East Central Indiana Facts for Kids

Highlighted in red are the counties of East Central Indiana.

East Central Indiana is a region in Indiana east of Indianapolis, Indiana, and borders the Ohio state line. The Indiana Gas Boom, which took place during the 1890s, changed much of the area from small agricultural communities to larger cities with economies that included manufacturing. Companies such as Ball Corporation and Overhead Door once had their headquarters in the region. Glass manufacturing was the first industry to be widespread in the area, because of the natural gas. As the glass industry faded, many of the skilled workers became employed at auto parts factories in cities such as Muncie and Anderson. With the decline of the American automobile industry, East Central Indiana became part of the Rust Belt. Many communities have been forced to reinvent themselves with a focus on services or a return to agriculture.

Counties

Historic downtown Hartford City (left) and downtown Montpelier (right) in Blackford County

County seats

Muncie's Edmund B. and Bertha Ball House (left) and part of the Walnut Street Historic District in downtown Muncie (right) in Delaware County

Anderson (Madison County)
Greenfield (Hancock County)
Hartford City (Blackford County)
Muncie (Delaware County)
New Castle (Henry County)
Portland (Jay County)
Richmond (Wayne County)
Winchester (Randolph County)

Notable small towns

Blackford County

Dunkirk (only a small portion)
Montpelier
Roll
Shamrock Lakes

Delaware County

Statue of James Whitcomb Riley (left) and the Frank Littleton Round Barn (right) in Hancock County

Hancock County

Henry County

Buildings in the New Castle Commercial Historic District (left) and Knightstown's Elias Hinshaw House (right) in Henry County

Portland Commercial Historic District (left) and historic Redkey Town Hall in Jay County.

Jay County

Madison County

Downtown Anderson (left) and Mounds State Park in Madison County.

Randolph County

Historic William Kerr House (left) and county courthouse in Randolph County.

Richmond's historic Henry and Alice Gennett house (left) and historic Doddridge Chapel in Wayne County.

Wayne County

Major newspapers

The Star Press, Muncie, Indiana
Palladium-Item, Richmond, Indiana
The Winchester News Gazette, Winchester, Indiana
The New Castle Courier Times, New Castle, Indiana
The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Indiana
The Commercial Review, Portland, Indiana

TV stations

WIPB-TV - PBS station in Muncie, Indiana
WKOI-TV - TBN station in Richmond, Indiana

Radio stations

Anderson

FM stations

WBKQ 96.7 - Country (licensed to Alexandria)
WGNR 97.9 - Contemporary Christian, Inspirational
WQME 98.7 - Christian Contemporary (Anderson University)
WIKL 101.7 - Christian Contemporary/K-Love (licensed to Elwood)

AM stations

WHBU 1240 Talk "News Talk 1240 WHBU"
WGNR 1470 Religious

Muncie

FM stations

WKMV 88.3 FM - Adult contemporary Christian "K-Love"
WCRD 91.3 FM - Public Radio (Ball State University) "WCRD"
WBST 92.1 FM (Ball State University) NPR Talk, Classical, Jazz "Indiana Public Radio"
WMXQ 93.5 FM Classic Rock "93.5 MAXimum Classic Rock"(licensed to Hartford City)
W231CC 93.9 FM Christian Contemporary
WNAP-LP 99.1 FM - Southern Gospel
W268BJ 101.5 FM Adult contemporary Christian "WJCF" (translator of WJCF-FM Morristown, IN)
W275AJ 102.9FM Simulcast of 1340AM WMUN "Fox Sports Radio"
WLBC 104.1 FM Hot AC "Today's Best Music"
WERK 104.9 FM Classic Hits "104.9 WERK The New Sound"
W291AH 106.1 FM Contemporary Christian (translator of WBCL 90.3 FM in Ft. Wayne)

AM stations

WMUN 1340 AM-FOX Sports "102.9FM and 1340AM Fox Sports Radio"

New Castle

FM stations

WKPW 90.7 FM Classic hits "Classic Hits 90.7" (licensed to Knightstown, IN)
WBSH 91.1 FM NPR, Classical, Jazz Indiana Public Radio (licensed to Hagerstown, IN)
WMDH-FM 102.5 FM "Hit Country 102.5" Country Music
WHHC-LP 100.1 FM "Radio 74" Religious

AM stations

WLTI 1550 AM Classic Country

Richmond

FM stations

WKRT 89.3 MHz - Adult contemporary Christian "K-Love"
WECI 91.5 MHz - Public Radio (Earlham College)
W233AN 94.5 MHz - Contemporary Christian (translator of WJYW Union City) "Joy FM"
W237AT 95.3 MHz - Adult Contemporary Christian, Inspirational "The Path" (translator of WKCD Cederville, OH)
WQLK 96.1 MHz - Country "Kicks 96"
W249BG 97.7 MHz - Contemporary Christian (translator of WJYW Union City) "Joy FM"
WFMG 101.3 MHz - Hot A/C "G 101-3"
W269BP 101.7 MHz - Christian rock "Air 1" (translator of WORI Delhi Hills/Cincinnati, OH)

AM stations

WHON 930 kHz - News/Talk "News Talk 930" (licensed to Centerville)
WKBV 1490 kHz - ESPN Sports "ESPN 1490"

Winchester

FM stations

WZZY 98.3 FM Classic hits "Star 98.3"

Colleges and universities

Shafer Tower on the campus of Ball State University, the largest post-secondary education institution in East Central Indiana.

Anderson University (private)
Ball State University (public)
Earlham College (private)
Indiana University East (public)
Ivy Tech Community College of Anderson, Muncie, and Richmond (public)