Emily Kimbrough House

Title of Building: Emily Kimbrough House
Address: 715 E. Washington Street
Year Built: c. 1898
Architectural Style: Queen Anne Cottage
National Register: Emily Kimbrough Historic District; NR # 80000032; Listed 11/13/1980.

The Emily Kimbrough House is one of Muncie’s most well-known buildings. Emily Kimbrough was a New York Times best-selling author who transitioned to the movie business, and her childhood home serves as a reminder of her past and Muncie’s endeavor to preserve its history. This building was originally designed by Alfred Grindle and built by Emily’s grandfather, Charles Kimbrough.[1] It has seen two remodels: one in 1906 adding a rear porch, and a second in 1945 converting it into a duplex. Then, in 1981, this building was purchased by Historic Muncie and converted into a museum with the upstairs remaining an apartment.[2] The house is the centerpiece of the Emily Kimbrough Historic District and is still an active museum.[3]

[1] Emily Kimbrough House, Exterior and Interior Description, 12 November 1981, DOC-81.063, Drawer 8, Folder 33, Documentation Collection, Andrew Seager Archives of the Built Environment, Ball State University, Muncie, IN. Please note, this source is student-created.

[2] “Historic Muncie: Emily Kimbrough.” Accessed June 30, 2023. http://www.historicmuncie.org/districts/kimbrough/.

[3] “Emily Kimbrough (1899-1989) American Author and Journalist,” October 28, 2019. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://visitmuncie.org/emily-kimbrough-1899-1989-american-author-and-journalist/.