Frank A. Bracken Administration Building (Muncie, Indiana)

 office building, administrative building, 1898_construction

The Administration Building is the oldest campus building. In its very early years it was the only building on campus and housed classrooms, offices, library, bookstore, and a residence for the president. Today it contains many of the university's main administrative offices, including the president's office.

This Neoclassical style structure is the oldest building on campus. It was constructed in 1898 at a cost of $33,000 to house the Eastern Indiana Normal University, a precursor to Ball State. For several years it was the only building on the normal school campus and as such housed classrooms, offices, the library, and the bookstore.

The interior of this building has been remodeled to suit today's needs, but at the time of construction it was considered very modern. According to an 1899 school catalog, the building featured lavatories, gas heating and lighting, and a "force ventilator which changes the entire volume of air in each room every fifteen minutes."

The building is named for Frank A. Bracken on the 30th anniversary of his serving on the university board of trustees. A member of the Bracken family has served on the board of trustees since the university was founded by the Ball brothers, including Mr. Bracken's grandfather, Frank C. Ball.