Cummins. The foundational members include:
Jim Williams
Debbie Crose
Margaret Adams
Maxine Cummings
Kay Walker
Tim Martin
Charlene Stover
Paul Balle
Tim Hodge
Cathy Burnam
Linda Goodman
Jay Bird
Lisa Connor
Mel McCord
Notable events include Easter egg hunts and picnics at Chambers Park and annual Christmas parties at the Claypool School Building (now Head Start).
Please refer back to this page for updates on the redevelopment of the Eastside Association!
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